Porsche's latest Panamera is an eco-friendly luxury supercar

The Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid (Porsche AG)

The new Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is set to make a mark when it's unveiled at next month's Geneva motor show.

Proving that the trickledown effect does indeed work when applied to automotive technology, the latest model in the German sportscar company's expanding executive fastback range is literally dripping in technology developed and perfected in the company's hybrid hypercar -- the 918 Spyder.

Like the multi-million-dollar Spyder, this car can run purely on electricity for distances of up to 50 km and when the electric motor and turbocharged V8 are working in concert, it offers a remarkable fuel economy of 2.9 l/100 km.

So far, so sensible. But Porsche thankfully has decided to carry over the hypercar elements as well as the hybrid elements of the Spyder to this particular Panamera. And this results in a 0-100km/h time of 3.4 seconds, a top speed of 310km/h and a remarkable maximum output of 680hp.

Porsche promises that throttle response will be instantaneous and that there will be no turbo-lag as the electric engine plugs gaps in the torque band while the turbines are spooling up.

Throw all-around air suspension into the mix for ultimate comfort and agility plus the option of a longer wheelbase model for those that want even more rear leg room and relaxation, and the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is potentially in a class of its own.

Even its price tag, €185,736 for the standard wheelbase model and €199,183 for the Executive (long wheelbase) version is reasonable, considering that it's still less than owning both a luxury sedan and an out-and-out sportscar.