Mercedes EQS 450 V297 vs Porsche Panamera 4 971: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Panamera 4 hits 100 km/h in 5.45 s versus 6.30 s for the EQS 450. Despite lacking instant torque, 330 hp of power compensates. At this point, the Panamera 4 leads by 0.85 s and sits roughly 12 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Panamera 4 is doing 132 km/h against 128 km/h for the EQS 450. The gap is 0.60 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Panamera 4 crosses the line in 13.78 s versus 14.56 s. The 0.78 s gap represents roughly 34 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the Panamera 4 continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 184 km/h versus 177 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Panamera 4 finishes in 25.22 s versus 26.37 s, with a 1.15 s lead.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the EQS 450 is capped at 210 km/h, the Panamera 4 at 257 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 9.86 seconds. The 0.85 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.