New Porsche Panamera hybrid announced from $242,600

Porsche has released details of the next-generation hybrid version of its Panamera sportscar ahead of its official unveiling at the Paris Motor Show later this month.

With a starting price of $242,600 (plus on-road costs), the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is already available to order, with deliveries expected to Australian customers by the middle of next year.

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The plug-in hybrid employs both a 2.6L twin-turbo V6 petrol engine and an electric motor, boasting a combined total output of 340kW and 700Nm – delivered to all four wheels. In real terms, this means the E-Hybrid Panamera can reach 100km/h from a standstill in 4.6 seconds before running on to a claimed top speed of 278km/h.

Like the firm’s blisteringly quick 918 Spyder, in the latest generation the boost from the electric engine is activated immediately under acceleration; in the old model the accelerator had to be pressed 80 percent of the way down before the added oomph would kick in.

The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid is tuned to start in full electric (E-Power) mode for its available 50km range or until the speed reaches 140km/h. This goes a long way to achieving the updated car’s impressive combined fuel efficiency claim of just 2.5L/100km. Compare that to its diesel sibling’s claimed 6.7L/100km.

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Features include E-Hold mode to conserve the electric motor’s current charge and E-Charge mode that produces extra power to charge the batteries, while the new Hybrid-Auto mode lets the car call the shots on when’s the most efficient time to activate one or both power sources.

Power gets to all four corners via a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission that replaces the eight-speed torque-converter auto from the outgoing model and, like other Panamera models equipped with the firm’s go-fast Sport Chrono Package, the hybrid version boasts both Sport and Sport Plus modes.

The lithium-ion battery takes 5.8 hours to fully charge, or 3.6 hours with the optional charger, and its state of charge is displayed on either of two seven-inch screens flanking the analogue tachometer. There’s also a 12.3-inch touchscreen mounted in the dash displaying where other information and systems can be accessed.