Porsche will freshen the Panamera with engine upgrades and a new hybrid variant.
The 2021 Porsche Panamera is expected to arrive in U.S. stores in spring 2021. Pricing was not disclosed.
The Panamera, which popularized the four-door coupe, takes on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8. Panamera sales totaled 2,055 through June, a 45 percent drop from the first six months of 2019.
The updated standard Panamera features a 2.9-liter twin-turbo engine that delivers 325 hp, replacing the previous 3.0-liter single-turbo engine.
The sporty Panamera GTS variant is powered by a twin-turbo V-8 that delivers 473 hp — a 20-hp increase from the current model.
Meanwhile, the top-of-the-line Panamera Turbo S has a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that delivers 620 hp, up from the 550 hp cranked out by the current model. The 2021 model sprints from 0 to 60 mph, using Launch Control, in 2.9 seconds.
New variant
Porsche will introduce a new plug-in hybrid model next year.
The Panamera 4S E-Hybrid pairs an electric motor with a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine to deliver 552 hp and 553 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid can zip from 0 to 60 mph using Launch Control in 3.5 seconds and has a top track speed of 185 mph.
Improving on the acceleration of the already-quick Panamera 4S, the hybrid version cuts CO2 emissions by about a third, noted Sam Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions.
“Electrification is the best way to retain this level of performance while staying within the ever-tightening pollution regulations around the world,” Fiorani said.
