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Porsche aims to save gas, cash, and environment

14 November, 2016

German automaker Porsche have announced that they will be unveiling the latest incarnation of their Panamera luxury-saloon range, which features a new 243kW (330hp) V6 turbo petrol engine, claimed to cut fuel consumption and emissions, at the Los Angeles Auto Show to be held over November 18–27.

Although still fossil-powered, this latest announcement claims Porsche’s new V6 turbo engine is designed to be highly efficient and remain an agile entry-level addition to their existing range of engine options. Porsche has advised that power has been upped by 20hp from the previous Panamera generation while reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by completely redeveloping the six-cylinder powerhouse inside and out. The result produces up to 7.6 litres of fuel consumed per 100km and up to 173g per square kilometre of CO2 emissions. That’s a betterment of around one litre of fuel consumed per 100km — not bad, Porsche.

This new 243kW (330hp) is combined with rear-wheel drive in the Panamera, and the Panamera 4 version features an all-wheel drive system, plus an additional longer-wheelbase model known as the Panamera 4 Executive. While the Panamera and the Panamera 4 are suited for weekend leisurely drives, the larger Executive model focuses on the luxury side of things, and you can expect to look pretty suave being driven around in the chauffeur-designed saloon — if you’re that way inclined.

Also available in the all-wheel drive versions are the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Executive (340kW/462hp), Panamera 4S Executive (324kW/440hp), and Panamera Turbo Executive (404kW/550hp). The existing summer 2016 line-up consists of the Panamera 4S, Panamera 4S Diesel, Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, and Panamera Turbo. 

As the range continues to develop, we can expect even more fuel-efficient versions to be included. Meaning less time between visits to the pump and more dollars in your wallet for longer — the ease on the environment isn’t a bad feature either.

Technical jargon

  • Panamera: fuel consumption combined 7.5–7.6 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 171–173g per square kilometre. 
  • Panamera 4: fuel consumption combined 7.7–7.8 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 175–176g per square kilometre.
  • Panamera 4 Executive: fuel consumption combined 7.8–7.9 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 178–180g per square kilometre.
  • Panamera 4S: fuel consumption combined 8.1–8.2 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 184–186g per square kilometre.
  • Panamera 4S Diesel: fuel consumption combined 6.7–6.8 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 176–178g per square kilometre.
  • Panamera 4S Executive: fuel consumption combined 8.2–8.3 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 187–189g per square kilometre.
  • Panamera Turbo: fuel consumption combined 9.3–9.4 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 212–214g per square kilometre.
  • Panamera Turbo Executive: fuel consumption combined 9.4–9.5 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 215–217g per square kilometre.
  • Panamera 4 E-Hybrid: fuel consumption combined 2.5 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 56g per km; electricity consumption combined 15.9kWh per 100km.
  • Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Executive: fuel consumption combined 2.5 litres per 100km; CO2 emissions of 56g per km; electricity consumption combined 15.9kWh per 100km.

Images: Porsche

Almost mythical pony

25 July, 2024

The Shelby came to our shores in 2003. It went from the original New Zealand owner to an owner in Auckland. Malcolm just happened to be in the right place with the right amount of money in 2018 and a deal was done. Since then, plenty of people have tried to buy it off him. The odometer reads 92,300 miles. From the condition of the car that seems to be correct and only the first time around.
Malcolm’s car is an automatic. It has the 1966 dashboard, the back seat, the rear quarter windows and the scoops funnelling air to the rear brakes.
He even has the original bill of sale from October 1965 in California.

Becoming fond of Fords part two – happy times with Escorts

17 July, 2024

In part one of this Ford-flavoured trip down memory lane I recalled a sad and instructive episode when I learned my shortcomings as a car tuner, something that tainted my appreciation of Mk2 Ford Escort vans in particular. Prior to that I had a couple of other Ford entanglements of slightly more redeeming merit. There were two Mk1 Escorts I had got my hands on: a 1972 1300 XL belonging to my father and a later, end-of-line, English-assembled 1974 1100, which my partner and I bought from Panmure Motors Ford in Auckland in 1980. Both those cars were the high water mark of my relationship with the Ford Motor Co. I liked the Mk1 Escorts. They were nice, nippy, small cars, particularly the 1300, which handled really well, and had a very precise gearbox for the time.
Images of Jim Richards in the Carney Racing Williment-built Twin Cam Escort and Paul Fahey in the Alan Mann–built Escort FVA often loomed in my imagination when I was driving these Mk1 Escorts — not that I was under any illusion of comparable driving skills, but they had to be having just as much fun as I was steering the basic versions of these projectiles.