Porsche has just announced the return of the midrange Panamera and Panamera Gran Turismo. The GTS offers up V8 power, a host of performance goodies, and fits in between the base Panamera and the Turbos.
The 2019 Porsche Panamera GTS and Panamera Gran Turismo GTS start with a 4.0L twin-turbo V8. The engine dishes up 453 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque. That's only 13 hp more than the 4S produces from its 2.9L turbo V6, but a healthy 51 lb-ft more torque. It's enough to push the two from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, about 0.3 quicker than the 4S. That power is transmitted to all four wheels using an eight-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic and the car gets a sports exhaust.
More significantly, the GTS is designed to improve the Panamera's handling. The adaptive air suspension is standard. It's lowered 10 mm, and the Porsche says the Active Suspension management has been tuned with a more sporting calibration. Bigger brakes help take care of upgrading the stopping to match the go.
The GTS gets the Sport Chrono Package as standard. That adds the sportier suspension tuning as well as more modes for the suspension system. It comes with normal, Sport, and Sport Plus, as well as a customizable setting. It helps makes the car quicker, and also comes with a cool stopwatch mounted on the dash. For lap timing, of course.
Other goodies include the Sport Design package with a black nose and black rear-end trim. 20-inch Panamera Design wheels come with, and the interior features black Alcantara and anodized aluminum. The bolstered seats look to be unique to the GTS and it gets a heated sports steering wheel with more Alcantara. It gets the Connect Plus module to hook up your smartphone. Red or chalk-colour trim are available with an optional GTS interior pack.
The GTS is bringing a head-up display to the Panamera for the first time. It's a full-colour display that is driver configurable to help the driver keep their eyes on the road.
You can order your GTS or GTS Sport Turismo now, but don't expect them to arrive until the middle of next year. Pricing for the sedan starts from $146,200 and the Sport Turismo wagon from $153,000. Those prices might actually make the GTS a bit of a deal. A Panamera 4S with the wheels, sport seats, black trim, and Sport Pack is $140,860. And that's without the Alcantara, or the big brakes. Options either not cheap or not available on lesser cars. And, of course, the 4S doesn't get the V8.
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