Porsche’s 3rd Generation New Panamera has become the Car of May this year with its improved drive system and digitalization. The Korean Automobile Journalists Association announced on the 13th that the new Panamera was finally selected with a score of 33.7 out of 50, after fierce competition with BMW’s New X2, Mercedes Benz’s New Mercedes Maybach GLS, and Tesla’s Upgraded Model 3.
The Car of the Month is announced by the Car of the Year selection committee under the Journalists Association, after reviewing the new and partially modified models released during the previous month. The evaluation consists of five categories: interior and exterior design and emotional quality, safety and convenience specifications, power performance, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, and product value and purchase intention.
The new Panamera scored 8 points (out of 10) in the power performance category, 7.3 points in the safety and convenience specification category, and 7 points in the interior and exterior design and emotional quality category. Jung Chi Yeon, Chairman of the Car of the Year selection committee, said, “The completely revamped 3rd generation new Panamera features a more powerful E-Hybrid powertrain and high-performance suspension system,” adding, “It enhanced the product value by combining a wide range of digital features, impressive design, dynamic performance, and driving convenience.”
Porsche Korea plans to launch the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid later this year following the official release of the Panamera 4 and the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid. The Panamera 4 is a model with an improved 2.9L V6 turbo engine and has a top speed of 167.77 mph (270 km/h). The Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model, has an all-electric driving range of 57.79 miles (93 km), and it takes only 3.2 seconds to accelerate from a standstill to 62.13 mph (100 km/h). The prices are approximately $129,000 (1.767 billion won) for the Panamera 4 and $226,000 (3.91 billion won) for the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid. Holger Gerrmann, CEO of Porsche Korea, emphasized, “The Panamera symbolizes brand innovation as it harmonizes the performance of a sports car with the convenience of a sedan.”