Car aerodynamics are a constant battle between drag and downforce, and the new Porsche Panamera solves the issue in Transformer-like style. Rather than having a permanent rear wing, the new Porsche Panamera Turbo unfurls its aerodynamic aid at 80mph, and although that’s not unusual nowdays, the way it does it is incredible.
Rather than the simple mechanism we’ve seen in countless cars that just pops up, the new Porsche Panamera Turbo goes all Starscream on us, popping and folding out like a Transformer.
Ridiculous. But there’s more to the Panamera Turbo than its fancy rear wing. Porsche is calling it the fastest four-door on earth, and that makes sense when you find out it’s packing a V8 petrol engine that delivers 550hp. To save space and improve the car’s handling, Porsche engineers have also nestled the car’s turbo into the middle of the engine’s V configuration. To get that power to the wheels, the Panamera then uses an eight-speed semi-automatic gearbox. That means the standard Panamera Turbo can hit 100km/h from standing start in 3.8 seconds; or 3.5 with the optional Sport Chrono package.
That’s not very eco-friendly, so the Porsche can effectively shut down half the engine when you’re going at slower speeds. The result? The V8 becomes a V4 when you’re in traffic, reducing fuel consumption by around 30%.
Tech for 2016
The Panamera and the Panamera Turbo are some of the most tech-laden cars Porsche has made, but despite that, both still blend the old with the new. The new Panamera features a Burmester audio system, just like a Mercedes S-Class, and adds something called the “Porsche Advanced Cockpit”, which essentially brings the car up to speed with the modern age. The new design philosophy packs in all the touchscreen real estate and digital user interfaces you’d expect from a car in 2016 – but it still features an analogue tachometer; a tribute to the 955 Porsche 356 A.[gallery:3]
If you want one, it predictably won’t be cheap. The standard Panamera goes for €113,027 while the faster Panamera Turbo – the one with the spoiler – starts at €153,011. How many pounds sterling is that, you ask? Around £94,000 and £128,000 at the time of writing.
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