Porsche Panamera Turbo S (2011) first pictures

This is the new Porsche Panamera Turbo S, and because the GT2 RS has sold out, it’s now the most powerful Porsche on sale.

The new Porsche Panamera Turbo S is powered by the same direct injection and twin-turbo 4.8-litre V8 that’s found in the regular Panamera Turbo. But thanks to new turbochargers with titanium-aluminium turbine wheels (which cut weight and improve responsiveness) and a new ECU, the power output climbs from an already impressive 493bhp and 516lb ft to 550bhp and 553lb ft. And if you select the Sport or Sport Plus modes of the standard-fit Sport Chrono Package Turbo (or during kick-down in the normal setting) you get 590lb ft – up from 567lb ft in a Sport Chrono Pack Panamera Turbo.

Mix all this with four-wheel drive and a launch control function, and Porsche claims a 911 Turbo Cabriolet-matching 3.8 second run to 62mph, two-tenths faster than a Sport Chrono Pack Panamera Turbo. The top speed is up 3mph to 191mph, and the fuel economy figure remains unchanged at 24.6mpg too.

Wishful thinking. Unfortunately the price goes up, from £102,909 to £122,623, but that does includes £7700 worth of Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), the Sport Chrono Package Turbo, side sills from the Porsche Exclusive range, two-tone leather and 20-inch Turbo II alloys. UK sales start in June 2011.

By Ben Pulman