The Porsche Panamera is not new to Malaysia, we see hundreds of them on our roads, and it is near impossible to go about your business in KL without coming across a Panamera, new or old. But the Panamera Sport Turismo is something else and completely new to our market.

Officially unveiled for the local market by Sime Darby Auto Performance, the custodian of the Porsche brand in Malaysia, two variants were introduced – the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo and the Panamera 4E – Hybrid Sport Turismo.

At first glance there is no mistaking the car for anything else but a Panamera, but move towards the rear of the car and the difference is obvious. The Sport Turismo is basically an estate, or hatchback version of the Panamera, but retains, in fact it improves on the practicality aspect of which the Panamera couldn’t really offer in its entirety.

The large tailgate, longer rear doors, increased storage capacity and even a 4+1 seating arrangement is all unique to the Sport Turismo, giving the Sport Turismo added practicality over the standard Panamera. And while the Panamera was a strict four-seater, the Sport Turismo on the other hand is able to seat five people, but there is also an option for four electronically adjustable seats if you so wish.

So what’s the difference between the Sport Turismo and the standard Panamera? Plenty actually, but it all begins aft of the rear doors. As mentioned, the rear doors are longer as is the roof line. The roof line then drops away less dramatically than the Panamera, to give the car the distinguished “shooting brake” design.

There is a roof mounted spoiler at the rear, and this works in three stages depending on the driving situation and the vehicle settings. At speeds of up to 170km/h, the spoiler retracts at an angle of minus seven degrees, this is to reduce overall drag co-efficiency and also to aid with fuel efficiency. In full flight mode of above 170km/h, the spoiler positions itself to an angle of plus one degree. At this angle the spoiler increases aerodynamic efficiency, keeping the car planted to the road thus maximising grip. But in Sport and Sport Plus mode, the spoiler automatically moves to the performance position at speeds above 90km/h. It also works as an air brake in case of emergency braking, and more interestingly, it can also help minimise wind noise when the sliding roof is open at speeds of 90km/h.

Besides that, the booth is much bigger than the Panamera, and because it has a lower rear end, picking up and placing heavy items is not as troublesome. The storage space measures in at 425-litres for the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo and 520-litres for the Sport Turismo. This is 20 litres more than the standard Panamera. When all of the backrests are folded down, the floor is virtually flat, and increases storage to 1,295 litres for the 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, and 1,390 litres for the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo.

On the performance front, the range of Panamera Sport Turismo’s are powered by V6 engines. The entry-level Panamera 4 Sport Turismo is powered by a 3.0-litre, turbocharged V6 engine producing 330hp and 450Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 259km/h and accelerates to 100km/h in just 5.5 seconds. But opt for the Sport Chrono package with Launch Control and the figure drops to 5.3 seconds.

The Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo is powered by a 2.9-litre, turbocharged V6 engine coupled to electric motors that offers a combined output of 462hp and 700Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 275km/h and sprints to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds.

And the top of the range Turbo model is powered by a 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine producing an eye watering 550hp and 770Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 304km/h and sees off the century sprint in 3.8 seconds, or 3.6 seconds with the Sport Chrono package.

The base price for the Panamera 4 Sport Turismo starts from RM990,000 while the E-hybrid model costs RM1,125,000 before options. For the top of the line Turbo variant, the base price starts from RM1,940,000 before options.

All Porsche cars sold by SDAP come with a four-year warranty and a free maintenance package that includes complimentary service, parts and labour.