The new pinnacle of the Porsche Panamera pile has arrived. Called the Turbo S E-Hybrid, this new über-sedan makes a whopping 680 horsepower from a twin-turbo V-8 combined with an electric motor. Porsche is keen to make the connection with the hybridized 918 Spyder; as we learned in our first ride in this complex and impressive machine, it’s not all talk. This new Panamera is the second most powerful Porsche ever after the 918, appropriate for the first model to wear both the Turbo S and E-Hybrid designations.
That long handle reflects the combination of the Panamera Turbo S’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine and amplifies its 550 horsepower with a 136-hp electric motor; a decoupler with an electric clutch actuator combines the two power sources. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels. A 14.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides an estimated electric-only driving range of 31 miles and can be charged in six hours through a standard 3.6-kilowatt onboard charger or in less than three hours using an optional 7.2-kW unit connected to a 240-volt outlet.
But as with any mega-horsepower Porsche, the point of it all is performance. Porsche quotes a top speed of 193 mph and a zero-to-60-mph time of 3.2 seconds, a number we’re sure is conservative given that a previous-gen Panamera Turbo with a measly 520 horsepower did the deed in 3.3 seconds. Ceramic brakes, torque vectoring, and Porsche active suspension managem...