There’s A New Nürburgring Luxury Sedan King

Porsche has claimed yet another lap record at the Nürburgring, this time breaking the record for the luxury sedan class. The feat was achieved with an upcoming range-topping variant of the Porsche Panamera, a variant that has yet to be named. For the record, the 2024 Panamera was revealed with up to 670 horsepower in Turbo E-Hybrid form. This grunt comes from a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 paired with a 187-hp electric motor and a 25.9 kWh battery. The new record-breaker’s specifications are yet to be revealed, but we do know that a V8 hybrid powertrain will feature here, too. Previously, the Panamera Turbo S achieved a time of 7:29.81 at the Nordschleife in July 2020, but this was beaten a few months later by the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4Matic+, which shaved a hundredth from the Panamera’s time. The new record is five seconds quicker.

Handling Upgrades Are Key

With Porsche test driver Lars Kern at the wheel, the high-performance Panamera set a time of 7:24.17 – 5.64 seconds faster than the previous Panamera range-topper, the Turbo S. Stuttgart attributes this success to several handling improvements, one of the most notable of which is the Porsche Active Ride suspension system. This combines active shock absorbers with an electronically controlled hydraulic pump. The pump can quickly and accurately alter ride properties for both increased comfort and enhanced handling, keeping the car flat under all conditions.

Add CarBuzz to your Google News feed.

Porsche says the car now “leans into corners like a motorcycle, leans forward under acceleration, and tilts back under braking.” The setup also saves weight, but it’s not the only part of the car that has been revised. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires have been specially developed for the Panamera (275/35 ZR 21 in front and 325/30 ZR 21 at the rear), and the optional carbon fiber Aerokit is said to eliminate lift on the front axle. To maintain aerodynamic balance, a Gurney flap is found on an adaptive four-way rear spoiler, increasing downforce on the rear axle.

Faster Than Some Hypercars

To put the new record into perspective, let’s compare the lap time of 7:24.17 with some high-end exotica. The executive sedan’s time is faster than the Maserati MC12 (7:24.29), the Pagani Zonda F Clubsport (7:24.65), and the now-replaced Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 (7:25.00). However, if you want ultimate bragging rights while maintaining a four-door sedan body style, you’ll have to spring for an electric Porsche. The Taycan gets around the Green Hell in as little as 7:07.55, which is faster than even a modern McLaren 750S. Speaking of, some reports have suggested that the Panamera could outperform even that supercar in the numbers game, with up to 820 hp touted for the range-topping sedan, said to be codenamed Lion. Once Porsche confirms more details, we’ll let you know exactly what to expect.

Related

7 Best Features Of The New 2024 Porsche Panamera

A trick suspension, a bigger hybrid battery, and plenty of interior toys.