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Porsche Panamera 970.2 – The Story

The Panamera received a fairly substantial mid-cycle update for 2014 model year.

Porsche Panamera 970.2 - The Story

1st Generation Porsche Panamera (970.2) Story & History

Panamera (2014 – 2016)

Official photos: 2013 April 3 / Premiere: 2013 April 20, Auto China press day / Market launch: 2013 July 27 (as 2014 model)

Performance Data (1st Gen Panamera 970.2)

Modification Drive Engine kW lb-ft Nm Gearbox 0-60 mph 0-100 km/h mph km/h DIN kg DIN lb
Panamera Diesel (Turbo 3.0) 184 kW RWD Audi V6 184 404 550 Tiptronic 8-sp. 6.5 sec. 6.8 sec. 152 244 1,880 4,147
Panamera Diesel (Turbo 3.0) 221 kW RWD Audi V6 221 478 650 Tiptronic 8-sp. 5.7 sec. 6.0 sec. 161 259 1,900 4,189
Panamera (3.6) RWD Porsche V6 228 294 400 PDK 7-speed 6.0/*5.7 sec. 6.3/*6.1 sec. 161 259 1,770 3,902
Panamera (Turbo 3.0) China RWD Porsche V6 235 309 420 PDK 7-speed 5.8/*5.6 sec. 6.1/*5.9 sec. 163 262
Panamera (Turbo 3.0) LWB China RWD Porsche V6 235 309 420 PDK 7-speed 6.0/*5.8 sec. 6.3/*6.1 sec. 163 262
Panamera 4 (3.6) 4WD Porsche V6 228 294 400 PDK 7-speed 5.8/*5.5 sec. 6.1/*5.9 sec. 160 257 1,820 4,012
Panamera 4 (Turbo 3.0) China 4WD Porsche V6 235 309 420 PDK 7-speed 5.5/*5.3 sec. 5.8/*5.6 sec. 162 260
Panamera 4 (Turbo 3.0) LWB China 4WD Porsche V6 235 309 420 PDK 7-speed 5.7/*5.5 sec. 6.0/*5.8 sec. 162 260
Panamera Hybrid (Supercharged 3.0) RWD Audi V6 245kW + el.motor 70kW 306 434 590 Tiptronic 8-sp. 5.2 sec. 5.5 sec. 168 270 2,095 4,619
Panamera S (Turbo 3.0) RWD Porsche V6 309 382 520 PDK 7-speed 4.9/*4.6 sec. 5.1/*4.8 sec. 178 287 1,810 3,990
Panamera S (Turbo 3.0) LWB China RWD Porsche V6 309 382 520 PDK 7-speed 5.1/*4.9 sec. 5.3/*5.1 sec. 178 287
Panamera 4S (Turbo 3.0) 4WD Porsche V6 309 382 520 PDK 7-speed 4.6/*4.3 sec. 4.8/*4.5 sec. 178 286 1,870 4,123
Panamera 4S (Turbo 3.0) LWB 4WD Porsche V6 309 382 520 PDK 7-speed 4.8/*4.5 sec. 5.0/*4.8 sec. 178 286 2,000 4,409
Panamera GTS 4.8 4WD Porsche V8 324 382 520 PDK 7-speed *4.2 sec. *4.4 sec. 179 288 1,925 4,244
Panamera Turbo 4.8 4WD Porsche V8 382 515 700 PDK 7-speed 3.9/*3.7 sec. 4.1/*3.9 sec. 190 305 1,970 4,343
Panamera Turbo 4.8 LWB 4WD Porsche V8 382 515 700 PDK 7-speed 4.0/*3.8 sec. 4.2/*4.0 sec. 190 305 2,070 4,564
Panamera Turbo S 4.8 4WD Porsche V8 419 0 0 PDK 7-speed *3.6 sec. *3.8 sec. 193 310 1,995 4,398
Panamera Turbo S 4.8 LWB 4WD Porsche V8 419 0 0 PDK 7-speed *3.7 sec. *3.9 sec. 193 310 2,080 4,587

1st Generation Panamera Refresh & Update

In May 2013 Porsche presented the 100.000th Panamera built. It was already the facelifted car that’s market launch was actually in the end of July.

2013 May 15: 100.000th Panamera made is already the 970.2, although its market launch is in the future© Porsche

No manual gearbox

Only a few 970.1 cars were ordered with the manual gearbox and so it was discontinued for the 970.2. The 970.1 S with manual gearbox and rear-wheel-drive remains highly valued version among Porsche enthusiasts who have big children not fitting on the rear seat of the 911.

Engines

The 970.1 generation Panamera S and 4S had 4.8V8 engines, but to reduce the CO2 emissions, the 970.2 generation S and 4S got smaller 3.0V6 twin-turbo engines. In China, the 3.0 turbo in its detuned version was sold as a base model. For other markets the base model had a 3.6V6 Porsche engine (for comparison, the 3.6V6 in the Cayenne is a VW unit). The 3.0V6 Porsche turbo engine was developed in downsizing the 3.6V6 engine. Now, when most of the versions had twin-turbo engines like the Panamera Turbo, something should have been done to the naming of these cars. It was such a mess – the standard model in China had a Turbo 3.0 engine, in Europe the Turbo 3.0 was fitted into the S/4S and then there was the Turbo 4.8, but only that was called as “Turbo”. Not to speak of the Diesel model, which also could be called as a Panamera Turbo. The GTS was the only facelifted 970 that was equipped with a normally aspirated V8.

Plug-in hybrid

The 970.2 Hybrid was twice as good as the 970.1 Hybrid when it came to reducing the CO2 emissions, but with more batteries on board it was 115 kg/253 lb heavier than the already heavy first generation car. The 970.2 Hybrid launched in 2013 was the first plug-in hybrid from Porsche and the marketing department named it as Panamera S E-Hybrid. The petrol engine was the old Audi unit with the same amount of power as earlier, but the electrical motor was twice as powerful. Compared to the 1.7 kWh nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack in the 970.1, the facelifted 970 Hybrid got a newly developed 9.4 kWh lithium-ion pack – a 5.5 time increase in capacity!

4S or GTS?

The 4S and GTS were more different than before and it is up to a personal taste to drive a 3-litre turbo car or a 4.8-litre normally aspirated one. Porsche positioned the GTS as a sportier version of the S/4S, despite it being heavier and having the V8 engine that belongs to a cruiser while the S/4S has a smaller turbo-engine that suits the sportier drivers.

Turbo S

The Turbo S was equipped in standard with everything Porsche had on offer and therefore it was heavier than the Panamera Turbo in standard configuration. In order to not loose in performance, new turbochargers were fitted to give extra power. The injection pressure was increased from 120 bar to 140 bar, pistons were made from a new aluminium alloy and the piston rings were specially coated. Compared to the standard Turbo, torque was increased from 700 to 750 Nm and to 800 Nm under overboost. The overboost function was activated in “Sport” and “Sport Plus” mode as well as during kickdown in “Normal” mode. The Turbo S came in standard with PDCC Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (active roll stabilisation system), PTV+ Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (torque split system for rear wheels for better turn-in during fast cornering), PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, Sport Chrono package including Launch Control and overboost function, speed-sensitive Power Steering Plus, 20″ wheels, thermal and noise-insulated tinted windows, interior lighting package, large rear centre console etc. The unique four-way rear spoiler was painted in the body colour. The Turbo S was optionally uniquely available in Palladium metallic.

Long wheelbase version

Interesting addition to the model line were the long wheelbase (LWB) cars that the factory called “Executive”. It is rather hard to see Porsche’s DNA in a stretch limo, though. The rear-wheel drive Panamera S LWB made for China was not available in Europe or the USA. On most of the markets, the long wheelbase was available only together with the 4-wheel-drive system.

© Porsche
© Porsche
Optional headlamps with full LED technology© Porsche
Front-end of the V6 models incl. Diesel, Hybrid, 4, S and 4S© Porsche
Front-end of the V8 models: GTS and Turbo© Porsche
Porsche Panamera 970.2 hybrid
The Hybrid version has cool-looking neon green brake calipers starting with 970.2© Porsche
Rear spoiler with 3 possible positions. From the speed of around 55 mph/90 kmh the rear spoiler deploys and goes into “posers position” where it is up, but doesn’t yet produce downforce (actually, the car is still lifted a bit). Only from 127 mph/205 km/h, the spoiler adjusts to a steeper angle and starts to produce downforce.
Flap on the left rear fender is distinctive to the hybrid version. The fuel tank flap is on the right rear fender.© Porsche
© Porsche
The new rear lamp and bumper were defined by Volkswagen’s design language. The 970.2 was designed after Volkswagen took ownership or Porsche.© Porsche
Long wheelbase Turbo Executive© Porsche
Porsche Panamera 970.2 3-piece rear spoiler
© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
Hybrid’s portable charger© Porsche
FOUR exhaust pipes on a hybrid car… When you go hybrid in order to reduce CO2 emissions, you would want to have the car with as modest tailpipes as possible – wouldn’t you?© Porsche
Porsche Panamera 970.2 Turbo S
© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
1-piece rear spoiler and exhaust pipe ends of base versions© Porsche
3-piece rear spoiler of V8 versions© Porsche
SWB vs. LWB: the difference is 6″/15 cm
F. Porsche created a hybrid car already in 1903. This shows how slowly the world sometimes turns.© Porsche
Porsche Panamera Turbo Executive 970 LED headlamps
LWB Turbo with full LED headlamps© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
Hybrid was available with Tiptronic gearbox only. For cruising it is maybe even a better transmission than the PDK.© Porsche
In all-electric mode the top speed is 84 mph/135 kmh© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
Porsche Panamera 970.2 seats
© Porsche
Alcantara of GTS© Porsche
The LWB “Executive” version has a 6″/15 cm extended floorpan. Long wheel base Jaguar or Mercedes S class – of course, but a stretched Porsche?© Porsche
Standard seat vs. adaptive sports seat© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
Porsche Panamera 970.2 GTS black alcantara interior
GTS© Porsche
Burmester sound system© Porsche
Hybrid system© Porsche
The weight of the hybrid system is enormous – the Panamera Hybrid weighs 285 kg/628 lb more than the Panamera S© Porsche

 

Porsche Panamera Turbo S Executive Exclusive Series

No joke, the full name of the long wheelbase special model created by Porsche Exclusive was 45 letters long, 51 characters with spaces. In addition to standard colours, the Exclusive Series was available in special two-colour version: black with fading brown metallic on the sides. The seat material had a special pattern punched in it. The price was 5 times the price of the Porsche Boxster or 3 times the price of the base Panamera. Production: 100 cars.

2015 Panamera Turbo S Executive Exclusive Series on production line
© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
Porsche Panamera Turbo S Executive Exclusive
© Porsche
An entertainment system with a new design was introduced© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
© Porsche
‘000’ shows it’s a prototype© Porsche

Between April 2009 and August 2016, 164.503 Panamera 970 (970.1 + 970.2) were produced.

The last Porsche Panamera 970 GTS, blue metallic
The last 164.503th Panamera of the 970 generation was a GTS version