The Porsche Panamera was launched in Mumbai at the Porsche Centre at a press event, by its official importer for India, Precision Cars India.
The Panamera fits alongside the 911, Cayenne, Boxster and Cayman ranges as Porsche's fourth nameplate. It is available for delivery in three versions - the S, the 4S and the top-of-the-range Turbo.
''This year commemorates the 100th birthday of Ferry Porsche, one of the truly great automobile men," said Precision Cars' managing director Rod Wallace, at the launch.
"His vision continues today with a new icon carrying the Porsche crest and DNA. It's not often that a manufacturer has the opportunity to develop a completely new vehicle from scratch. In developing this four-seater Gran Turismo, our engineers, technicians and designers invested all the accumulated know-how and passion of the past sixty years. The result is the Panamera, an exclusive vehicle with an endless array of unique propositions''.
Ashish Chordia, CEO, Shreyans Motors Private Limited and Porsche Centre Mumbai, said, ''We are very pleased to start delivering the pre ordered Panameras to our very excited customers. But today is not only about Panamera customers, its about celebrating with every Porsche aficionado the arrival of the new family member, the perfect addition to our existing exciting line-up, Porsche's first entry into the luxurious sedan segment.''
Packed with a wide range of innovative technologies including five world firsts in motoring, the Panamera combines the looks of a coupé, the opulence of a luxury car, four-seater space and Porsche's distinctive driving dynamics. Moreover, Porsche offers best-in-class performance with maximum fuel efficiency to make the Panamera a uniquely engineered sports car.
Never before in the 61-year history of Porsche has the Stuttgart carmaker boasted a model range as attractive, powerful and competitive as it is today. A carefully conceived variant strategy and a wide range of customisation options combine to fill every customer's requirements, no matter how unusual.
Lower and wider
Through its proportions alone, measuring 1,931 mm in width and 1,418 mm in height, the Panamera is lower and wider than other models in its segment. The car's overall length of 4,970 mm gives it an unmistakable GT silhouette, especially with the short, sporting overhangs front and rear. The Panamera follows a Porsche design philosophy that has been refined over the decades on the 911 and successfully implemented on the Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne.
It comes with highly individual, strongly contoured air intakes instead of a conventional radiator grille, strong wheel arches and the long and sleek bonnet typical of the 911. The strikingly, muscular shoulders over the rear wheels, the dynamic sweep of the coupé-like roofline and the visible tailpipes continue to bestow the feel of its forebears.
The 4.8-litre Panamera S generates 400 hp through a strong, fuel-efficient, eight-cylinder motor that drives the rear wheels via a the Porsche -Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual-clutch transmission - featured for the first time ever in a large, four-door model in the premium segment - with seven gears, which improves the fuel consumption to a mere 12.5 l/100 km.
With its 500 Nm of torque from between 3,500 and 5,000 rpm, and an excellent 83.2 hp output per litre, the Panamera S can accelerate to 100 km/h in just 5.6 seconds, and continue to a top speed of 285 km/h.
Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe PDK also comes as standard on the 4.8-litre, 400-hp Panamera 4S, which also features Porsche Traction Management (PTM) and an intelligent all-wheel drive system. Like the S, it is capable of producing 500 Nm of torque between 3,500 and 5,000 rpm, but the 4S can hit 100 km/h in just 5.0 seconds and is capable of a top speed of 282 km/h. Its economy rating is as impressive as its performance, achieving fuel consumption of just 11.1 l/100 km.
With a 500-hp, eight-cylinder engine and bi-turbo technology, the top of the range Panamera Turbo, comes with PDK as standard alongside all-wheel drive. It generates 700 Nm of torque from 2,250 to 4,500 rpm - 779 Nm with Overboost in conjunction with optional Sports Chrono Package Turbo in the Sports Plus Mode - and boasts a power output per litre of 104.1 hp. The Turbo produces scintillating performance with a top speed of 303 km/h and a staggering time of only 4.2 seconds form 0 to100 km/h. In spite of the Turbo's performance potential, it still registers meagre fuel consumption of just 12.2 l/100 km.
All models feature Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), low-friction drivetrains, and lightweight body technology. Even the Panamera Turbo weighs less than 2,000 kg, despite its wide range of standard equipment.
To reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions even further, all versions of the Panamera equipped with the PDK come with Porsche's new auto start-stop function that automatically switches off the engine as soon as the car comes to a standstill - for example at traffic lights or in a traffic jam - then automatically starts the engine again as soon as the brake pedal is released. The result is a significant reduction in fuel consumption, particularly in city traffic.
Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is a standard feature on the Turbo and an option on the Panamera S and 4S. Its three manually adjustable control maps and frequency-specific damping provide a wide range of adjustments, from extra sporting through to extremely comfortable motoring. This is achieved through an adaptive air suspension with additional air volume that is available on demand in each air spring. In the Sport Plus Mode, the Panamera is lowered by 25 mm.
Porsche Stability Management (PSM) provides an extremely higher level of supreme active safety, and comes as standard in the Panamera. This system comprises a whole range of functions, from ABS and anti-slip control (ASR) to engine drag-force control (MSR), automatic brake differential (ABD) and Brake Assist with pre-filling of the brake system. It also features a trailer stabilizing system, start-off management and halt management.
PSM is designed to intervene in critical driving situations when close to the limit by applying the brakes selectively in order to stabilise the car, thus offering an extremely high standard of active safety combined with the unique agility typical of a Porsche. The driver however has the option to deactivate the PSM.
The Panamera comes on newly developed 18- and 19-inch wheels, with unique, 20-inch, lightweight aluminium wheels available as an option. Each model runs on tyres of different size front and rear, which ensures that the wheels are properly matched to the needs on each axle, offering optimum traction, driving stability and steering qualities combined with supreme comfort at all times.
Available on the Panamera Turbo is an active aerodynamic system that deploys a multi-stage, adjustable rear spoiler. This three-way set-up raises and lowers based on driving conditions using the efficient management of control angles and surface geometry. This system not only adds to stability and ride comfort, it also helps further improve fuel efficiency, a theme Porsche has developed across the Panamera's design and engineering.
An enhanced thermal management system controls the coolant temperature and quickly warms up the engine and reduces friction, and contributes to a significant reduction in fuel consumption.
The interiors
From a design perspective, the Panamera was developed as a four-seater right from the start and boasts a unique interior that fits perfectly within the car's niche. Despite its unusually low and stretched silhouette, the Panamera's dimensions give generous room for all four seats.
A centre console extending all the way along the interior from front to rear highlights a personal cocoon for each passenger, a feeling that is continued with the four individually tailored seats. Low seat positions give the driver and passengers a direct feeling of the road that is typical of Porsche.
All models in the Panamera range come standard with sports seats for the driver and front passenger. Electrically adjustable in eight directions, these superior seats give excellent driving comfort in the Panamera S and 4S.
With the Panamera Turbo electrical seat adjustment is combined with a Comfort Memory Package, which also comprises seat-bottom extension, lumbar support, and electrical steering column adjustment.
At the rear, the two single seats on all models offer even tall passengers more than ample leg and headroom. Further alternatives such as adaptive sports seats and electrically adjustable comfort seats in the rear are available on request. Finally, customers also have the choice of further options ranging from various types of leather upholstery to the keyless Porsche Entry & Drive system -which is standard on the Panamera Turbo.
All versions of the Panamera come with air conditioning that is optimised for energy efficiency, low weight and compact dimensions. The regular air conditioning featured as standard offers two-zone automatic climate control giving the driver and front passenger individual control of temperature, air volume and distribution. They have the option of entering their favourite settings manually via a control unit on the centre console.
Available on request is four-zone, automatic air conditioning with individual adjustment of temperature, blower strength and air distribution for each seat. With this, Porsche engineers have developed a sophisticated system of ducts that distributes the air individually at the right temperature.
The Panamera sets new standards in its class in terms of audio and communication. The highlight is the seven-inch, colour touch screen fitted with both the CDR-31 audio system and Porsche Communication Management (PCM), including a navigation module.
The Panamera S and 4S come with the CDR-31 as standard, while the Turbo is equipped with PCM, with the navigation module available as an option on the other two models. Based on these sophisticated high-tech systems, the Panamera offers a large number of individual functions ranging from voice control through to Bluetooth mobile phone connections. Features extend all the way to an electronic logbook.
As an option, rear passengers can enjoy their very own personal entertainment in the Panamera, with Porsche Rear Seat Entertainment, incorporating two consoles integrated in the headrests of the front seats with swivelling seven-inch, TFT colour displays that integrate cordless infrared headsets.
Again, all functions are easily operated from a touch screen, with the additional option to transmit films or data from one screen to the other.
A premium Burmester High-End Surround Sound System - the pinnacle in listening power and quality - is available as an option, while the BOSE Surround Sound System comes as standard in the Panamera Turbo and is optional on all other models.
Advanced safety
The Panamera naturally features advanced safety concepts for passengers, with full-size airbags igniting in two stages depending on the severity and type of accident, and offering the driver and front passenger substantial safety and protection.
In the case of a less severe accident the occupants are held back in their seats by the airbags igniting to their first and softer stage, reducing the forces acting on the occupants. Knee airbags featured by Porsche as standard for the first time on the lower part of the instrument panel likewise serve to hold back the lower body of the driver and front passenger in a head-on collision whenever required.
Also featured as standard, the Porsche Side Impact Protection System (POSIP) comes with two-chamber thorax/hip side airbags at the front, integrated in the backrests at the side and is tailored specifically to meet collision requirements around the driver's and front passengers' hips and ribs. These side airbags are supplemented by curtain airbags extending along the entire roof frame and the side windows from the A- all the way to the C-pillars, as well as side impact protectors in the doors.
Side airbags at the rear are available as an option, while a roll sensor detects the risk of the car rolling over and automatically activates both the curtain airbags and the safety belt tensioners.
With its focus on safety and the environment combining with excellent performance and absolute comfort, the Porsche Panamera has been well worth the wait. This four-door grand tourismo is a unique offering that sets the standard within its segment.
