2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S

 
                 
Since the beginnings of the Porsche dynasty, one constant has ruled supreme—continuous development. Porsche latches onto a concept and tinkers with it and tinkers with it and tinkers with it, in an unending quest for perfection. One need only witness the evolution of the evergreen Porsche 911 model to see the benefits of this approach.
That process has now been applied to the company’s Panamera luxury sedan with the introduction of the new Porsche Panamera Turbo S. The S model of Porsche’s Panamera Turbo employs an updated engine spec to produce 550 horsepower (up from 500) and as much as 590 ft-lbs of torque in brief spurts, in overboost mode. Under normal circumstances, the engine produces 553 ft-lbs of torque (up from 516).
The Turbo S gets a new pair of turbochargers with titanium-aluminum turbine blades, a revised engine control unit and a freer flowing exhaust system. The new blades are lighter, so they spin up faster and produce more boost. With them, the Panamera Turbo S can claim a 3.6-second 60 and a 190 top.
To keep the Panamera Turbo S a balanced package, handling is improved with a wider rear track and a set of 20-inch wheels as standard equipment. The Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) system is included in the package as well. Transferring torque to the outside rear wheel in cornering situations, PTV Plus makes the sedan turn in more sharply. The Turbo S will also emit a louder bark of an engine note, thanks to the inclusion of the sport exhaust system as standard equipment.
To be introduced at the New York Auto Show in April, the Porsche Panamera Turbo S will go on sale in late spring with a starting price of $174,155