By Ron Sessions
You’d be forgiven if you never before used the terms “luxury,” “sports,” “sedan,” and “plug-in hybrid” in the same sentence to describe a new car. But those descriptors are entirely appropriate when characterizing one member—the S E-hybrid—of the ever-expanding Porsche Panamera lineup, which now also includes naturally aspirated and turbocharged V-6 and V-8 engines and standard-and stretch-wheelbase Executive models. READ MORE ››
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver
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The entire Porsche Panamera lineup gets a refresh for the 2014 model year, and new additions to the range include two long-wheelbase models and this E-Hybrid fuel-sipper that makes its debut here at the Shanghai Motor Show. And, well, we say “fuel-sipper lightly.”
Porsche has packed its hybrid Panamera with 416 horsepower and 435 pound-feet of torque, and that certainly makes for one quick sedan-hatchback-thing. Hitting 60 miles per hour will reportedly take just 5.2 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 167 mph. And while Porsche hasn’t revealed specific powertrain details, the company says that the S E-Hybrid “improves upon the concept offered by the previous Panamera S Hybrid with a more powerful electric motor,” which leads us to believe that the supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine at the heart of it all still remains intact.
Fuel economy numbers (or estimates) have not been released as of this writing, but we expect to have that information closer to the car’s on-sale date later this year. As for the new battery system, Porsche says that when plugged into a 240-volt charging station, it can be fully charged in just two and a half hours. When topped off, the Panamera S E-Hybrid should have an electric driving range of around 20 miles at speeds up to 84 mph, though, obviously, not at the same time.
Have a look at the press release below for more information.
Continue reading 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid is one mean green machine
2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid is one mean green machine originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If you’re anything like us, the first half of that headline made you smile. The BMW 1 Series M Coupe was, without a doubt, one of our favorite cars from the past few years, and according to a BMW Blog interview, Dr. Friedrich Nitschke, head of the company’s M division, has confirmed that a successor is in the works.
“We haven’t made a decision yet, but the 1M coupe was so successful, that in my opinion, I am absolutely sure we will build a successor,” Nitschke told BMW Blog. Currently, BMW only offers the M135i version of the new 1 Series hatch in Europe, which Nitschke says is “not a pure M car.”
Moving elsewhere in the M range, BMW Blog asked about the M6 Gran Coupe that recently debuted at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. The obvious competitors for this car will be higher-power versions of the Porsche Panamera and Audi RS7, but while both of those offer all-wheel drive, the M6 only sends power to its rear wheels.
“We will not bring an all-wheel drive, only a rear-wheel drive,” Nitschke said in the interview. The main reason is that adding AWD means additional weight has to be tacked on, and even so, the BMW executives said that the car was developed to have specific handling and steering characteristics common to a rear-wheel-drive car. “I think it’s perfect the way it is,” Nitschke stated.
BMW says yes to 1 Series M successor, no to M6 Gran Coupe with xDrive originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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…read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog
Somewhere above cars like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series—and perhaps better-matched in terms of prestige with the Maserati Quattroporte, Porsche Panamera, or Aston Martin Rapide—stands the Continental Flying Spur. For an echelon of the rich, famous, or prosperous who want to appear so, without immaturity, it’s a… …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at The Car Connection
Controversial styling aside, the Porsche Panamera is a fantastic combination of the core elements of any sport sedan: luxury, features, power, and handling. As the brand’s first (and so far, only) sedan, the Panamera has helped Porsche to reach a wider audience and increase sales without compromising the virtues of its more dedicated…
Source: FULL ARTICLE at The Car Connection
