Porsche has proven the performance potential of the new Panamera even before the car’s world premiere: in a slightly camouflaged series production car, test driver Lars Kern (32) completed a full lap of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife over a distance of 20.832 kilometres in exactly 7:29.81 minutes. In the official ranking of Nürburgring GmbH, this time certified by a notary public now stands as a new record in the “executive cars” category.
“The enhancements made to the chassis and the powertrain of the new Panamera were always noticeable during this lap on what is recognised as the most demanding race track in the world,” says Kern. “In the Hatzenbach or also Bergwerk and Kesselchen sections in particular, the new setup of the electromechanical roll stabilisation system remains consistently effective and provides the Panamera with incredible stability in spite of the bumpy track surface. At the Schwedenkreuz, the car benefited from the improved lateral dynamics and the increased grip of the new Michelin sports tyres. I achieved cornering speeds there that I would not have believed possible with the Panamera.”
