The Porsche Panamera has a new range topper with the arrival of the Turbo S. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.8-litre V8 engine with 542bhp to outdo the standard Turbo's 493bhp.

A top speed of 191mph makes the Turbo S 3mph faster than the standard Turbo, while 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds shaves 0.4 seconds off its less powerful sister model's time. In normal driving, the engine produces 553lb.ft of shove, but in Sport mode there is an over-boost function that delivers 590lb.ft of torque.

Even with all of this grunt, Porsche says the Panamera Turbo S is still a reasonable choice for daily driving thanks to 24.6mpg average economy.

Unique features for the Panamera Turbo S are its 20-inch wheels, an improved turbocharger with titanium-aluminium turbine wheels to lower weight and a revised engine management system. Porsche says the new computer 'brain' makes the engine more responsive to the driver's inputs. The revised turbocharger should help with that too.

A wider rear track is accommodated by side skirts that are an option on other Panamera models. Inside, two-tone leather upholstery is standard.

The Panamera Turbo S goes on sale in the UK in June and will cost from £122,623. Its price includes a vehicle tracking system and Porsche driving course.

Alisdair Suttie - 31 Mar 2011