THE Porsche World Roadshow is the perfect platform for Porsche enthusiasts and potential buyers to experience a full range of the high-performance luxury vehicles.
It is held at the Sepang International Circuit, the most suitable place to push the high-end luxury sports cars to their full capacity.
Cars, Bikes and Trucks was invited to participate in the 2018 Porsche World Roadshow. The event was organised by Porsche AG and Sime Darby Auto Performance Sdn Bhd, and was held on March 3 to 4 and 10 to 11.
Participating at the event meant having the chance to go behind the wheels of more than a dozen Porsches, including one of the world’s fastest cars.
Porsche AG sent 24 of its finest cars to Malaysia for the event. The fleet consisted of five models, two which are yet to be officially launched in the country. The models are the 911, 718, Macan, the third-generation Cayenne and the Panamera Sport Turismo.
The event attracted more than 150 car enthusiasts.
Participants checked into a hotel near the Sepang International Circuit a night before the event, followed by a delicious dinner at the South Paddock.
The next day, after a short briefing, participants were grouped into four groups of 10.
Porsche AG had prepared four exercises: Off-road, Handling 1, Braking and Slalom, and Handling 2 exercises. The German carmaker also sent a few of their best instructors for the roadshow.
For the Handling 1 exercise, we drove the 911 Targa 4 GTS, 911 Carrera GTS, 911 Carrera 4 GTS, 718 Cayman GTS and the 911 Turbo S. We drove a full lap in each model, with two participants in each car.
The exercise allowed us to experience and feel the difference of the mid-engine sports car, the rear-engine sports car, the rear differential and the four-wheel-drive differential.
There are slight differences on how the cars react and handle, entering and exiting a corner. However, with the assistance of advanced technologies available on board, it made every participant handling the sports cars like F1 drivers on the racetrack. Our favourite is the 911 Turbo S for its power, comfort, and stability during corners.
Handling 2
What actually surprised us was the Handling 2 exercise, where we were given the chance to test the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo with some option, Panamera Sport Turismo, Macan GTS and the latest Cayenne Turbo.
Unlike the 911 and 718, these cars are longer in length, and taller in height. The Macan and Cayenne are both crossover sports utility vehicles, while the Panamera Sport Turismo is a shooting brake body style sports car, based on the second-generation Panamera saloon. The shooting brake concept derived from a coupe normally comes in four-seater, and it is more dynamic and sporty.
Most carmakers would focus on the luxury and comfort in these range of vehicles. Porsche AG takes it to another level by making these vehicles able to keep up with a 718 Boxster GTS on the racetrack and take high-speed corners precisely, accurately and steadily.
All three models are powerful, comfortable and able to speed around the track with ease. The difference between these three are the size, the weight and the height of the vehicles. The Macan and Cayenne have a higher ground clearance compared with the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo. Hence, the vehicle’s body roll over more during corners.
Porsche Panamera
The soon-to-be-launched Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo is powered by a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo engine, with cylinder activation function. It produces 550hp with 770Nm of torque at full power, but when it is driven at a low speed, or even when its uses less than 200Nm of torque, the system will automatically shut off four of its cylinder for a more fuel-efficient drive.
On the race track, the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo can easily reached above 250kph on the straights, but before it cab reach its full potential, we were forced to brake as we are entering a corner. The dual clutch eight-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung transmission shifts gears instantaneously, smoothly and quickly. It didn’t felt jerky at all.
The Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo offers tenacious grip at corners, as if it was nailed to the track. This is
mainly due the 4D chassis control system, which feature systems such as the Porsche Adaptive Air Suspension, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport) and the Rear Axle steering (RAS). All these features helped to improve the handling of the vehicle.
Porsche Adaptive Air Suspension works hand in hand with PASM. The air suspension provides 60 per cent more air contained in each of its bellows, for an option of comfort and sporty drive, while PASM helps to adjust the damper setting between firm and comfortable.
PDCC Sport is an active anti-roll bar that counter reacts the weight and minimises the body roll of the car, with the help of an electrical motor.
As for the RAS system, it was introduced in all of its top-of-the-line GT cars, like the 918 Spyder, 911 Carrera S and now the Panamera. The system controls the rear axle to turn together with the vehicle. It virtually shortened the wheelbase of the car and improves the turning radius.
The rear axle turns at an opposite direction of the vehicle at speeds below 50kph. Concurrently, it turns harmoniously with the front axle during high speed driving. However, it doesn’t turn the same exact angle like the front axle, it only turns 2.8 degrees.
RAS adds stability during high speed driving, lane change or high speed bends. The 4D chassis control system, the chassis and handling makes the Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo felt like a 911 Porsche.
For this exercise, our favourite will be the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. Powered by a 550 hp twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve 4.0-litre V-8 engine, coupled with a 136 hp
electric motor. It has a combined output of 680 hp.
The Turbo S indicates that it is the fastest amongst all its variants, while the E-Hybrid represents that is a plug-in hybrid. The 4.0-litre V-8 engine itself is already very powerful, imagine with the additional power from the electric motor, it gives never ending power standing by for your disposal.
Given the fact that it weighs 2,310kg, it can complete the century sprint in 2.9 to 3 seconds. The amount of grip at corners is unbelievable. It sits firmly and it doesn’t roll or slides.
Braking and Slalom
After the handling session, we headed for the braking and slalom exercise. We got to experience how it feels to rocket to 100kph in 2.4 seconds, and how it can come to a complete stop in seconds.
The feeling of G-force pushes us deep into the bucket seats was incredible, but what’s more stunning is that the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes didn’t squeak a little after all the abuse.
We then got in to a 718 Boxster for the slalom exercise and it dances through the course beautifully.
Off-Road
The off-road exercise is where we get to try the new third-generation Cayenne, which is not yet available in Malaysia.
For more in depth story regarding
the drive, keep a lookout for this article in coming Cars, Bikes and Trucks editions.