Mysterious Nürburgring Record-Setting Porsche Revealed As The 2025 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid

Earlier this week, Porsche issued a press release about an upcoming top-end Panamera variant that set a new Nürburgring record. At the time, the German automaker did not reveal the specific trim that climbed to the top spot in the Executive cars class with combustion engines and hybrid powertrains. Porsche simply referred to it as the ’Panamera Top-Model’. But just a few hours back, a new video of the record-setting lap went live on Porsche’s social channels, confirming the record-setting model as the 2025 Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid alongside the announcement of the Panamera GTS. Test driver Lars Kern, a veteran of the Nordschleife set a new record with a time of 7:24.172, beating the outgoing model generation’s time by 5.64 seconds. Back in July 2020, Kern set a time of 7:29.81 minutes in the Panamera Turbo S, but later that year in November, the Mercedes AMG GT 63 S 4Matic+ managed to beat that record with a time of 7:27.800.

It Takes A Village To Break Records

On the day of the record-setting run, Lars is accompanied by a slew of Porsche engineers and technicians who ensure that the car is in optimum condition. Porsche’s advanced Active Ride ensures that the car maintains grip by reactively responding to the conditions of the road and actively varying damper pressure. This system was even praised by two-time WRC legend Walter Röhrl a couple of months ago when he got to experience the Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid for a test drive in the breathtaking Austrian town of Zell am See. Lars’ prototype pre-production Panamera came equipped with racing bucket seats and a protective roll cage.

There is also an optional Carbon Aerokit provided to keep the front wheels firmly planted by reducing lift. This works together with the 4-way adjustable rear spoiler to create more downforce, keeping the car planted for better stability. With all of these advancements behind it, the all-new Panamera Turbo S demolishes the previous records and achieves a time of 7:24.172 minutes.

2025 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid

The third-gen Panamera has made compelling strides in technology and aerodynamics over the previous model, as evidenced by its 5.0-second time advantage. The new 2025 Turbo S E-Hybrid and GTS models pack a punch. The most powerful Panamera ever packs a total system output of 771 horsepower and comes with specially developed tires from Michelin - The Pilot Sport Cup 2 with 275/35 ZR 21 section at the front and 325/30 ZR 21 at the rear.

The hybrid drivetrain, aerodynamics, performance tires, and new chassis all contribute to the car’s stability and handling on the track, as Lars so succinctly put it " The new Panamera combines the positive properties of an exclusive touring saloon with the handling of a sports car". The 2025 Porsche Panamera Turbo S-E Hybrid and GTS are now available to order and will reach U.S. dealerships by late 2025. The Panamera GTS carries a sticker price of $154,200, whereas the flagship Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid will set you back $226,500, before destination and options.