Preview: 2014 Porsche Panamera Diesel – 300 HP/480 Lb-Ft and 5,700 Lbs of Towing

Porsche has just released the data on the updated 2014 Porsche Panamera Diesel.  And the numbers are difficult to believe.  Perhaps, the most significant claim is that the 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel V6 produces a round 300 horsepower.  You read that correctly.  Porsche is the second manufacturer to sell a production diesel engine with an output of 100 horsepower per liter.  BMW was first with a 2.0-liter four cylinder.  This basically an all new engine.  The crankshaft, pistons, and many other parts have been redesigned with a goal of increasing output.  It uses a new water-cooled turbocharger that is capable of higher boost of 3 bar.  And the engineers from Stuttgart were successful.  The new 3.0-liter makes 50 more horses than the outgoing V6, which is a 20% gain.  The maximum hp output is reached at a relatively high 4,000 rpm.  The new diesel also makes higher torque – 479.4 lb-ft of twist at 1,750 rpm.  The previous motor made 406 lb-ft.

This new found power translates to quicker acceleration, higher top speed, and more towing capacity.  What?  Towing with a Panamera?  More on that later.  Porsche claims a 0-62 mph sprint of 6.0 seconds flat, and this luxury sport sedan is now capable of reaching 259 km/h (or 161 mph) top speed.  Impressive!  Porsche also says that the new Panamera Diesel is capable of towing up to 2,600 kgs or 5,732 lbs.  Have you ever seen a Panamera with a hitch or actually towing something?  Apparently, it can tow about as much as a midsize pickup truck.  So if you wanted to pretend that your Panamera is your Cayenne and tow your Boxter or Cayman to the race track.  Who would have thought?

The 2014 Porsche Panamera Diesel goes on sale in January of 2014 in Germany and starts at EUR 85,300.  Porsche did not say when or if this engine option will arrive in United States.

Take a look at Roman and Nathan playing with a Porsche Panamera GTS:

Andre Smirnov is a life-long automotive enthusiast, writer, reporter, and software engineer. He has been a contributor at TFLcar since 2011. When not working or spending time with the family – you can find him tinkering in the garage or simply ‘going for a drive’.