It roars from 0-62 in 5.5 seconds and will reach nearly 170mph yet it does 91mpg and emits just 71g/km of CO2.
It doesn’t seem possible for those two sets of figures to marry up, but the secret lies under the skin of the Porsche Panamera Hybrid.
Its 3.0 litre, 410bhp V6 petrol engine is supplemented by a 94bhp electric motor.
It’s what I would call a “proper” hybrid, meaning you can plug it in at home and take advantage of free electricity.
I plugged it into the socket in my garage and left it for a couple of hours while I did some gardening. Then I hopped in and spent the afternoon driving round Dundee for free (or for the £1 or so in electricity it cost me).
One of the most impressive things is how far and how fast it will go in electric mode. Porsche claims a range of between 11 and 22 miles before you have to bring the petrol engine into play and my own experience tallies with that (albeit at the lower end of that scale).
It pulls smoothly and willingly, and will reach 84mph on electric power alone although don’t expect the battery to last long at that speed.
Put your foot to the floor and the V6 petrol engine roars into life, combining with the electric motor to give a combined output of more than 500bhp.
So even though all the electric gubbins add the weight of two people to the car, it is stonkingly fast. Zero to 62mph takes just 5.5 seconds and top speed is 167mph.
Of course the 91mpg figure is something of a misnomer. The way EU economy tests are conducted mean the electric power plays a bigger role than it will in real life. Driving from Dundee to Dunblane and back my Panamera returned in the low 30s. That’s not bad for a two-tonne sports car. Its 71g/km emissions figure exempts it from VED, and with tax bills a very low £150 a month it is a tempting company car prospect for those lucky executives whose budgets will allow it.
Where things do take a dip is in the handling stakes. There’s tonnes of grip, of course, but the extra weight takes its toll and the car is by no means agile.
It’s terrifically comfortable, however, and makes a fine grand tourer if you can afford it.
At £88,967 it’s far from anyone’s idea of cheap. The Government’s electric car subsidy knocks £5,000 off the price but it’s still quite a hike over the £64,000 entry level Panamera.
Inside, it’s a sea of black leather and sumptuous materials. Delightful. There’s room in the back for two adults and the boot is a surprisingly practical hatchback as well.
There is a wealth of interesting technology underneath this car’s skin. Despite its lower running costs, it’s probably still too expensive to make sense for a private buyer.
But it’s remarkably cheap to run as a company car.
Price: £88,967
0-62mph: 5.5 seconds
Top speed: 167mph
Fuel economy: 91.1mpg
CO2 emissions: 71g/km