THE Porsche Panamera may seem like an unlikely tax-beater but a new plug-in hybrid version, the Panamera S E-Hybrid, not only dodges the London Charge but qualifies for free road tax as well.
Company car tax is just 5%, and there’s a 100% first year write-down allowance too
The sums look even better for business users, thanks to a five per cent company car tax banding and eligibility for a 100 per cent first-year capital allowance.
The icing on the cake? Buyers can take £5000 off the price, thanks to the government’s Plug-in Car Grant, although that comes in at a still steep £88,967.
The Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid offers a total of 416PS, with the hybrid drivetrain’s electric motor delivering 95PS. The lithium-ion battery pack can be charged up from the domestic mains in four hours (dedicated charging points are quicker) and also gets topped up on the move in the usual hybrid way.
Top speed is 167mph and the S E-Hybrid is claimed to be able to hit 62mph from rest in 5.5 seconds.
The Porsche Panamera can run in “electric-only” mode without using its 3.0-litre petrol engine for up to 22 miles, and the top speed on batteries is 84mph. Official fuel consumption is 91.1mpg and CO2 emissions are 71g/km.
