Porsche has pulled the sheet off the 2021 Panamera, giving us details on its updated styling, some engine upgrades and even a couple of tweaks to the model hierarchy.
The highlight of the ’21 Panamera is an overhauled V8 engine. Porsche says it made revisions to the crankshaft, connecting rods, valvetrain and injection system and reduced the 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged power plant’s compression ratio. The result? It now makes 620 horsepower and 604 pound-feet of torque in the new Panamera Turbo S lineup, which replaces the standard Panamera Turbo models outright.
That’s a jump of 70 hp and 37 lb-ft over the old specifications, and Porsche says the new Turbo S sedan and Sport Turismo model will crack off a 0-60 run in just 2.9 seconds with launch control, which is a full half-second quicker than the outgoing Turbo; the long-wheelbase Turbo S Executive model needs another tenth of a second — so disappointing.
Porsche continues the power bump theme pretty much down the lineup. The GTS model gets a 20-horse bump over the 2020, and Porsche says the throttle response was tuned to be a bit more linear to make it respond similarly to a naturally aspirated engine. The E-Hybrid lineup picks up a new, 552-horsepower 4S model, which can do 0-60 (and save the planet) in 3.5 seconds. The only exception we can see to this pattern is the base Panamera, which is now powered by Porsche’s 2.9-liter, twin-turbo V6, which makes just 325 hp — down 5 hp from the old 3.0-liter unit.
Porsche also boosted the battery capacity of its entire PHEV lineup for the 2021 model year by 27% and made enhancements to their powertrain calibrations to improve both performance and efficiency, however the company did not elaborate on the gains in either department.
Stylistically, the Panamera’s SportDesign fascia has become the standard look for 2021, though the full SportDesign package (with or without carbon fiber accents) is still available for those who want to really stand out. In the rear, the LED strip now extends the full width of the car, and the lower bumper covers have received some attention as well. Inside, the highlight is a new, somewhat slimmed down steering wheel design.
Porsche says the 2021 Panamera will arrive next spring, and customers should expect to place orders earlier in 2021, when pricing and full specifications will be announced. Stay tuned.
