Porsche Panamera (1st Generation)

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1st Generation Porsche Panamera (970)

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Porsche had been talking about a four-door sedan for decades before we finally saw the initial Porsche Panamera photos on November 24 2008. The first-generation Panamera was a genuine game-changer from a performance perspective. Design and looks were not met with praise, but no other executive four-door had ever been as capable on the twisty turns as the Panamera when it arrived as a 2010 model year lineup.

First out of the gate were the Panamera S, 4S, and Turbo variants. All three had a 4.8-liter V8, a 400-horsepower naturally aspirated unit for the S and 4S, and a turbocharged version of the same engine with 500 hp for the Turbo. Performance was impressive, with the Sport Chrono Packaged rear-wheel-drive Panamera S able to go from 0 to 62 miles per hour in as little as 5.2 seconds. The similarly optioned 4S did it in 4.8 second while the Turbo did it in a blistering 4.0 seconds flat. For the 2011 model year Porsche introduced the base level models, the Panamera and Panamera 4, both getting the same 300-hp 3.6-liter V6. The next model was the Panamera S Hybrid with a 3.0-liter supercharged Audi V6 mated to a hybrid drive system. As if the Panamera needed more than 500 hp in Turbo guise, Porsche released the Turbo S with 550 hp for 2012. The power was increased with a modified ECU and upgraded turbochargers. In 2013 the GTS was introduced with most of the equipment standard on the Panamera Turbo, but without the turbochargers. Instead, it made do with the S V8, modified to make 430 hp. To allow the driver and passengers to hear the burly exhaust note better, Porsche implemented its new Sound Symposium system, which used special chambers connected to the engine air intake to pipe sound into the cabin. Of course, with more power and an emphasis on handling, some of the notable equipment borrowed from the Turbo included better brakes, air suspension with active shocks, all-wheel-drive, and more. In addition to the GTS, Porsche launched the Panamera Edition for 2013, giving base cars design cues and standard equipment from the Turbo.

The Panamera received a fairly substantial mid-cycle update for 2014. The S lost its V8, which was replaced by a new, more efficient twin-turbo V6 that produced 420 hp. Porsche added long-wheelbase Executive trims to the Turbo and Turbo S, a move that was spurred in large part by the growing Chinese market. The base car’s engine got a boost from 300 to 310 hp, while the Turbo and Turbo S now made 520 hp and 570 hp, respectively. The hybrid Panamera became the S E-Hybrid and gained plug-in capability, a new lithium-ion battery, and better performance from a 95-hp electric motor. The more powerful motor allowed drivers to stay in electric-only mode up to 84 miles per hour — much faster than the S Hybrid. The Audi-sourced supercharged V6 remained unchanged with 333 hp. Combined output was 416 hp. And finally, a much appreciated — though arguably insignificant — styling update quelled some of the criticism aimed at the sedan’s design. Aside from the extremely rare (and expensive) Panamera Exclusive series and the Edition series, the sedan continued on mostly unchanged through model year 2016. The second generation Panamera was launched for 2017.