You might say that the Panamera is the forgotten Porsche. For the past few years it’s been pushed out of the limelight by its electric Taycan brother, which isn’t only better looking on the outside, but has a much slicker interior crammed with tech that the ICE sedan doesn’t offer.
But Porsche is redressing the balance for 2024. It’s getting ready to unveil a substantially updated Panamera on November 24 and while we wait for the big reveal Porsche has dropped some interior details including a set of images that confirm the big combustion sedan has borrowed some key components from the firm’s EV.
At first glance it might not be apparent that much has changed. The little anolog Sport Chrono clock is still there above a traditional dashboard whose infotainment system is embedded, rather than standing free, and the console still rises upwards from the driver’s elbow.
But a closer look reveal that the transmission shifter is no longer a big lever but a small toggle, and has migrated from the console to the dash. The instrument cluster is now a fully digital 12.6-inch affair with no hood and the new infotainment display employs Porsche’s “Driver Experience” control interface, which groups functions together to save you getting lost in a million menu screens. And now passengers can get in on the action with their own screen located in the dashboard directly ahead of them. The optional display allows the person riding shotgun to stream content from YouTube and use social media on the move.
Related: 2024 Porsche Panamera Has Four PHEV Options, Debuts November 24
The finless air vents in the console are electronically adjustable and the entire dash panel features ambient lighting to improve the luxury ambience, but Porsche has paid attention to practicality, too. Getting rid of the console gear shifter has freed up storage space and better seat materials are claimed to enhance comfort in all models, while executive trims feature reshaped rear seats to reduce passenger fatigue on long drives.
Back in September Porsche revealed that the new Panamera would feature no less than four PHEV options because the plug-in powertrains are so popular that in some countries they account for 100 percent of Panamera sales. And like the recently refreshed Cayenne, the PHEV sedans get a bigger battery that now measures 25.9 kWh rather than 17.9 kWh, which should dramatically improve the electric driving range potential. Sadly, Autocar reports that the simulated ignition key starter setup used to fire up the engines on the current car has been dropped in favor of a boring button.
