Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid

– Victoria, Canada

Like it or not, electrification is the way of the future. But it’s not just about soul-sucking hybrids like the Toyota Prius, or EVs that can only go so far. Several automakers are using electricity to offer supplemental power, making fast cars even faster. Drool-worthy supercars like the Acura NSX, LaFerrari, and McLaren P1 all use electric assist, not to mention Porsche’s own 918 Spyder. In fact, the hybrid tech found in the 918 is what brings me to the car you see here, the incredibly powerful Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid.

For the first time, Porsche is positioning a hybrid model as the flagship of its range; no other Panamera bests the Turbo S E-Hybrid in terms of power, or price. With 680 horsepower and 626 pound-feet of torque, this certainly isn’t your traditional hybrid car. But if this is what Porsche’s vision of the electrified future looks like, then I, for one, welcome our new hybrid overlords.

Pros

Wait, how much power? Batteries on their own are only good for so much juice. And while most automakers combine this electric power with a small, efficient engine, Porsche goes the other route. On its own, the biturbo 4.0-liter V8 – the one from the Panamera Turbo – makes 550 hp and 567 lb-ft. To that, Porsche adds a 14.1-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, and a motor good for 136 hp and 295 lb-ft. So yes, this is a hybrid with Hellcat levels of output, able to sprint to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 192 mph. Screw your P...