The Porsche Panamera will have to hit the ground running at the end of the decade in order to compete with the Aston Martin Rapide, Mercedes CLS, BMW 8-Series and in the lower regions of the four-door GT class, the VW Passat Coupe. One major selling point for the Panamera might become the availability of a full parallel hybrid engine, offering consumption of less than 9 liter per 100 kilometers.
The newly developed full parallel hybrid system is based on the current Porsche Cayenne Hybrid will consist primarely of the battery unit in the luggage compartment, power electronics, and an additional clutch and electric motor between the engine and transmission. This set-up allows the car to be driven using the gasoline engine (classic Porsche sport style), electric engine (emissions free all-electric driving) or use them both as one power unit, combining the best of both worlds.
The Porsche Panamera will initially be offered with proven drivetrains in 2009 with a hybrid version following later, depending on market requirements.