2012 Porsche Panamera Hybrid Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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I’d like to travel back in time and tell my 10-year-old self that someday Porsche will have both an SUV and a 4-door sedan in its stable, perverting my young vision of performance purity. Ten-year-old me would likely recoil, refusing to believe the prognostications of the old man just arrived from the future. Time travel would be an easier pill to swallow than the future betrayal Porsche had in store.
But apparently I’m alone. The Panamera sedan has surpassed the Cayenne SUV as the most popular Porsche in the States, and the perversion continues to permeate, as a hybrid version of the Panamera debuts this year.
Let’s get this out of the way early—the Panamera is ugly. We’ve heard it over and over again, and they’re right. The proportions are wrong, the profile obscene. Now let’s move on.
Aesthetics aside, the Panamera is a hell of a car. It’s fast, it’s comfortable, and it can handle—especially with the V6 as opposed to the heavier V8. That’s good news for the S Hybrid, which starts with the supercharged, direct-injected 3.0-liter V6 and pairs it with a 35kW electric motor and 8-speed automatic transmission. It’s the same setup we’ve seen in the Cayenne and Touareg hybrids, using the 333-hp Audi V6 that does duty in the S4, S5, A6 and Q7. Mated to the 47-hp electric motor, that puts total output at 380 hp—good enough to push the Panamera S Hybrid to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, a full second slower than the conventional Panamera S.
Some will bristle therefore at the inclusion of the “S” badge with the Hybrid, as its performance is about even with the base Panamera. Guess the “S” doesn’t stand for sport. More likely, it’s an attempt to build up the perceived value of the S Hybrid, which comes with some extra features like a power liftgate, rain-sensing wipers, rear-park assist and navigation. However, the big addition is the adaptive air suspension, which adds thousands and thousands of dollars to the price of other Panameras. Smart money says it’ll be just as important a feature as the hybrid badges for attracting consumers.
I say badges rather than technology because the Panamera S Hybrid isn’t going to do much to actually save the environment. EPA estimates of 22 mpg city/30 highway may be impressive when compared to the rest of the Panamera lineup, but they won't win any awards. Still, the Panamera S Hybrid can drive up to a mile and a half on electric power only up to about 50 mph, thanks to its 1.7-kW/hr NiMH battery. Another neat trick is to shut off the gasoline engine and coast on electric power up to 103 mph—although Porsche decided a more elegant term than “coasting” was needed and elected to call it “sailing” instead.
Fancy tech aside, it’s really hard to push the Panamera S Hybrid as an economical option for the ecologically minded. Money is a resource as well, and no amount of fuel savings will mitigate the initial cost of the Panamera—unless you’re planning on driving it for several centuries. So much research and design and manufacturing just to produce a vehicle that is slower and less efficient than a V6 Mustang, and for three times the price. Even a 10-year-old knows that doesn't make any sense.
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2012 Porsche Panamera Hybrid Pricing
Trims & specs
Air Conditioning
Active charcoal air filtration · Climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones · Rear air conditioning: with independent controls · Dual rear air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Dual front knee airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Rear side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: element · Auxiliary audio input: iPod/iPhone integration · CD changer: 6 · 6 disc CD/DVD in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio · XM-ready satellite radio · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 11 · 585 watts
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 14.7 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 12.9 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Beverage cooler: cooled storage compartment · Center console trim: wood · Dash trim: leather · Door sill trim: aluminum · Door trim: wood · Interior accents: Alcantara · Shift knob trim: aluminum · Steering wheel trim: wood
Convenience Features
Cargo cover: retractable · Center console: front console with armrest · Cruise control: adaptive · Cupholders: rear · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: driver seat · Multi-function remote: trunk release · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): 4 total · Reading lights: front · Steering wheel: tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Storage: door pockets · Sunshade: power side window · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating
Driver Seat
Power adjustments: 14
Engine
Electric Motor HP: 47 · Electric Motor Power Output (Kilowatts): 34 · Electric Motor Torque: 221 · Hybrid Gas Engine HP: 333 · Hybrid Gas Engine HP@RPM: 5500 · Hybrid Gas Engine Torque: 325 · Hybrid gas Engine Torque@RPM: 3000
Exterior Features
Exhaust: quad exhaust tips · Exhaust tip color: stainless-steel · Grille color: black · Paint: metallic · Rear spoiler color: body-color
Header
Option Delete: Generic
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2
In Car Entertainment
Infotainment screen size: 7 in.
Instrumentation
Instrument cluster screen size: 4.8 in. · Warnings and reminders: low fuel level
Lights
Headlights: Auto on/off · Taillights: adaptive
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: heated
Passenger Seat
Power adjustments: 8
Rear Seats
Power adjustments: 8 · Type: 60-40 split bench
Safety
Camera system: rearview · Parking sensors: rear
Seatbelts
Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front and rear · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front and rear · Passenger seat power adjustments: height · Upholstery: two-tone · Ventilated: front and rear
Spare Tire
Kit: tire sealant
Suspension
Driver Adjustable Suspension: ride control · Front Spring Type: pneumatic springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: double wishbones · Leveling: self leveling suspension · Rear Spring Type: pneumatic springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear · Suspension control: electronic
Telematics
Navigation system: with voice recognition · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth
Tires
Type: summer performance
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy · Wheels: painted alloy
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent