#PorschePanameraS

Hybrid technology is improving at an impressive rate and is continuing to find its way into more and more vehicles.

N.Technology’s Porsche Panamera race car has already had great success in the Italian Supercars series with its limited race time, but it looks like those efforts aren’t enough to satisfy the team at N.Technology. And just like that, they’ve completed and tested their second Porsche Panamera race car that will be competing this weekend at the Paul Ricard circuit in France.

It was only a matter of time until someone turned a Porsche Panamera into a race car. Virtually every Porsche (Cayenne excluded) has been subjected to some form of competition, even the lowly cast-offs like the 924 and 914.

N.Technology, an Italian race shop, decided to be the first to step up to the plate with the Porsche Panamera platform, selecting the “base” Panamera S, with a naturally aspirated V8 and rear-wheel drive, as the base for their new Touring Car.

The Panamera will be piloted by Fabrizio Giovanardi, a well known European touring car driver, with the car competing in the new Superstars series, with the first race at Hockenheim, Germany on July 2nd.

Full specs after the jump

[Source: Jon Sibal]

Porsche continues to tease us with photos of its new Panamera grand-tourer, the latest of which are of the car’s stunning interior.

The interior design of the sports sedan is made up of four separate spaces, with seating for four in individual “cockpit-like” seats. Porsche will even offer an optional four-zone climate control system so every individual in the car can adjust the temperate to his or her liking.

Both the Panamera S and Panamera 4S will have eight-way power adjustable seats with a driver memory package. Panamera Turbo models will come with a memory function that includes the steering wheel. An 18-way adjustable front Sport Seats and eight-way power rear seas will be offered.

Porsche will offer 13 color and material combinations for the Panamera models, including four two-tone options and seven trim options, ranging from carbon fiber (yum yum) to Natural Olive wood.

For the audiophile, Porsche will offer a 1,000 watt Burmester 17-speaker sound system.

In terms of safety, the Panamera comes equipped with front, side and curtain airbags with standard rear side airbags in the rear. Cargo room is significant with 15.7 cubic feet of space in the trunk and 44.6 cubic feet of total cargo space with the rear seats folded down.

The Panamera S, featuring a 400hp 4.8-liter V8, a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph will retail for $89,800 ($115,100 CDN). The all-wheel drive Panamera 4S, featuring the same powerplant and a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.8 seconds will retail for $93,800 ($120,300). The top-line Panamera Turbo, with a twin-turbo 4.8-liter V8, a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 188 mph will retail for $132,600 ($155,000 CDN).

The Panamera will officially go on sale October 17, 2009.

Official release after the jump: