In my book, there’s just no such thing as too much power. Not unless we’re talking Third World dictators, of course.
Vacuum cleaners? I want one that can suck the pile from the backing. Food blenders? They should have the shredding power of that wood-chipper from the movie Fargo.
Porsche had me worried there for a while when they introduced a limpish V6 version of the hefty Panamera sedan last year that packed roughly the same horsepower as a Toro ride-on mower.
But all’s well with the world following this week’s announcement of the new Panamera Turbo S flagship with a whopping 550 horsepower, making it the most potent Panamera yet.
No one could ever accuse the stock 500-hp Panamera Turbo of lacking mechanical might. But this new ‘S’ gets 10-percent more juice courtesy of such technical exotica as faster-reacting featherweight titanium blades for its twin turbochargers.
The result is standstill to 60mph sprinting in an eyeball-compressing 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 190mph. More relevant in day-to-day driving is the Turbo S’s torque hike from 516 lb-ft to 553 lb-ft – with a massive 590 lb-ft available for short bursts. Pull out to pass and expect the same instant response as being fired off the deck of a Navy carrier.
Of course, being a top-of-the-line Porsche it has more bells and whistles than a Macy’s parade. But to distinguish it from lesser Panameras, there are new 20-inch alloys, side skirts, and fancy four-way extending rear spoiler.
The Turbo S goes on sale later this spring with a base sticker of $174,175.
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