As expected, the centerpiece of the show for Porsche is the appearance of the new Panamera S E-Hybrid, the first plug-in hybrid offering from the German automaker.

Also making their debut are two luxurious Executive versions for the Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo, which feature an extended wheelbase and a completely new 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine.

With this launch, the Panamera line-up now increases to nine individual models that offer an extended range between sportiness and comfort.

“The Porsche Panamera and China – that is a very special success story,” said Matthias Müller, president and CEO of Porsche AG. “Exactly four years ago, we introduced the first Panamera to a world audience here in Shanghai – and very intentionally here. Because it was clear to us that our Gran Turismo would be precisely the right model for this future market. And we were not mistaken. In 2012, one out of three Panamera cars were delivered to China.”

Since then, China has gained in importance and become the second largest Porsche market in the world, behind the United States.

The new Panamera S E-Hybrid improves upon the concept offered by the previous Panamera S Hybrid with a more powerful electric motor, a higher-performance battery that supplies more energy and is able be recharged from home or public vehicle charging stations.

The electric drive produces 95 horsepower, more than double the power of the previous model’s electric motor (47 horsepower). Electricity is stored in a newly developed lithium-ion battery, which at 9.4 kilowatt-hour has increased capacity over the previous battery (1.7 kilowatt-hour).

Via the integrated on-board charging components and the standard Porsche Universal Charger (AC), the battery can reach full charge within approximately two and a half hours when connected to a 240V power source.

The Panamera S E-hybrid is capable of accelerating from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds on its way to a top track speed of 167 mph.

The Panamera S E-Hybrid will carry an MSRP of $99,000. The new generation of Panamera models will be launched in the U.S. and Canada in the fall.

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Porsche said this new gas-electric iteration will be named the Panamera S E-Hybrid, and will be the world’s first plug-in hybrid in the luxury class.

The second generation of the Panamera will celebrate its world premiere at the Shanghai Auto Show, which opens its doors on the 21^st of April 2013.

According to Porsche, the Panamera S E-Hybrid is a systematically advanced development of its parallel full hybrids with a more powerful electric motor, a higher-performance battery that supplies more energy and the ability to charge it externally from the electrical grid.

The electric drive system produces 95 horsepower (70 kilowatts), which is more than double the power of the previous model’s electric motor at 47 horsepower (34 kilowatt).

This electric motor draws its energy from a newly developed lithium-ion battery, which at 9.4 kilowatt-hour has over five times the 1.7 kilowatt-hour energy capacity of the previous battery, which was of nickel metal hydride technology.

When connected to an industrial outlet, Porsche said this new lithium-ion battery can be charged in around two-and-a-half hours via the integrated on-board charger and the standard Porsche Universal Charger (AC). The same battery can be charged in less than four hours when connected to a conventional household electrical outlet.

The Panamera S E-hybrid is capable of accelerating from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, an improvement of a half second when compared to the previous Panamera S Hybrid.

An electric boost function helps in instances where maximum acceleration is desired, when the electric motor works in tandem with the combustion engine during acceleration. Electric boost is also available when a kick-down switch in the throttle pedal is activated by the driver during acceleration.

The Panamera’s top track speed is said to be 167 mph.

In addition, the previous model’s NEDC fuel consumption of 7.1 l/100 kilometers (33.08 mpg) was reduced by 56 percent to 3.1 l/100 kilometers (75.63 mpg). Final U.S. EPA fuel economy ratings will be available closer to launch.

At the same time, Porsche said the Panamera’s all-electric driving performance was substantially improved with regard to electric acceleration, electric range, and electric top speed.

The electric driving range of the Panamera S E-Hybrid was determined to be 36 kilometers in NEDC-based testing. Driving range may vary in real operation, since air conditioning and heating are deactivated in NEDC test conditions, for example.

A realistic all-electric driving range in everyday operation would lie somewhere between 18 and 36 km, per Porsche.

The Panamera with the new hybrid drive can reach speeds of up to 84 mph (135 km/h) in all-electric operation.

The Panamera S E-Hybrid uses the eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic, while the gas engine stays the same as the one found on the 2013 Panamera hybrid, a turbocharged V6 producing 333 horsepower.

The new generation of Panamera models will be launched in the U.S. and Canada in the fall; the Panamera S E-Hybrid will cost $99,000 in the U.S. and CDN$125,900 in Canada. [Edit (April 4): Porsche Canada corrected its press release and documentation. The Panamera S E-Hybrid will start in Canada at CDN$113,300.]

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At the 2012 New York International Auto Show this week, Porsche has announced it will be bringing a diesel-powered version of its Cayenne SUV stateside, in time for the 2013 model year.

One of the biggest obstacles facing oil-burning vehicles in our market revolves around emissions standards, however, by employing AdBlue fluid injection in the exhaust stream and selective catalytic reduction technology, the Cayenne Diesel is able to meet U.S. Tier 2 Bin 5 requirements.

Porsche says the Cayenne Diesel, which sports a 3.0-liter V6 engine with common rail injection and a variable geometry turbocharger, produces 240 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, while delivering a combined 23 miles per gallon (city/highway).

Because maximum torque is delivered at just 1,750 rpm, the Cayenne Diesel is reportedly rather quick, with 0-60 mph times of around 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 135 miles per hour. It’s also able to tow up to 7,716 pounds behind it and has a range of 740 miles on a single tank of fuel.

The Cayenne Diesel as sold in the U.S. will be offered exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission but sadly won’t incorporate the stop/start feature available on other Cayenne models.

When it goes on sale in September this year, the Cayenne Diesel will retail for $55,750 before destination fees, other charges and taxes.

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Now the spectrum has warped, and the poles are coming closer. The Cayenne S Hybrid is about as far away from the earnest nerdiness of the Prius as any Porsche can get. Porsche had first discussed a hybrid Cayenne in 2005; the first functioning version appeared at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2007 and production vehicles arrived in the fall of 2010 as 2011 models.

The Porsche Cayenne was all new for 2011 and there are no significant changes for the 2012 model year. But it does receive some new features, such as blind spot monitoring, upgraded carpeting for seatbacks and cargo area and body colored wheel arch extensions. Base price for the 2012 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid is $69,000, a $1,300 increase from last year.

“Sailing on Electricity”

When Porsche puts hybrids on the market, it’s a clear signal that the technology has broken out of the green ghetto. Of course, for Porsche, it tailors its hybrids to the expectations of a sports car buyer. That means adding a 47-horsepower electric motor to a supercharged 333-horsepower V-6 engine that brings total output to 380 ponies and a peak torque of 428 pounds feet at just 1000 rpm.

Porsche joins other manufacturers in the move away from the continuously variable transmission (CVT) employed by most hybrid vehicles. The eight-speed, driver-shiftable automatic transmission is not only a less costly approach, it wrings out the most power from the engine and makes the Cayenne S Hybrid feel like a normal SUV.

The drivetrain is completed with an all-wheel drive system with a self-locking center differential. Biased 58 percent to the rear during normal driving conditions, if one of the wheels starts to loose grip, the differential directs torque to the axle with the most traction.

The hybrid system’s unique feature is a hydraulic clutch between the engine and motor that disengages the engine so it can shut down under light loads. The electric motor then takes up the load until the engine restarts. Porsche engineers call the result “sailing” – for the quiet sensation of speed using only electric power.

As in most hybrids, the electric motor also restarts the engine, and recharges the 288-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack fitted into the former spare-tire well. This is a simpler and less costly system than Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, but it comes with drawbacks, one being that the vehicle can’t use the engine to recharge the batteries while running on electric power at the same time.

Porsche’s hybrid system is tuned to give lots of electric assist at highway speeds. This makes sense, since the large, heavy, tall SUV isn’t an ideal urban car, and may spend less time in city traffic than other hybrids.

Illegal All-Electric Speed!

Porsche says the Cayenne S Hybrid runs up to 1.2 miles in all-electric mode. More remarkably, the company also says it can run on electricity at speeds up to 86 miles per hour – though that’s slightly deceptive, since it means the engine may shut down for a while at speeds that high, leaving the electric motor to propel the car. Still, traveling on battery power at speeds higher than any legal U.S. limit is quite an accomplishment for a 5,000-pound SUV.

As for on-road performance, the company says the hybrid Cayenne posts 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds with both the electric motor and the boosted engine providing power. Top speed is 150 mph. At the same time, fuel economy ratings of 20 in the city and 24 on the highway – while not dramatically high numbers – are a big step up from its gasoline powered brethren, which have city fuel economy in the mid-teens.

For the carbon-conscious hybrid crowd those fuel economy numbers are pathetic, and mentioning 0-to-60 mph times and triple digit speeds is sacrilege. But to Porsche and their customers, the combination of performance, speed and increased fuel economy is just as important as fuel mileage alone is to Toyota Prius buyers.

Panamera Influence

When Porsche redesigned the second-generation Cayenne for 2011, it didn’t stray too far from the original, but far enough to distinguish it from the frumpy sheetmetal of the outgoing model. Visually, this latest edition appears smaller than its predecessor but it is actually a little longer, wider and taller than before.

The Panamera sedan influence is evidenced by a front end that flaunts integrated bi-xenon headlights that flow into raised fenders that sit higher than the sculpted hood and in the rear, taillights that extend into a liftgate that now tips slightly forward. With broader shoulders, tauter lines and more sculpting, the Cayenne is more European sport wagon than boxy sport utility. The only evidence of its green-ness are small hybrid badges adorning the front fenders, that in contrast to large, integrated exhaust tips that speak performance.

Inside, the Panamera imprint is prominent with a high center console that rises up to meet the dashboard center stack like a sport sedan. The instrument cluster is Porsche’s traditional set of five overlapping gauges with a dominant centered tachometer, as in a racecar. The smaller speedometer seems secondary. The S Hybrid instruments differ as they provide hybrid system information.

The interior is an elegant blend of tech and taste; it makes its statement with high quality materials, clean lines and flawless execution. Leather seats, front and rear, are all-day long comfortable. Automobile magazine stated that the hybrid’s cabin “is a wonderful place to spend time.”

That said, the array of controls on the center stack are so flummoxing they appear to require a week of intense focus just to operate the audio system and navigation controls successfully. While Automobile magazine praised the interior, it went on to say, “The only thing that mars the interior is the fact that there are simply too many buttons and switches. I counted: there are 24 buttons and 5 toggle switches on the center console, 15 buttons on the stereo, and 11 on the overhead console.”

Behind The Steering Wheel

Porsche’s 2012 Cayenne S Hybrid is a proficient blend of performance and fuel economy. By the company’s sports car standards it’s a very large, heavy vehicle, but it surprises with its athleticism. That’s due in part to a longer wheelbase – distance between front and rear axles – and a larger track – distance between opposite wheels – than the previous model. Throw in the all-wheel drive set up that enables variable distribution of torque between the rear wheels to enhance cornering dynamics, and the Porsche faithful are satisfied that the sports cars heritage is preserved.

Even the car magazines have recognized that hybrid and performance is no longer an oxymoron. Road and Track said, “Before you proclaim that Porsche has officially sold out to the soccer mom demographic by building not just an SUV, but a hybrid SUV, trust us, this new Cayenne will not leave you yawning” And Motor Trend went so far as to call the Cayenne S Hybrid a GT, “Fast, efficient, and effortlessly capable of crossing continents: That sounds like the classic definition of a Grand Tourer – a GT. Throw in all-road, all-weather capability, and you have a GT well-suited to America’s vast distances, varied roads, and volatile climate. You have the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid.”

When it comes to oomph, Popular Mechanics noted, “There’s plenty of power throughout the rev-range, thanks to the supercharger and the inherent torque of the electric motor.” Automobile magazine was also impressed and stated, “Less than a mile into our drive with the Cayenne S Hybrid, we’re impressed with the powertrain. Why? It’s the hybrid that you’d never know was a hybrid.”

Economics

If your shopping list for a five-passenger hybrid luxury crossover includes performance, then your only choice is the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid because BMW has discontinued its ActiveHybrid X6. So, fuel economy and performance starts at $69,000. Bear in mind, however, that standard features usually found at this price level such as an auto-dimming rear view mirror, heated front seats and parking sensors are part of option packages on the Cayenne. Check all of the option boxes and the S Hybrid gets close to $80,000.

Does fuel economy trump performance? Then the Lexus RX 450h could be the one. It’s starting price is more than $20,000 less than the Porsche and gas mileage is 10 mpg better in the city, four mpg better on the highway. Of course it comes nowhere close to the Cayenne’s performance cachet.

Is Porsche serious about hybrids or was the Cayenne just a green flag hoisted to improve its image? The automaker has answered that question with the Panamera S Hybrid along with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid racecar that uses flywheel hybrid technology and the upcoming 718 horsepower 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid supercar.

Electrification of vehicles for Porsche is not an option; it’s the road to continued production of fast, fun cars for the street and racetrack.

Prices are Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) at time of publication and do not include destination charges, taxes or licensing.

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With more than half of its development time completed, the Porsche 918 Spyder is firmly on course toward its limited production run slated for next year.

The German supercar will be powered by a 4.6-liter, 570-horsepower V8 engine as well as front and rear electric modules paired for a combined 770-horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. A 90-kilowatt electric motor is sandwiched between the engine and the seven-speed transmission while the second motor, of 80 kilowatts, is mounted on the front axle, powering the two front wheels.

Yes, you read that correctly: this does make this supercar an all-wheel-drive on-demand.

And with all that traction and power, Porsche says its 0 – 60 mph acceleration is to be in the sub-3 second range with sprinting ability extending well into the triple digits. A speed of 124 mph will be reached in less than 9 seconds and the 918 Spyder will soldier on up to a top speed of 202 mph. The company’s test drivers pushed the 918 Spyder to its performance limits on the Nurburgring Nordschleife and managed a run under the 7:22 minutes mark.

On the practical side, the front motor will get the 918 up to speed and driving around town on pure electricity power for 16 miles. The Spyder can hit 90 mph without using a single drop of fuel with the battery pack fully charged. Porsche used 6.8 kilowatt-hour Lithium-ion batteries – liquid-cooled by a dedicated cooling circuit – made of 312 individual cells. Porsche Motorsport combined ideal weight distribution with low energy consumption items to optimize both performance and energy use.

Developed by Porsche Motorsport, the 918 Spyder will tip the scales just under 3,700 pounds. Most of all for a performance car, nearly 80-percent of the weight is below the centerline, allowing for a very low center of gravity. Every detail counts and as an example, the passenger sits 20mm further forward than the driver. This was done to optimize weight distribution. Energy-wise, every single light is a LED.

The result is expected to be in the 78 mpg range.

A compact charging station will be supplied as standard with the 918 Spyder. This station can be installed permanently in the driver’s garage. It permits rapid and convenient charging within approximately two hours.

What to make of this?

A year ago, Porsche said it would build just 918 copies of this exotic plug-hybrid, and reports estimated its price at $845,000 – enough to buy 21 Chevy Volts at $40,000 each, never mind the tax credit, thank you very much.

Depending on your worldview, we expect some green car enthusiasts may scoff, and ask what is the point of such a car? After all, some might say, just because it can troll through Euro green zones and pass a sniff test, does not mean it still can’t consume barrels of fuel, and costs – depending on neighborhood – somewhere on the order of an entry level McMansion.

The short answer is Porsche – as is the case for other high-end automakers – is changing to meet new market and regulatory demands, while attempting not to disappoint, and even to continue outdoing itself in meeting customer expectations.

So, if you happen to be one who is anticipating what may be the most over-the-top plug-in hybrid yet, be patient, but if actually planning to purchase, call Porsche quickly to see if you can still get one. Deliveries are set to start in September 2013.

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Sources familiar with Volkswagen AG’s plug-in vehicle plans for VW, Porsche and Audi have said Porsche will build a plug-in hybrid version of its Panamera sedan for 2014.

According to Automotive News, the timing for a U.S. introduction of this pending European Plug-in Panamera is yet to be determined, if at all. A regular hybrid Panamera is already available, but U.S. sales have been modest, with 73 units delivered in January and February.

VW, which is Europe’s largest automaker, also plans to introduce plug-in versions of the Audi Q7 crossover and VW Passat for the Euro market in 2014, or 2015. Beyond this, as has already been reported, there will be an Audi A3 plug-in variant in 2014.

Automotive News noted that Rudolf Krebs, VW’s group chief officer for electric traction, said of VW’s thinking these days, “We are really convinced that the future of hybrids won’t be pure hybrids, but the plug-in hybrids.”

This news comes as GM is shutting down the Chevy Volt’s production at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant for five weeks, as Toyota is launching its plug-in Prius, and many other automakers are looking at variations on the plug-in gas-electric theme.

Krebs said VW considers that plug-in hybrids offer a better balance. He said they can be as efficient in short range driving as a regular EV, but are capable also of going long distances like any conventional gasoline-powered car.

VW is starting with higher-end vehicles as plug-ins first, Krebs said, as people who own them do want the longer range capability.

Automotive News (subscription req’d)

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When the 2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid arrives this fall, it won’t find many hybrid luxury sedan competitors. Three to be exact: the Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid, BMW’s ActiveHybrid 7 and the Lexus LS 600hL. The question is why are these four automakers even offering cars that seem so out of step with our times?

The answer is easy, they have no choice. Increased government fuel economy regulations and more stringent emissions standards are forcing all car companies to step up to the plate and produce vehicles that will meet the mandated requirements.

If you’re Porsche, you can’t walk away from being known and revered for high performance sports cars and extreme German engineering. So, without sacrificing performance, hybridization is Porsche’s first step in meeting new regulations. The company is quickly adopting hybrid technology with the Cayenne S Hybrid, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid racecar, the announced 918 Spyder supercar and now, the Panamera S Hybrid.

The Powertrain

Hardcore Porschephiles are still kicking cans over Porsche becoming integrated under the Volkswagen umbrella, but without the VW parts bin there would be no Panamera hybrid. The hybrid powertrain is nearly identical to the Porsche’s Cayenne S Hybrid sport utility, which was borrowed from VW’s Touareg Hybrid SUV. The engine, a 333 horsepower supercharged, direct-injected 3.0-liter V-6, is sourced from the Audi S4. Power to the rear wheels is managed by the same eight-speed Tiptronic S fitted in the Cayenne models, with a wide range of gear ratios. Unlike gasoline-powered Panameras, the Hybrid edition does not offer all-wheel drive.

The Porsche full hybrid system can power the sports sedan by the gasoline engine only, the electric motor only or a combination of both. Fitted between the V6 and transmission is a 47 horsepower (34kW) electric motor that brings total output up to 380 horsepower. When it comes to torque, the engine generates 325 pounds-feet, but with the 221 pounds-feet created by the electric motor, Porsches says maximum torque climbs to 428 pounds-feet.

The system’s unique feature is a hydraulic clutch between the engine and motor that disengages the engine so it can shut down under light loads. The electric motor then takes up the load until the engine restarts. Porsche engineers call the result “sailing”—for the quiet sensation of speed using only electric power. This operational mode is engaged when the driver lifts off the accelerator at highway cruising speeds, up to a maximum of 103 mph. Combine the sailing capability with the top two overdrive gears of the transmission and the benefit is a gain in highway fuel economy, a result not associated with hybrids.

Porsche says the Panamera can operate on electric power alone for a little over a mile up to a speed of 53 mph. To maximize electric efficiency, a driver activated E-power button blunts throttle response and delays activation of the gas engine.

As in most hybrids, the electric motor also restarts the engine, and recharges the battery pack. The electric motor is connected to a 288-volt nickel metal hydride (NiMh) battery pack that’s fitted behind the rear axle, under the rear cargo area. This is a simpler and less costly system than Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, but it comes with drawbacks, one being that the vehicle can’t use the engine to recharge the batteries while running on electric power at the same time.

Exterior

Panamera’s two-box exterior shape flows from two predetermined goals: a four-door that looked like a Porsche and interior space efficiency. The finished product resembles a stretched Porsche 911 with four doors, spacious room in the rear cabin and almost 16 cubic feet of cargo space in the rear. The design is contentious, with one automotive critic saying that “It’s as if one of those limousine manufacturers who stretch Hummers and Cadillac Escalades got hold of a 911—all that’s missing is a wet bar and colored lights underneath.”

That’s brutal, but not completely unfounded. Yes, it’s quite clear that the Panamera’s design was influenced by the revered 911 sports car. This includes a hood that is lower than the front fenders, the absence of a conventional grille above the bumper and prominent bulges around the rear wheels. But when you add the rounded hatchback style in the rear, the proportions are not harmonious, and the car becomes awkward looking from certain angles.

In defense of the looks, it does help to see the Panamera in person. Photographs can’t quite capture the essence of the shape and they distort some of the lines. Apparently consumers have taken a close look at the super luxury car and liked what they saw; the Panamera has become Porsche’s top-selling vehicle in the U.S., and globally, pushing the Cayenne out of the way.

Like other carmakers that have hybridized an existing model, Porsche adds hybrid-specific badges to the Panamera. For owners who prefer to be discrete about their greenness, Porsche dealers can remove them without leaving any evidence on the front doors and rear deck that could reveal an inner passion for the environment.

Interior

Following Porsche tradition, the key fits in the ignition slot to the left of the steering wheel. But tradition ends there. The Panamera has the most opulent Porsche interior ever. It has a private jet ambience with a quality that equals some of the most luxurious cars in the world. “The interior is fantastic—one of the best marriages of high-tech, simple luxury and exquisite craftsmanship we’ve seen,’ is Popular Mechanics magazine’s observation.

A full-length center console divides the cabin into four separate seating positions yet has a sense of intimacy. Up front the feeling is akin to a sports car cockpit while rear cabin passengers can luxuriate in limousine-like spaciousness. The four bucket seats are faultless for either energetic driving or family trips. But Business Week pointed out a drawback to the Panamera’s cabin layout, “The cabin feels as roomy as its competitors. The bucket-style rear seats are spacious and comfortable, even for passengers over 6 ft. tall. The downside is that the Panamera seats a maximum of four people, vs. five for its BMW and Mercedes competitors.”

From the driver’s seat, eyes are drawn to the handsome five-gauge instrument cluster. A glance to the right locates the center console’s master control. While it has a dizzying number of switches, they are logically grouped and easily mastered. Navigation information is viewed on a screen in the center of the dash.

The Hybrid introduces some subtle changes. An E-Power gauge, showing whether the battery is charging or depleting, replaces the oil level reading on the leftmost gauge. A condensed version of Porsche’s Hybrid Management system is added to the digital multi-information gauge. It indicates which of the Panamera Hybrid’s six driving modes is in operation. Another change is the addition of the E-Power switch to the center console.

Panamera’s hatchback design makes it impressively practical. Space behind the rear seats expands from 11.6 cubic feet to 40.7 cubic feet—down 3.7 cubic feet from the non-hybrid model—, which rivals space found in many crossover vehicles. And getting max cargo space is simple: push a button on each seatback and they lower to reveal a nearly flat load surface.
While the hatchback design has benefits, like the Prius, rearward visibility in the Panamera is dismal and is compounded by the large rear pillars. Suggestion: order the optional back-up camera.

On The Road

The Panamera S Hybrid is as much a Gran Turismo sports sedan as its gas engine counterparts are. That Porsche believes the Panamera hybrid’s performance warrants adding the “S” badge says volumes about the car. The engine and motor’s combined 428 pounds-feet of torque at just 1000 rpm propels the sedan from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7-seconds—just a half-second off the pace of the V-8 powered Panamera S. Those numbers are accomplished by what Porsche calls Boost mode — the engine and electric motor deliver power at the same time to the transmission. To unleash this combined power the battery must be suitably charged, so the feature is available for short periods.

Reviewers are not only impressed by the hybrid Panamera’s power delivery, but give it high marks for its handling. Motor Trend said, “The Panamera S Hybrid shows the type of composure we’ve become accustomed to in other versions. Supple enough to be comfortable, but feeling tight as a drum in transitions, the Panamera continues to show that four doors need not be boring.” Car and Driver stated that the Porsche Hybrid badge was no joke and, “The Panamera S Hybrid possessed great poise with just a touch of understeer when pushed hard. The electrically-assisted steering is perfectly weighted and helps make the big-bodied Panamera feel smaller than it really is.”

The Popular Mechanics’ reviewer summed things up by saying; “Its best trick is being an excellent luxury sports sedan and an excellent hybrid at the same time—something unseen until now.”

Economics

Porsche says the Panamera S Hybrid is its most fuel-efficient vehicle of all time. EPA testing is not completed so that pronouncement is based on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), which gives more weight to start-stop driving than the EPA test cycle does. The NEDC numbers translate to an approximate 33 mpg combined city/highway fuel economy. Comparing the NEDC Cayenne S Hybrid numbers with the EPA rating it seems reasonable that the Panamera Hybrid’s combined fuel economy will be around 25-26 mpg. That’s not headline news fuel economy, but it’s a significant 5-6 mpg improvement over the V-8 Panamera S.

Priced at $95,000, the hybrid system appears to add $5,200 to the $89,800 gas-only Panamera S. But that premium includes some expensive goodies that cost extra on the V-8 model—air suspension, adaptive shock absorber, Bi-Xenon headlights and navigation system to name a few.
Porsche has sold nearly 22,000 Panameras in the U.S. since its late 2009 introduction and sales are on the upside this year. The company says it expects 10-15 percent of buyers to choose the hybrid version. But with all of the standard equipment on the hybrid Panamera, why buy the V-8?

Prices are Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) at time of writing and do not include destination charges, taxes or licensing.

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Porsche’s Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen factory in planning to begin production of the 918 Spyder hybrid in September 2013—and will produce no more than 918 (get the pun).

We can’t wait for Consumer Reports to run its traditional return-on-investment payback calculations for this hybrid, with these features:

• 500-plus horsepower V8 engine
• Two electric motors with a total of at least 218 horsepower
• Electric-only driving range of more than 16 miles
• Manual roof system with removable panels that can be stored in the front luggage compartment
• Variable all-wheel drive system with independent control of the drive forces on both axles
• Liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack
• Zero to 60 mph in about 3.1 seconds
• Top speed of 199 mph

Fuel economy numbers will be announced closer to the production date. (But come on, now. Does it really matter?)

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The carmaker’s first dual-powertrain offering was the Cayenne S Hybrid, a $67,700 SUV that it released in November. Like the Cayenne, the Pamamera hybrid will offer significant fuel economy gains over its non-hybrid platform-mates without losing much in the way performance. But this time around, Porsche fans won’t have to pay a massive $21,000 hybrid premium to get an improvement in fuel economy over the standard model. The Panamera starts at just $5,200 more than its base equivalent, and even comes loaded with several standard features you won’t find in the cheaper package.

Porsche’s new hybrid will utilize the same dual powertrain combo as the Cayenne S—a supercharged 3.0 liter, 330 horsepower gasoline engine, supplemented by a 47 horsepower electric motor and nickel metal hydride battery pack. With a combined max output of 380 horsepower, the car comes in just 20 horsepower behind its non-hybrid sibling.

The S Hybrid can drive for about one mile on battery power alone, and uses a stop-start system to cut fuel consumption at highway speeds by decoupling the clutch when driver releases the accelerator—instantaneously reactivating it once the gas pedal is again pressed.

Though official EPA numbers for the car won’t be released until later this year,
Porsche says the Panamera hybrid achieves a 34.5 mpg fuel efficiency rating under the European test cycle (which is known to be significantly more generous than the EPA standard.) Still, that’s a significant improvement compared to the non-hybrid Panamera models—the most efficient of which gets just 25.3 mpg under the European tests.

The pricing scheme for Porsche’s 2012 Panamera offerings seems to almost be daring prospective customers to “go hybrid.” And with the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard in the midst of a steady rise to levels well beyond most models in Porsche’s lineup, it’s easy to see why the carmaker is gearing up to make the hard sell on its most efficient models.

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When the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid goes on sale next month, it will have a window sticker price of $68,675, including destination charges. Hey, that’s not bad when you consider the hybrid can scoot from zero-to-60 miles per hour in 6.1 seconds, has a top speed of 150 mph and an estimated fuel economy at 21 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

For the carbon-conscious hybrid crowd those fuel economy numbers are pathetic, and mentioning 0 to 60 mph times and triple digit speeds is sacrilege. But to Porsche and their customers, the combination of performance, speed and increased fuel economy is just as important as fuel mileage alone is to Toyota Prius buyers.

It’s difficult being an auto manufacture today, and even more so for companies like Porsche who have to meet rising efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions regulations throughout the world, yet they don’t manufacture vehicles that play in the more fuel-efficient categories of the market. Consider: The European Union has established a target of reducing Porsche’s CO2 emissions to 216 grams per kilometer by 2015 from 255g/km now. The company believes “>hybrids will help the company meet the goal.

The Cayenne S Hybrid is a good first step in the right direction toward meeting a variety of different fuel efficiency and emissions mandates. Kudos to the Porsche engineers that figured out how to get 21-mpg city/25 highway from a 5,000 pound vehicle powered by a 333 horsepower supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine.

Sure, the hybrid system that includes a 34-kWh electric motor and a 288-volt nickel metal-hydride battery pack plays a major role in the increased fuel economy, but that isn’t the whole story. Porsche, like most auto companies are placing their vehicles on diets.

Weight of the Cayenne Hybrid was reduced about 400 pounds by using a lighter all-wheel-drive system rather than a 4×4 drivetrain. In addition, Porsche designers replaced heavier steel elements with more aluminum in the vehicle body. The weight trimming still leaves the hybrid nearly 500 pounds heavier than the gas-powered Cayenne V6, but it points to the industry’s trend toward using advanced materials and forgoing features to reduce weight across all segments of vehicles.

These measures are cost-effective strategies for improving fuel efficiency—even if it doesn’t result in immediate cost savings for Porsche consumers. The Cayenne S Hybrid is about $20,000 more than the gas-powered V6 Cayenne; $4,000 more than the gasoline Cayenne S all-wheel drive.

Is Porsche serious about hybrids or is the Cayenne just a green flag hoisted to improve their image? The automaker answered that question two weeks ago when development chief, Wolfgang Duerheimer, said, “In the future, we will have hybrid drive in every model line.” Electrification of vehicles for Porsche is not an option; it’s the road to continued production of fast, fun cars for the street and racetrack.

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