Porsche has announced the future pinnacle model in the German marque’s Panamera portfolio has set a new Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record in the luxury car class, with test driver Lars Kern completing a lap of the Green Hell in 7:24.17 minutes. That’s staggering five seconds quicker than the previous-generation Panamera Turbo S with which Kern set a time of 7:29.81 minutes.
According to the Stuttgart manufacturer, “The new Panamera’s lap time … underlines the consistent further development of the four-door sports car. Its electrically supported eight-cylinder combustion engine enables impressive driving performance.” However, Porsche says the V8 isn’t the only reason for the improved lap time…
“The powertrain, the aerodynamics, the chassis, the new ultra-high-performance tyres from Michelin – many aspects have contributed to this best time … The new Porsche Active Ride chassis has made a particularly big contribution. The car stays parallel to the road at all times. Its cornering and body stability are on a whole new level,” said Kern.
“As a driver, this gives me a good feeling and further underlines that our development doesn’t just offer maximum day-to-day driving comfort, but also makes a real difference on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. No other Porsche offers such a wide spectrum between comfort and sportiness. The new Panamera combines the positive properties of an exclusive touring saloon with the handling of a sports car.”
Kern added: “On the Nordschleife, the transverse dynamic capabilities of a car are particularly important … The new Panamera has made significant gains in this area. In technically demanding corner sequences in particular, such as between the ‘Hohe Acht’ and ‘Brünnchen’ sections of the track section, it responds with noticeably greater agility.”
To ensure driver safety, the record-setting Panamera was equipped with a racing seat and mandatory safety cage. For “optimised” performance, the Porsche saloon was also specified with the optional Carbon Aerokit, which eliminates lift on the front axle. In addition, it’s 21-inch alloy wheels were fitted with specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, measuring 275/35 (front) and 325/30 (rear).
