Porsche Panamera 4 970.1 vs Audi A6 Avant e-tron: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Panamera 4 hits 100 km/h in 5.78 s versus 7.12 s for the A6 Avant e-tron. Despite lacking instant torque, 304 hp of power compensates. At this point, the Panamera 4 leads by 1.34 s and sits roughly 19 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Panamera 4 is doing 128 km/h against 123 km/h for the A6 Avant e-tron. The gap is 0.90 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Panamera 4 crosses the line in 14.10 s versus 15.21 s. The 1.11 s gap represents roughly 46 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 178 km/h versus 172 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Panamera 4 finishes in 25.92 s versus 27.38 s, with a 1.46 s lead.

The Panamera 4 features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the A6 Avant e-tron’s RWD. At low speeds (0-30, 0-50, 0-80 km/h), AWD doubles the driven contact area: all four wheels transmit torque to the road, virtually eliminating wheelspin at launch. This traction advantage is decisive in the range where the motor delivers peak torque, before power and aerodynamics take over.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Panamera 4 is capped at 257 km/h, the A6 Avant e-tron at 210 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 11.13 seconds. The 1.34 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.