If the notion of a four-door Porsche still rankles some shoppers, they’re in the minority. The market has grown to love the Panamera for its relentless performance and posh accommodation for four. New this year is a plug-in hybrid model that can travel up to 20 miles before needing a drop of gasoline.
What's New for 2014
Officially called the S E-Hybrid, the plug-in Panamera replaces last year’s conventional hybrid. The new engine utilizes a 3-liter supercharged V6 and a 95-horsepower electric motor. Total output is 416 horsepower, up from 380 with the previous setup. The plug-in technology allows the S E-Hybrid to run on pure electric power for the first 20 miles at up to 84 mph. The electric motor charges in 2.5 hours on a 240-volt outlet.
Choosing Your Porsche Panamera e-Hybrid
The S E-Hybrid comes standard with an adaptive air suspension and upgraded speed-sensitive power steering, both of which are optional on other models. It also gets hybrid-specific gauges and a suite of hybrid smartphone apps.
Other equipment is shared with the base Panamera, which means you get 18-inch wheels, front and rear parking sensors, a sunroof, a power liftgate, a chilled glovebox, auto-leveling bi-xenon headlamps, LED accent lighting, navigation and an 11-speakers sound system. You have a choice of 12 wheel designs, three front-seat styles and interior trim in wood, aluminum or carbon fiber.
Beyond that, Porsche offers several option packages for the S E-Hybrid:
- Sport Chrono: Equips the Panamera with analog and digital stopwatches, and a Sport Plus driving mode with launch control.
- Sport Design: Dresses up the exterior with a unique front fascia featuring wider intake grilles and side skirts.
- Bose: Adds Bose surround sound with satellite and HD radio, plus a suite of online services.
- Premium: Gives you front and rear parking assist with a reversing camera and 14-way power seats with driver memory and heat all around.
- Premium Plus: Includes the Premium features plus ventilated front seats, keyless access, lane change assist and four-zone climate control.
Choose your Porsche Panamera e-Hybrid >>
When operating in hybrid mode, the S E-Hybrid is expected to deliver about 26 mpg in town and 33 on the highway, which makes it the most efficient Panamera by far. But you can do a lot better than that if you make mostly short trips, as the first 20 miles are gas free.