This is the new third-generation Porsche Panamera

This is the new Porsche Panamera. It might look disarmingly similar to the current Panamera, but this is the third-generation Panamera in all its sporty and luxurious splendour with even more digitalisation.

Like the latest Porsche Cayenne that was unveiled in Singapore a month ago, the new G3 Panamera is extraordinarily similar to that of its predecessor with evolutionary rather than revolutionary changes made to its exterior proportions.

The front fascia still sports the same pronounced front arches courtesy of the 911's silhouette, along with a larger grille, air dam and an additional intake vent just beneath the pointed nose. The headlights are now Matrix LEDs as standard and adopt Porsche's omnipresent four-point DRL signature.

Round the sides, the silhouette and roofline are broadly similar to that of the G2 Panamera with the same contours and coupe/fastback rear canopy. Round the back, the new Panamera has a redesigned full-width tail light that emulates that of the new Cayenne and Taycan EV. The rear windshield is also wider with no bezels, spanning the width of the liftback tailgate.

Inside, Porsche has doubled down on digitalisation and increased screen real estate. The gauge cluster is now a curved, fully digitised display that spans 12.6 inches across. Like the Taycan, the car's gears are operated by way of a little gear lever housed adjacent to the large driver's display. 

Shifting the gear lever freed up space in the centre stack, which is dominated by a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a touch panel that houses the car's climate control settings.

Thankfully, Porsche has opted to retain physical toggle switches for temperature and fan speed controls, along with a physical volume dial. Optionally, one could even have a 10.9-inch passenger display but for obvious safety reasons, the screen cannot be viewed from the driver's seat.

There are a number of powertrain options available in the new Panamera including four E-Hybrid powertrains, which would undoubtedly be the variants that make it to Singapore.

There will also be Panamera and Panamera 4 variants at launch, which sees some performance enhancements that bumps up the car's 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 to produce 353 horsepower and 500Nm. But the most powerful Panamera at launch will be the Turbo E-Hybrid, which generates a combined system output of 680 horsepower and 930Nm of torque. 

According to Porsche, the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid has a battery capacity of 25.9kWh that gives the car an electric range of up to 91km on the WLTP cycle. In full EV mode, the car's electric motor can supply 190 horsepower. But with the engine in play, the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid can sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.2 seconds and max out at a top speed of 315km/h — not that us mere mortals in Singapore can ever get up to those speeds. Not legally at least.

Porsche Sonderwunsch Programme

If any old run off the mill Panamera doesn't tickle your fancy, perhaps Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur's Sundersunsch programme would be up your alley. Porsche has unveiled an exclusive one-off car that showcases the attention to detail that the Porsche atelier has to offer.

Finished in a unique Leblon Violet Metallic two-tone paint scheme with a newly developed Avium Metallic pinstripe and a gloss clear coat that contains vaporised gold flakes. The Sonderwunsch Panamera Turbo also comes fitted with an assortment of exterior fittings finished in the same Avium Metallic and tailpipes finished in Bronzite.

All that and more could be possible with Porsche's Exclusive Manufaktur programme. Perhaps it's time to phone in to your local Porsche dealer and make an inquiry if you like that sort of thing.

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This article was first published in CarBuyer.