2021 Porsche Panamera piles on the powertrains, including a new hybrid
It looks a little different, too, but the most notable updates for 2021 are under the body.
Porsche's model taxonomy can be a little confusing, and for the 2021 model year, the Panamera is set to add new variants that replace old ones while sounding like other trims. You can ignore that, though, because what really matters here is that there's more power and more standard equipment, which everyone can get behind.
Porsche on Wednesday announced a raft of changes for the forthcoming 2021 Panamera, which should reach dealers next spring. The Panamera Turbo (like its Turbo Sport Turismo wagon cousin) is being renamed the Turbo S, not to be confused with the Turbo S E-Hybrid. The new Turbo S relies on a revamped version of Porsche's 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8, which thanks to a host of new parts now produces 620 horsepower and 604 pound-feet of torque, up from 550 and 567 (respectively) in the outgoing Turbo model. With launch control, the Turbo S will hit 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, a half-second improvement over the Turbo. It comes loaded with Porsche's best chassis tech, too, including active roll bars, torque vectoring, rear-axle steering and ceramic composite brakes.
Other trims didn't escape changes, either. The Panamera GTS' twin-turbo V8 picks up 20 horsepower for a new output of 473 hp and 457 lb-ft, with changes made specifically to give the car more of a naturally aspirated character. The base Panamera's 3.0-liter, single-turbo V6 has been cast aside in favor of a 325-hp, 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6, too.
Finally, there's also a new plug-in hybrid variant. The Panamera 4S E-Hybrid combines an electric motor and a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 to produce 552 hp and 553 lb-ft, performing similarly to the dearly departed Panamera Turbo. Batteries for all Panamera PHEV models have been improved, now toting 17.9 kilowatt-hour units instead of the old 14.1-kWh guys.
All Panamera models were given some visual updates for 2021. The SportDesign front fascia is now standard across the lineup, with a new SportDesign package being made optional. Panamera GTS models get darker elements all around, while the Panamera Turbo S has an even meaner front bumper with big ol' air intakes and a unique headlight signature. Inside, there's a new multifunction steering wheel, but it's largely the same story in there as before. On the tech front, all 2021 Panamera variants get standard lane-keeping assist with traffic sign recognition.
If you're wondering how much all this good stuff will cost, and your brain hasn't already responded with the answer, "A lot," you'll have to wait a while to find out. Since these bad boys don't go on sale until early next year, Porsche doesn't have any pricing information available yet, but for context, the 2020 Panamera starts at $87,200 and climbs its way to $187,700 for the Turbo S E-Hybrid.
