Porsche AG today set a new luxury class record with the top-of-the-range combustion engine and plug-in hybrid variant of the new Panamera series, completing the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in 7 minutes, 24.17 seconds.
Lars Kern set the class record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife with the Panamera in 2016 and again in 2020, most recently with the Panamera Turbo S in a time of 7:29.81. The new Panamera laps more than five seconds faster than its predecessor. The new Panamera's impressive driving performance, thanks to the combination of an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine and electric motor, is due to a number of factors.
The Panamera that Cairn drove is identical to the production model, with the exception of the racing seats and mandatory safety cage. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres were developed for the new Panamera, and the lift on the front axle of the optional carbon aerokit was removed for optimum performance. The gurney flap on the four-way adaptive rear spoiler generates more downforce and improves aerodynamic balance.
"There are many factors that contribute to this, but the new Porsche Active Ride chassis is the biggest contributor," says Kern. "The new Panamera is parallel to the road surface and offers a whole new level of cornering and body stability. It perfectly combines sports car handling with the benefits of a unique touring saloon that maximises both everyday driving comfort and circuit performance."
"On the Nordschleife, lateral dynamics are particularly important and the new Panamera offers the best performance in this area," says Cairn. It is exceptionally agile in the technically demanding corners between the 'Hohe Acht' and 'Brünnchen'."
The full Nordschleife lap video, including on-board footage, is available on the Porsche Newsroom and YouTube channel.
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