The V8 is Porsche’s own 86 x 86-mm bore x stroke square engine which is biturboed to a particularly burly 630 hp and 820 Nm—figures just shy of the Cayenne Turbo GT and Lamborghini Urus. But this is a Panamera. It’s long, wide, and low. Very low. And it only weighs 2,080 kg; significantly lower than its chubbier sibling and its bullish Italian cousin. In here, too, the surroundings are nothing short of flagship quality. Every hem, every sew, every cross-stitch is perfectly in line, indicative of the precision imbued in its creation—from the embroidery to the fuel maps and the throttle calibration. Turn the stub to start, shift into drive, and off we go.
After the single-digit-rpm responses of the electric, the response feels like Porsche letting me have a little leeway with my right foot. The conditioning has stayed. The “S” in the Panamera Turbo S name means plus 80 hp and 50 Nm over the Turbo. And the potency shows. It can storm from standstill to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds. Find the space and it will do 315 km/h. There is a greater chance that my spleen will push out my liver before the Panamera Turbo S runs out of power. It packs the same eight-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung double-clutch gearbox with all-wheel drive as the Turbo. The 8PDK runs a wider spread of ratios with fifth being the closest to 1:1 and then it’s all overdrive across three more ratios. A big V8 running relaxed at more than 5,000 rpm means eye-watering speeds in anything higher than second.
Our car had the Sports exhaust system fitted, which meant more drama followed every time I lifted off. Crackles and burbles provide entertainment on a truly fundamental level, for short bursts of dopamine. On fast sweeping bends, the Panamera shows you what it can really do. Then, again, the Taycan can do that just as well, if not better.
So, what sets them apart? Price? Power source? Potency? Plumes of smoke in the aftermath—from the tyres and the will to do it all over again to rewind the thrill and experience it fuller the next time? Well, yes, and yes. The Taycan feels quicker because it is quicker. Because the electric motor is fast and the development faster. The Panamera feels aged in comparison but it still has the cutting-edge of combustion. It splits atoms of fuel into burning particles that make red hot power and a German symphony of cacophony and metal. It feels irreplaceable. However, the Taycan is quicker. It’s the present day capitalist philosophy: “Instant torque! Just add foot.” But it peaks and it stays somewhat flat after a certain point. The excitement, the exhilaration, and the mad sensation of speed are all there.
The Panamera is a roller-coaster in comparison with climbs and drops, each progressively higher and more exciting as each gear steps in, climbs the torque mountain, and passes on the baton. There is an emotional component to the surge of power, sound, and the build-up of speed. It’s involving and engaging to the level of an old-school muscle car. The V8. Its burble. Its huge power reserve. And that howl at the top. This difference is akin to that of receiving an email with a huge, encrypted attachment on your paid-for premium cloud storage and actually receiving a handwritten letter in a tastefully sealed and marked envelope accompanied by a huge package that is equally tastefully wrapped, concealing the mystery of what lies within. Worlds apart, but they have their own sorts of charm and they reward the driver who puts in the effort to truly enjoy them.
“The last car built on earth will surely be a sports car,” Ferry Porsche. Salut, Herr Porsche. Your legacy lives on.
Need to Know – Porsche Taycan Turbo S
Price: Rs 2.44 crore (base, ex-showroom)
Battery Pack: 93.4-kWh, 386-cell, 723-volt, lithium-ion
Electric Motors: Permanent magnet, synchronous
Max Power: 460 kW (625 hp); 560 kW (761 hp) Launch mode
Max Torque: 850 Nm; 1,050 Nm Launch mode
Transmission: Single-speed front, two-speed rear, automatic, all-wheel drive
Suspension: Double wishbone front, multi-link rear
Weight: 2,315 kg
Performance:
Power:Weight: 328.73 hp/tonne
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 2.8 seconds
Top Speed: 260 km/h
Need to Know – Porsche Panamera Turbo S
Price: Rs 2.44 crore (base, ex-showroom)
Engine: 3,996 cc, twin-turbo V8, petrol direct-injection
Max Power: 630 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Max Torque: 820 Nm @ 2,300-4,500 rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed, automatic, all-wheel drive
Suspension: Double wishbone front, multi-link rear
Weight: 2,080 kg
Performance:
Power:Weight: 302.88 hp/tonne
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 3.1 seconds
Top Speed: 315 km/h
On the one hand, we have combustion and, on the other, full electric…
Put Your Hands Together
for the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. It combines the 4.0-litre biturbo V8 with an electric motor and a large high-voltage battery pack for a peak system output of 700 hp and 870 Nm, with up to 37 km/l, significant zero-tailpipe-emission range, as well as charge-on-the-go capability. It is also on sale in India from Rs 2.75 crore (ex-showroom). However, we hope to see an enhanced version soon with the updates (130-kW motor and 25.9-kWh battery) from the new Cayenne.
