New Panamera sets a class record time on the Nürburgring Nordschleife
15 Julio 2024 - 10:15AM
Shortly before its launch, the new Panamera top model has made
its mark on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. With Porsche test driver
Lars Kern behind the wheel, a pre-production variant of the
high-performance sedan completed the legendary course 5.64 seconds
faster than the comparable model of the previous generation.
Last Friday, Porsche test driver Lars Kern set a
new best time of 7:24.17 minutes for luxury class cars with
combustion engines and hybrids, in the future top model of the
Panamera model range.
Lars Kern had already set class records on the
Nordschleife in 2016 and 2020 in the Panamera, most recently in the
Panamera Turbo S (7:29.81 minutes). “On the Nordschleife, the
handling capabilities of a car are particularly important,” Kern
comments. “The new Panamera has made significant gains in this
area. In technically demanding corner sequences in particular, such
as between the ‘Hohe Acht’ and ‘Brünnchen’ sections of the track,
it responds with noticeably greater agility.”
The new Panamera’s lap time, over five seconds
quicker than the previous model that was timed, underlines the
consistent further development of the four-door sports car. Its
eight-cylinder combustion engine with a hybrid powertrain enables
impressive driving performance, but this is not the only reason for
the improved lap time.
“The powertrain, the aerodynamics, the chassis,
the new, optional ultra-high-performance tires from Michelin – many
aspects have contributed to this time,” Kern adds. “The new Porsche
Active Ride chassis has made a particularly big contribution as the
car stays well connected to the road at all times. Its cornering
and body control are on a whole new level. As a driver, this gives
me a good feeling and further underlines that our development
doesn’t just offer maximum day-to-day driving comfort, but also
makes a real difference on the Nordschleife. No other Porsche
offers such a wide spectrum between comfort and sportiness. The new
Panamera combines the properties of an exclusive sedan capable of
covering long distances in great comfort with the handling of a
sports car.”
The Panamera piloted by Lars Kern was equipped
with a racing seat and the mandatory safety cage but was otherwise
representative of a production car. The optional Michelin Pilot
Sport Cup 2 tires with dimensions 275/35 ZR 21 at the front and
325/30 ZR 21 at the rear was specially developed for the Panamera.
For optimized performance, the optional Carbon Aerokit eliminates
lift on the front axle. In combination with the Gurney flap on the
adaptive 4-way rear spoiler, the end result is that downforce is
generated. This further improves the aerodynamic balance.
A video of the complete Nordschleife lap with
onboard footage will soon be available for you to watch in the
Porsche Newsroom and on YouTube.
- New Panamera sets a class record time on the Nürburgring
Nordschleife
- New Panamera sets a class record time on the Nürburgring
Nordschleife
Frank Wiesmann
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
pr@porsche.us
Calvin Kim
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
pr@porsche.us