New 2024 Porsche Panamera revealed

The third-generation 2024 Porsche Panamera has been revealed ahead of its arrival in Australia late in the first quarter of next year, and it’s the most advanced and luxurious take on the flagship sedan we’ve seen yet.

The Sport Turismo wagon has been dropped due to slow sales worldwide, leaving the new Panamera sedan that is now available for order – priced from $227,000 plus on-road costs, and topping out at $402,300 plus ORCs for the 500kW Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid.

Porsche’s super-limo remains based on the current MSB architecture, but the German sports car marque claims that the only carry-over body parts are the doors.

The current series has a broad line-up spanning six- and eight-cylinder petrol and hybrid powertrains, and the new Panamera maintains the rage – with a particular focus on electrification.

For starters, the new model offers four new E-Hybrid electrified powertrains that are said to offer higher performance, greater efficiency and a longer EV range, while pioneering fully active chassis technology will reassert the Panamera’s reputation as one of the fastest and best-to-drive four-door sedans available.

Featuring an evolution of the outgoing Panamera’s design, the new car gains a pair of larger and more upright headlights and a set of pronounced front fenders that, from behind the wheel, is said to provide the impression the driver is steering a 911 and not a 2300kg four-door sedan.

Below the nose are deeper, wider air intakes that hint at extra cooling needed for the new hybrid powertrains.

At the rear, the most obvious reference points are revised pillars, a frameless tailgate and full-width LED tail-light treatment.

Measuring in at an imposing 5052mm long, 1927mm wide and 1423mm high, the 2024 Panamera is almost identical in size to the outgoing car. It’s only 3mm longer, 10mm narrower and the same height, although the wheelbase on the new car has been stretched slightly by an undisclosed amount to widen the door aperture, aiding access to the rear seats.

Inside, the Panamera adopts what looks like the Taycan’s instrument panel that is flanked by a large 12.3-inch infotainment system and another optional 10.9-inch touch-screen for the front passenger.

The new third screen allows the passenger to reply to emails or stream movies on the move; the driver can’t view the content once the car is moving, thanks to clever partitioning tech.

The infotainment unit runs Porsche’s latest operating system that allows wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Apple CarPlay is now integrated within the MyPorsche App, which means functions like the climate control, seat massage and ambient lighting can now all be accessed via the Apple CarPlay home screen and can be controlled using the Siri voice assistant.

Other changes include moving the gear shifter from the centre console to the right of the steering wheel on the dash, freeing up space in the console. New tech in this area includes a nifty cooled wireless phone charger.

In Australia, the base Panamera comes equipped with a more powerful version of the current twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 that now produces 260kW (+17kW) and 500Nm of torque (+50Nm).

The extra output sees the sedan slash its 0-100km/h sprint to just 5.1 seconds (0.5sec quicker), while top speed is 272km/h.

More appealing to performance sedan fans is the arrival of the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid that combines the current Turbo S E-Hybrid’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with an all-new electric motor that, alone, pumps out 140kW and 450Nm.

Encased within a heavily upgraded eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the new e-motor is cooled by the same oil as the transmission, cutting weight.

There’s also a larger 25.9kWh lithium-ion battery that provides for an all-electric range of around 90km and comes with a new 11kW on-board AC charger that sees the battery topped up in claimed 2h39min.

Combined, the total output for the new Turbo E-Hybrid is 500kW and 930Nm, which provides for plentiful performance – 0-100km/h is dismissed in just 3.2 seconds, while top speed is an impressive 315km/h.

At more than $400,000, the new addition to the Porsche Panamera range isn’t cheap, but as well as the advanced powertrain it also offers a new rear diffuser, tailpipes finished in dark bronze and the option of centre-lock wheels.

There’s also a fresh Turbo rear decal and a special Turbo crest bonnet badge, plus Turbo-exclusive paint options.

One new advanced option for the Turbo E-Hybrid is the all-new Porsche Active Ride suspension tech that is said to be capable of eliminating body roll and the pitch and dive associated with hard acceleration and braking.

Consisting of a two-valve damper on each corner, each individually powered by a hydraulic pump, the new tech mimics what an American low-rider can do for fun but adds or reduces pressure to cope with nasty bumps.

Cleverly, working with a single chamber air spring the system uses the Turbo E-Hybrid’s 400-volt system. That means it doesn’t need the current car’s extra 48-volt battery or traditional physical anti-roll bars – so in total the Porsche Active Ride adds no extra weight.

Capable of lightning-quick responses, the new Active Ride is capable of both counteracting and compensating for forces acting on the spring far faster than anything else out there. It means it can smooth out a ride better than existing suspension systems.

The tech also announces itself with a perfect piece of street theatre. Approach the Panamera and pull the door handle and the entire car leaps to attention, raising the body instantly by 55mm to allow easier access to its welcoming cabin.

We’ve already mentioned some of the new tech on board the third-generation Panamera, but the level of luxury has also been enhanced.

There’s a pair of all-new rear seats that offer comfort well beyond the current car and even the option of Mercedes-Benz S-Class-style pillow-soft padded head restraints – a signal Porsche wants to close the gap to the Benz limo that leads the class for comfort and global sales.

In Australia, the Panamera will be as well-equipped as ever with even the base car fitted standard with a panoramic roof, soft-close doors, ventilated front seats, quad-zone climate control, a powerful Bose sound system, 14-way-adjustable Comfort seats (with position memory), lane change assist, a 360-degree camera and adaptive cruise control.

Opt for the pricier Turbo E-Hybrid and it adds HD Matrix LED headlights, a head-up display with augmented tech, 21-inch wheels, rear-wheel steering and Porsche Torque Vectoring.

Check out our first drive of the new Porsche Panamera in prototype, with the new Turbo E-Hybrid and the Porsche Active Ride suspension tech in sharp focus.

How much does the 2024 Porsche Panamera cost?
Panamera RWD – $227,000
Turbo E-Hybrid – $402,300
* Prices exclude on-road costs

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