This is the second generation Porsche Panamera, the first major redesign of the four-door supersaloon and it features a retractable spoiler like something from Iron Man’s armour.
The previous Panamera also had a folding rear wing, but this second-gen version features sharper edges and smoother operation, extending up and out like a switchblade when the car’s going fast.
Pushing the rear end of the car into the tarmac to better put power to pavement and to keep it stable, the rear wing simply retracts back when the extra downforce is no longer needed.
As fast as a 997 911 GT3
That’s not the only headline news regarding the new Panamera either, as the new 542bhp Turbo model set a new Nurburgring record for a sports saloon that matches the time of the 997 GT3.
In terms of design, it’s much less globular than the original, with a sportier and sleeker appearance on the outside and a newly designed high-tech interior inspired by the 918 Spyder hypercar.
New air intakes and a redesigned grille make it look more aggressive and more in line with the rest of Porsche's current models, while at the rear there's a large LED light strip and big exhausts.
Three models, three engines
A choice of three models are available, starting with the entry-level Panamera 4S which gets a 434bhp turbocharged 2.9-litre V6, while there’s also a 416bhp twin-turbo diesel V8 in the 4S Diesel variant.
Sitting at the top of the range is the 542bhp Turbo, which is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8, which can accelerate from 0-62mph in as little as 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 190mph.
The rest are no slouches either, with both able to hit 0-62mph in under 4.5 seconds with the standard PDK gearbox and can return up to 41mpg with 178g/km of CO2 when you go with the diesel.
918-inspired interior and Apple CarPlay
Inside, the new Panamera gets the same slanted centre console as the 918 with a smartphone-style fascia, a 12.3-inch touchscreen and two more TFT screens mounted in the instrument binnacle.
Each gets Apple CarPlay as standard, along with Porsche’s new InnoDrive system which is similar to the Audi A4’s autopilot and allows the car to drive itself for short periods on certain bits of road.
Other additions to the Panamera techfest include optional air suspension with electronic damper controls, an active chassis control system to counter body roll and torque vectoring.
InnoDrive self-driving feature
So in other words it’s a blindingly fast super saloon swathed in touch-screens, with active aero flaps and the ability to autonomously drive itself? If Tony Stark built a Porsche, eh?
Mind you, you’ll have to be earning Tony Stark money to get one too. UK prices have yet to be announced, but it’s expected that the base Panamera will cost around £90,000 when it goes on sale in the UK this November.
