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Porsche's new four-door super-sedan will be clean and green - well, sort of. The forthcoming Panamera will adopt the hybrid petrol-electric powertrain recently developed for the company's Cayenne off-roader.
Porsche claims the Panamera will be the first four-door sports model to feature fuel-efficient "full parallel hybrid" technology.
The system consists primarily of the battery unit positioned in the luggage compartment, and the power electronics and hybrid module is between the engine and transmission, comprising an additional clutch and the electric motor.
Depending on driving conditions, the hybrid module is able to disengage either the combustion engine or the electric motor, or to combine both drive systems as one joint power unit.
Hence, the Panamera may be driven in a number of different modes ranging from all-electric drive absolutely free of emissions all the way to high-performance driving.
The Panamera will be a four-seat car with classic Porsche styling and a low roofline.
The company is yet to release official images of the new car, opting instead for design sketches and cutaway illustrations.
The Panamera will be launched next year, but only in conventional petrol-engined versions.
The hybrid will follow "later depending on market conditions," says the company.
The hybrid version of the Cayenne off-roader will also appear next year.
