2011 PORSCHE Panamera Diesel (970) 3.0L D 8AT (300 HP)

Vehicle Overview

In May 2011, Porsche unveiled the diesel version for its four-door Panamera. With the introduction of that version, it switched from a road runner to a long cruiser luxury sports-sedan.

By 2011, the world already accepted the diesel engines in luxurious vehicles such as the BMW 7 Series or the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Porsche didn’t want to lose that market and decided to offer a diesel version for the Panamera. Since the car was designed for long travels, a diesel engine would give it a range of over 1200 km (746 miles). After the initial shock of its regular customers, soon the orders started to pick-up.

The Diesel engined Panamera was based largely on the basic, V6 version. One of the specific problems of a diesel engine was the weight. To solve that issue, the Panamera diesel featured aluminum axles, doors, hood, wings, and trunk lid, while keeping the same silhouette. On the front fenders, two vents were used to extract the air within the wheel-well and decrease the front-lift effect. In the back, on the trunk-lid, a retractable wing was installed. It was automatically extended at speeds over 120 kph (74.5 mph).

Inside, the Panamera Hybrid designers took their inspiration from the Vertu luxury mobile phones. A four-seat layout was the only option, with a big center console that separated the driver from the other passengers. In the back, there was a decent room for adults and since it was a hatchback it could get an impressive amount of luggage. The dashboard was typical for a Porsche, with round dials and centrally-mounted tachometer. Despite its hatchback shape, the rear passengers had enough legroom and headroom.

The 3.0-liter engine was carried over from the Volkswagen group, but it was adapted to suit the Panamera needs. It was available with an 8-speed automatic (Tiptronic S) transmission fitted as standard and it was offered as a rear-wheel-drive only.