Porsche Panamera 4S 970.1 vs Porsche Panamera S 970.1: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Panamera 4S hits 100 km/h in 4.78 s versus 5.16 s for the Panamera S. At this point, the Panamera 4S leads by 0.38 s and sits roughly 6 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Panamera 4S is doing 142 km/h against 140 km/h for the Panamera S. The gap is 0.29 s. The gap remains stable from the start.

At 400 metres standing start, the Panamera 4S crosses the line in 12.98 s versus 13.31 s. The 0.34 s gap represents roughly 16 m of track — two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the Panamera 4S continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 198 km/h versus 197 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Panamera 4S finishes in 23.57 s versus 23.98 s, with a 0.41 s lead. Both vehicles have similar top speeds (275 vs 277 km/h), preventing any comeback.

The Panamera 4S features all-wheel drive (AWD) against the Panamera S’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 share the same electronic speed cap: the Panamera 4S and the Panamera S are governed to 283 km/h. At that speed, standard-fit tyres approach their safety threshold — an industrial ceiling common to most electric vehicles in this segment. Neither car shows its true aerodynamic potential in this duel.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (4.23 kg/hp vs 4.43 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 7.71 seconds. The 0.38 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.