When we first tested the 2010 Porsche Panamera, we called it a fastback luxury sedan and sports-car all rolled into one. Still, we wondered if this largest Porsche to date, would ever catch on. Well, did it ever!

So much so that the barely-on-the-market second generation Panamera is already spawning off-shoots.

Starting with their most powerful model yet, this 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. The already offered 4.0-liter V8 biturbo is hybridized with an electric motor for a total output of 680 horsepower, more than even 918 Spyder, and an EV-only range of up to 31-miles.

Behind the wheel near Vancouver, the 8-speed PDK gearbox shifted smoothly and quickly. Porsche flat in corners, the standard air suspension provides a luxurious ride.

ZACH MASKELL: “The cabin is very comfortable and very roomy. The ride is so soft you almost wouldn’t think that this car could be so agile.”

JOHN DAVIS: But, if you think a PHEV Panamera is so Nuevo-Porsche, get a load of the 2018 Panamera Sport Turismo. This time the 5-door Panamera alters its rear sillouette into …dare we say it…station wagon…no “shooting brake” form…that not only adds both style and a bit of practicality.

The changed lines allow 7-tenths of a cubic foot more cargo space, more rear headroom, and even a third rear seating position. But, it is a Porsche after all, so there is still an adaptive spoiler…on the roof!

On sale here by year’s end, the 2018 Panamera Sport Turismo starts at about $96,000, while the 2018 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid begins just over  $184,000.

Specifications

  • Horsepower: 680
  • Price: Starts just over $184,000