Porsche has claimed another record on Germany’s grueling Nürburgring track. Lars Kern, one of the company’s official test drivers, lapped the Green Hell in 7:24.17 behind the wheel of an upcoming, range-topping Panamera variant that hasn’t been presented to the public yet.
Kern’s time pegs the Panamera in what was considered supercar territory until not too long ago. For context, the Maserati MC12 set a time of 7:24.29 in 2008 and Porsche’s own 997-generation 911 GT2 RS lapped the ‘Ring in 7:24 two years later. Porsche notes that the new model is precisely 5.64 seconds faster than “the comparable model of the previous generation.” The old record for the “luxury-class cars with combustion engines and hybrids” category belonged to the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S, which set a time of 7:27.80 in November 2020.
The record-setting car was stock with the exception of a roll cage, which is mandatory, and a racing seat for the driver. It rode on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, and it was equipped with the optional Carbon Aerokit body kit developed to keep front-axle lift in check. But while Porsche is keeping the model’s identity under wraps, it all but confirmed we’re looking at the next-generation Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. Adding 7:24.17, the car’s time, to 5.64, the time improvement, gets you 7:29.81. That’s exactly the time set by the last-generation Turbo S.
We’ll need to be patient to learn more about what’s under the hood, though Porsche confirmed that the V8 engine is coming back. Expect the S to pack a more powerful drivetrain than the new-for-2024 Turbo E-Hybrid, which is rated at 670 horsepower and 685 pound-feet of torque.
“The powertrain, the aerodynamics, the chassis, the new ultra-high-performance tires from Michelin — many aspects have contributed to this best time,” Kern said. “The new Porsche Active Ride chassis has made a particularly big contribution.”
More details about the new Panamera’s range-topping model will emerge in the coming weeks.
