No price cuts for Panamera

The Porsche price cuts haven’t continued with the new Panamera.

While 911, Cayenne, Boxster and Cayman recommended retail prices have been slashed by as much as 12.9 per cent this year, Porsche Cars Australia has held static prices of its luxury liftback facelift and is claiming that as a victory because it fought off a call from the factory for increases.

“The price is going up between two and four per cent in some markets and we are keeping stable,” PCA managing director Michael Winkler confirmed to motoring.com.au.

The significant exception to this strategy is the new plug-in S E Hybrid, which dips in price by $3600 compared with its predecessor, courtesy of a luxury car tax exemption provided by its ultra-low fuel consumption rate. However, the RRP is still a hefty $296,900.

Pricing for the eight-model range, which goes on staggered sale beginning July 27, kicks off at $196,700 for the entry-level 3.0-litre V6 Diesel and tops out at $382,400 for the 382kW Turbo. Complete pricing is listed at the bottom of this story.

Winkler defended the decision to not cut pricing, arguing the Panamera’s positioning was competitive against its logical rivals, the Mercedes-Benz S-class, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8.

“If the market moves we will move with the market as we did with the other models. But right now the market hasn’t moved for those particular cars so it will stay where it is.”

Winkler is forecasting a slight uptick in sales for the new Panamera from the running rate over the last three years of about 100 per annum. While the entry-level V6s will continue to account for around 50 per cent of sales, he is expecting a lift for the S, the sports-focussed GTS and a tripling for the hybrid to about 15 per annum.

“We will push the hybrid hard because it is new technology and it is a different driving experience and also different fun rather than just different more economical. It is not a story just about economics,” Winkler said.

The S E Hybrid, which combines a 3.0-litre supercharged petrol V6, 70kW electro-motor and 9.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack, slashes fuel consumption by more than half compared to its predecessor to just 3.1L/100km while also accelerating from 0-100km/h in 5.5 secs.

One of its cleverest features is the ability to recharge the battery pack when it is depleted while on the move. The best other hybrids such as the Holden Volt can do is hold charge at an operating level.

The other major technical story of the update is the replacement of the naturally-aspirated 4.8-litre V8 engine in the Panamera S with a Porsche-developed 3.0-litre biturbo V6 that is more powerful and torquier but also more fuel efficient.

This engine, which should also soon transfer into the Cayenne and forthcoming Macan SUVs, means the GTS is left as the only naturally-aspirated V8 in the Panamera range.

The roll-out of the new Panamera range will start with the Diesel, S, 4S all-wheel drive and Turbo. The Panamera follows in September with the Panamera 4, while the S E Hybrid and GTS are due in November.

Next year a new 200kW engine will be installed in the Diesel while the awesome Turbo S will be added to the top of the range.

A new long wheelbase Executive model that lengthens the car by 15cm is not coming to Australia, as it is only available in left-hand drive. We won’t see it until the all-new second generation Panamera appears in 2016.

While the Panamera’s poorly received ‘911-on-helium’ exterior remains fundamentally unchanged, along with the platform that underpins it and the exterior it houses, there have been some exterior styling tweaks including new headlights, side sills and wider rear windscreen.

However, rear-side airbags are optional and a remote control system operated by mobile phone app – dubbed Porsche Car Connect – will not be available in Australia.

For more detail on technical and styling changes, equipment upgrades and driving impressions, watch out for our upcoming Panamera range Launch Review.

Porsche Panamera pricing
Panamera Diesel $196,700
Panamera $201,400
Panamera 4 $213,500
Panamera S $287,100
Panamera S E Hybrid $296,900
Panemera 4S $299,300
Panamera GTS $318,300
Panamera Turbo $382,400

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