2017 Porsche Panamera: 17 things you didn’t know

1. The second generation Porsche Panamera will originally be offered in six guises, from the rear-drive V6 to the all-wheel drive twin-turbo V8. Prices range from $210,000 to almost double that.

2. The new Panamera is 34mm longer than the one it replaces and has an extra 30mm between the front and rear wheels, for more leg room in the rear. It’s also fractionally wider (by 6mm) and higher (by 5mm).

3. At 5049mm long the Panamera is 55mm longer than a Holden Commodore and 99mm longer than a Toyota LandCruiser. It’s also the longest Porsche by some margin, stretching 203mm longer than a Cayenne.

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4. Porsche has revealed the E-Hybrid that will slot between the Panamera 4 and Panamera 4S, bringing big fuel saving benefits around town and the ability to recharge it from a household powerpoint and drive up to 50km just on electricity.

5. Porsche will also begin selling a V8-powered hybrid model, which will use the 404kW twin-turbo V8 from the Panamera Turbo and the 100kW electric motor from the E-Hybrid.

6. V8 models will get cylinder deactivation technology, which can temporarily shut down four of the eight cylinders when the car is driving and doesn’t need full power.

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7. The Panamera gets an optional rear-wheel steering system. Below about 50km/h the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction as those up front, making for easier manoeuvring and tighter turns. Above 50km/h the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the fronts (up to a maximum of 2.8 degrees from straight ahead) to improve high speed stability.

8. The Panamera rides exclusively on air suspension rather than more traditional steel coil suspension. Each corner of the car now has a new three-chamber setup, whereby there are three chambers that can have varying levels of air (up from two in the old car).

9. In Sport Plus mode the suspension on the Panamera lowers to reduce the centre of gravity and improve stabilisation. However the nose lowers by slightly more than the rear (28mm versus 20mm) to further improve aerodynamics and high speed stability.

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10. The central air vents in the Panamera can’t be adjusted manually. Instead you have to dive into the Climate menu of the 12.3-inch touchscreen and use a virtual slider to tell the air where to go. It’s vastly more complex than a manual setup and inferior when it comes to functionality.

11. All four occupants of the Panamera (there’s no five-seat version available yet) get a colour touchscreen to adjust their own personal air flow. The 7.0-inch rear touchscreen can also be used to operate other optional functions (such as the rear blinds or TV screens).

12. There are four colour displays in the Panamera; two 7.0-inch displays as part of the instrument cluster (the tacho is the only analogue gauge), a 12.3-inch main touchscreen up front and a 7.0-inch display for those in the rear.

13. Porsche will again offer a long wheelbase version of the Panamera – but not in Australia. The so-called Executive models are 150mm longer (all of which is added to the wheelbase for an extra 150mm of back seat space) for a more limousine feel. They’re aimed at the Chinese market, where wealthy owners like to be chauffeured around.

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14. Porsche has changed the functionality of one of the roller selectors on the steering wheel. The left-hand roller previously adjusted the volume for the audio system (it still does on 911s, among other Porsches) but on the new Panamera it scrolls through various screens for the left-hand digital instrument display. Expect that change to flow through to future Porsches.

15. The new Panamera is the first Porsche to get Night Vision Assist. It uses a forward facing thermal camera to detect large animals, including humans, and display them in the digital display in the instrument cluster before they would normally be illuminated by the headlights. Night Vision Assist is an extra $5890 and is only available when the matrix LED headlights are also fitted.

16. In other parts of the world the Panamera gets an advanced fuel saving system linked to the satellite-navigation. The Panamera’s active cruise control system uses data from the satellite-navigation system to look 3 kms down the road and adjust the speed and acceleration accordingly with the aim of reducing fuel use. Called InnoDrive, it will automatically brake for bends and pre-empt hills. The system is not currently available in Panameras sold in Australia.

17. The upcoming Panamera 4S Diesel is claimed to be the world’s fastest diesel sedan, capable of accelerating to 100km/h in as little as 4.3 seconds. With claimed fuel use of 6.8 litres per 100km it means the Panamera should theoretically be able to travel more than 1300km between refills.