New Panamera achieves lap record on the Nürburgring Nordschleife

Porsche has proven the performance potential of the new Panamera even before the car’s world premiere: in a slightly camouflaged series production car, test driver Lars Kern (32) completed a full lap of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife over a distance of 20.832 kilometres in exactly 7:29.81 minutes. In the official ranking of Nürburgring GmbH, this time certified by a notary public now stands as a new record in the “executive cars” category.

“The enhancements made to the chassis and the powertrain of the new Panamera were always noticeable during this lap on what is recognized as the most demanding race track in the world,” says Kern. “In the Hatzenbach or also Bergwerk and Kesselchen sections in particular, the new setup of the electromechanical roll stabilization system remains consistently effective and provides the Panamera with incredible stability in spite of the bumpy track surface. At the Schwedenkreuz, the car benefited from the improved lateral dynamics and the increased grip of the new Michelin sports tires. I achieved cornering speeds there that I would not have believed possible with the Panamera.”

“The Panamera has always been both an exclusive touring saloon and a true sports car at the same time. In the new model, we have enhanced these even more,” says Thomas Friemuth, Vice President Product Line Panamera. “Alongside the increased engine power, improvements have been made in the areas of cornering stability, body control and steering precision. These enhancements benefit both everyday comfort and performance. The lap record is impressive proof of this.”

At an outside temperature of 22 degrees Celsius and with a track temperature of 34 degrees Celsius, Lars Kern started the lap at 1.49 pm on 24 July 2020 and crossed the finish line 7:29.81 minutes later. The record-breaking Panamera was equipped with a racing seat and a safety cage as protection for the driver. The notary public also confirmed the series production status of the still camouflaged four-door saloon, which will celebrate its world premiere at the end of August. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 sports tyre developed especially for the new Panamera and used for the record lap will be optionally available after the market launch.

The lap record underlines the comprehensive enhancement of the second Panamera generation. In 2016, Lars Kern already completed the circuit in the Eifel region in a time of 7:38.46 minutes driving a Panamera Turbo with an output of 550 PS – this time was achieved over the then usual distance for lap record attempts of 20.6 kilometres, in other words without the around 200 metres long circuit section at grandstand number 13 (T13). In accordance with the new statutes of Nürburgring GmbH, the lap time was now measured over the complete Nordschleife distance of 20.832 km. For comparison: Lars Kern and the new Panamera already passed the 20.6 km mark after 7:25.04 minutes. The record-breaking car and driver combination was therefore around 13 seconds faster than four years ago.

About Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd.: Established in 2008, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. (PCL) is the exclusive importer and distributor of the Porsche 911, 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman, Taycan, Panamera, as well as Cayenne and Macan. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, since 2017, PCL employs a team of more than 50 in sales, aftersales, finance, marketing, retail development, and public relations. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience in keeping with the brand’s 70-year history of leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety, and efficiency. In 2019, a Parts Distribution Centre opened its doors in Mississauga to service the countrywide network of 19 Porsche Centres. PCL is the dedicated subsidiary of Porsche AG, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. In 2019, Porsche sold an unprecedented 9,025 units in Canada, up 1.4% over the prior year. At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000-plus motorsport wins to date.