World-renowned sports car manufacturer, Porsche, is showing off its ultra-low emission Panamera S E-Hybrid plug-in luxury GT at the SMMT’s headquarters in Westminster from 31 March to 11 April.
Launched last year, the S E-Hybrid version of the four-seat Porsche is a highly advanced plug-in hybrid with a combined fuel consumption of over 91 mpg and CO2 emissions of just 71 g/km. These figures allow the vehicle to enter the London Congestion Charge zone free-of-charge, an area in which the SMMT headquarters is located.
Not only this, but the Panamera S E-Hybrid is the first vehicle in its class to qualify for the OLEV (Office for Low Emission Vehicles) Plug-in Car Grant, which contributes up to £5,000 toward the price of an eligible ultra-low emission car.
With 416bhp of combined power, including a 95bhp electric motor and a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged on the move or in four hours, the Panamera S E-Hybrid boasts the driving characteristics of a true grand tourer. This is proven by the car’s highly impressive dynamics and performance of 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 167 mph.
The Panamera is not the only Porsche to utilise plug-in hybrid technology. The company’s most powerful production car to date, the 887bhp 918 Spyder supercar, also features this technology for similar emission levels, while a further model will join the range later this year.
Also on display at SMMT is the new 300hp Panamera Diesel. Replacing the 250hp model, this new, more powerful Panamera is also one of the most fuel efficient cars in its class, with combined fuel consumption of 44.1mpg and CO2 emissions of only 169g/km. While these frugal statistics might not be what one might expect of a Porsche, the performance numbers are certainly in line with expectations: 0 to 62mph in six seconds and a top speed of 160mph.