Aside from the studded 2021 lineup of its Panamera with its hybrid engine upgrades we lost count of, here is to let you in on the workings of the mega sports car brand for this year, which are awesome, to say the least:
Advancement in Battery Tech
In June 2021, Porsche AG announced its plans of putting up a factory dedicated solely to battery production. This plan comes into fruition with its partnership with Li-ion battery maker Customcells. The sports car brand proves it is not settling for less as it aims to develop batteries that are more fitted for the high energy and heat capacity requirements of race cars.
With this, they shared that they are looking into a silicon-based prototype which they purport is not only easier to recharge, but are as powerful as 100-megawatt hours (Mwh) good for one year, which is equivalent to powering 1,000 cars. They aim to achieve this by 2024. If things go well according to plan, there will be no problem optimizing costs to facilitate mass production, although initially only for Porsche race cars and eventually for SUVs once it is proven able to self-stabilize in extreme conditions, which SUVs are notably susceptible to.
Communication Management
The German brand shows it is unstoppable when it comes to riding the smart wave by coming out with its Porsche Communication Management 6.0 shortly after its 2020 release. While consumers pointed out several hiccups in last year’s version including small touch keys that were difficult to interact with, Porsche made sure that this issue was resolved with the PCM 6.0 with its enhanced icon designs and layout.
Their infotainment screen has redefined smart dashboards with its larger interface, still compatible with Apple CarPlay, and now compatible with Android Auto. Not only that, the PCM 6.0 has made communicating with your Porsche more seamless by improving its voice command reception. Now, you can get your hip massaged, adjust the AC, and even activate ambient lighting by simply starting with a “Hey, Porsche” voice instruction.
What makes this upgraded smart communication system more reliable is the integration of the most updated maps. Aside from that, it eliminates the need to navigate using a separate mobile phone app because it can do the job for you aside from providing accurate time estimates for your arrival at your destinations. The PDM 6.0 was released just in time for summer and is available for the new generation of 911s, Cayennes, and Panamera’s.
Good News for Old Model Owners
Part of the car brand’s 2021 initiatives is to offer old model overhauls made possible by the development of their exclusive Performance Parts line of components. They showcased such capabilities onto two first-gen Cayenne Turbos, one white and another black. Aside from eye-catching Porsche-exclusive decals, they replaced them with terrain-versatile wheels and bespoke mudflaps.
To meet incessant public demand, specialized infotainment upgrades are also being developed for several models belonging to the 911, 959, 991, and 996 series. Fans who can’t let go of their GT2 RS just yet are in for a treat with a kit that Manthey Racing cooked up for Porsche. The kit includes rear wheel carbon fiber covers and enormous rear wings, among others, and will hopefully hit the shelves by the second half of the year. This is good news even for Porsche repair shops.
Pioneering Panamera
Porsche has invested loads into improving the Panamera’s performance to make the steering wheel and seats more functional than ever. Aside from that, they’ve upgraded their twin-turbo V6 and V8 engines each to generate 552 and 620 horsepower, and 552 and 604 pound-foot torque, respectively. The optimization spreads across the hybrid models Panamera houses such as its Turbo S that sports as much as 690 horsepower making it capable to run a solid 60 miles per hour in as fast as 3 seconds, definitely a dream for someone who’s needy for speed.
Parking App
Porsche Australia has developed a pioneering Park app that allows the driver to park effortlessly and hands-free with just a button press. Only compatible with Apple CarPlay for now, this app shows a lot of promise as it gives the driver the liberty to choose a parking space. Provided the parking lot is powered by a Bluetooth beacon that can detect the car as it approaches, this innovative app allows for the boom barrier to lift up upon arrival. For sure, this game-changer will standardize parking for smart cars.
There are more, but that was a rundown of what has been up Porsche’s sleeves. If anything, they are slaying both the race track and passenger vehicle worlds with these star-studded upgrades.
