2017 Porsche Panamera Turbo to be launched in India on March 22, 2017

One of the biggest problems of the first-gen Porsche Panamera was its design, which did not impress many. Now though, Porsche is here with the new, second-gen Panamera which does look pretty. The new Panamera will be launched in India in a couple of days' time and Porsche bringing to us the big engine for starters. Porsche will be launching only the Panamera Turbo initially, while the diesel and hybrid powered variants will be launched later this year.

We recently drove the 2017 Porsche Panamera Turbo and came away mighty impressed. The car seemed like the perfect combination of the space and comfort of a luxury super-saloon and the performance of a sports car. Porsche will be launching the Panamera Turbo in the Indian market on March 22, 2017. However, the company has already updated the pricing of all its variants on their website.

Porsche will be bringing to our shores, the Panamera Turbo, Panamera Turbo Executive and Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo. All three models will be powered by the same engine – a brand new petrol powered, 3,996cc, twin-turbo, V8 engine with an output of 550PS and 770Nm. This engine is mated to a new 8-speed PDK double-clutch gearbox which Porsche claims, shifts gears faster than the older 7-speed PDK gearbox. Though the same engine powers all three models, the performance figures vary slightly.

Panamera Turbo: Rs. 1.93 crore

The design on the new Panamera does make it look pretty, and almost everything is all-new when it comes to the design aspect. The styling cues being borrowed from the Porsche 911 is obvious, especially when looked at from the rear. The Panamera Turbo measures 5,049mm long, 1,428mm high and 1,937mm wide while the wheelbase stands at 2,950mm.

The Panamera Turbo takes 3.8 seconds to accelerate from 0-100, while 0-160 takes 8.4 seconds. These figures reduce to 3.6 seconds and 8.1 seconds respectively with the addition of the Sport Chrono package. The car will go on to hit a top speed of 306kmph.

Panamera Turbo Executive: Rs. 2.05 crore

The Panamera Turbo Executive looks very similar to the Panamera Turbo but is longer, and taller, keeping comfort in mind. The Turbo Executive measures 5,199mm long, 1,432mm high and 1,937mm wide while the wheelbase stands at 3,100mm. This frees up space at the rear, and increases luxury and comfort levels.

The Panamera Turbo Executive seems to be targeted at business executives as Porsche claims that the Panamera Turbo Executive combines sporty driving with a comfortable work zone in the rear.

The Panamera Turbo Executive takes 3.9 seconds to accelerate from 0-100, while 0-160 takes 8.7 seconds. These figures reduce to 3.7 seconds and 8.4 seconds respectively with the addition of the Sport Chrono package. The top speed on the Porsche Panamera Turbo Executive also is 306kmph.

Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo: Rs. 1.97 crore

The Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo, in contrast to the others, looks very different. This is a station wagon, and the rear-end of the car looks more proportionate than ever before. The design from the front till the B-pillar remains the same while the shooting brake design begins right from the B-pillar, and the roofline continues to taper slightly till the C-pillar. This new design gives the Panamera Sport Turismo an old-school look, but with modern features that a super station wagon like this should have.

As a result of the new design, the passengers sitting at the back, now have more headroom. The Turbo Sport Turismo is the first Panamera to feature 4+1 seating.The Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo is 5,049mm long, 1,428mm high and 1,937mm wide while the wheelbase stands at 2,950mm. The Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo also features an extendable spoiler which extends or retracts from the roof depending on the speed.

The Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo according to Porsche takes 3.8 seconds to accelerate from 0-100, while 0-160 takes 8.4 seconds. These figures reduce to 3.6 seconds and 8.1 seconds respectively with the addition of the Sport Chrono package. The Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo though will go on to hit a top speed of 304kmph.