Porsche’s super sedan, the Panamera, has been launched in its third-generation avatar in India with a starting price of Rs 1.69 crore (ex-showroom). Currently available only as a V6 petrol, this third-gen Porsche Panamera sports a familiar silhouette but with a new light package, alloy wheels and latest Porsche grille.
Like the exterior design, the Inside too is a familiar space but with new elements. The gear selector lever is directly to the right of the steering wheel. The mode switch for the Normal, Sport and Sport Plus driving programmes and the assistance control stalks are also directly accessible to the driver. This means that they don’t need to take their eyes off the road to adjust the drive programmes and assistance systems. An optional passenger display closely integrates the passenger into the driving experience. The 10.9-inch screen displays vehicle performance data on request. It also allows the operation of the infotainment system. To avoid distracting whoever is behind the wheel, the passenger display cannot be seen from the driver’s seat.
Under the hood, Porsche has given the new Panamera a 2.9-litre V6 turbo petrol. It produces 350bhp/500 Nm of torque – an increase 23bhp/50 Nm compared to its predecessor. This shortens the Panamera’s sprint to 100 km/h to 5.1 seconds and boosts its top speed to 272 km/h. The new Panamera is a rival for the likes of the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes AMG GT4 and the BMW M5.
