Tag Archives: Porsche

News

Porsche Exits Bugatti Rimac

In the rarefied air where nine-figure hypercars are less transportation and more philosophy, tectonic shifts don’t happen with tire smoke or Nürburgring lap times. They happen in boardrooms. And this week, one of the biggest just did.

Porsche AG is stepping away from the very empire it helped build, agreeing to sell its stakes in both Bugatti Rimac and Rimac Group to a consortium led by HOF Capital. It’s the kind of move that sounds clinical on paper—equity stakes, regulatory approvals, confidential terms—but underneath it hums with the same intensity as a quad-turbocharged W-16.

To understand the magnitude, rewind to 2021. That’s when Porsche and Rimac joined forces to create Bugatti Rimac, a joint venture designed to shepherd one of the most storied names in automotive history into an electrified future. Porsche held 45 percent, Rimac the controlling 55, while also enjoying a 20.6-percent slice of Rimac Group itself. It was a carefully calibrated alliance: Stuttgart’s legacy and engineering rigor paired with the raw, electrified audacity of Mate Rimac.

Now, Porsche is cashing out entirely.

The buyers? Not a legacy automaker, but a financial syndicate—HOF Capital at the helm, backed by BlueFive Capital and a slate of institutional investors spanning the U.S. and Europe. Once the ink dries and regulators give their blessing—expected before the end of 2026—Rimac Group will tighten its grip on Bugatti Rimac, while HOF Capital steps in as a major shareholder alongside Rimac himself.

If that sounds like a changing of the guard, that’s because it is.

Porsche CEO Michael Leiters frames the decision as focus: a return to core business, a strategic narrowing of scope in an industry increasingly defined by costly transitions. It’s a pragmatic exit, but also a telling one. Porsche didn’t just invest in Rimac—it legitimized it, helping transform a Croatian startup into a bona fide Tier-1 technology player.

And yet, the student is now very much the master.

For Mate Rimac, this is less an ending than an acceleration. With fewer cooks in the kitchen and fresh capital at his back, the path clears for a more singular vision—one that doesn’t have to reconcile the competing priorities of a legacy OEM shareholder. His statement reads like a founder finally handed the keys to his own creation, ready to push harder and move faster.

The wildcard, of course, is the new money. Investment firms aren’t known for sentimental attachment, but both HOF Capital and BlueFive Capital are striking a tone that leans more Pebble Beach than private equity. They speak of heritage, craftsmanship, and legacy—language that suggests Bugatti’s future won’t be reduced to quarterly returns and spreadsheet efficiencies.

Still, the balancing act will be delicate. Bugatti isn’t just another brand; it’s an altar to excess, a rolling expression of engineering maximalism. Keeping that spirit alive while scaling Rimac’s technology ambitions is the kind of challenge that doesn’t come with a blueprint.

But if there’s anyone suited to the task, it’s the guy who once turned an electrified BMW E30 into a global calling card.

The broader takeaway? The hypercar world is evolving—not just in what powers the cars, but in who powers the companies behind them. As Porsche retreats to its core and financial players move in, the lines between passion project and portfolio asset blur a little more.

And somewhere in Croatia, the future of Bugatti is being rewritten—not with a signature exhaust note, but with the quiet, relentless whir of electric ambition.

Source: Bugatti

NEW CARS

Porsche Cayenne S Electric: The Goldilocks of Zuffenhausen’s Electric SUV Lineup

Porsche’s march toward electrification has been anything but timid, and the newest addition to its all-electric SUV family—the Cayenne S Electric—slots neatly into the lineup as the enthusiast’s middle ground. It’s more aggressive than the base Cayenne Electric but stops just shy of the all-out madness promised by the Turbo. Think of it as the sweet spot: enough performance to thrill, plenty of tech to brag about, and just enough restraint to keep things civilized.

At its core is a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system producing 544 horsepower (400 kW). Engage Launch Control and that number jumps to a stout 666 horsepower (490 kW)—a figure that would’ve sounded absurd for a luxury SUV not too long ago. The result is a 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) sprint of just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h).

Yet Porsche insists the Cayenne S isn’t just about brute force. With a WLTP range rated up to 653 kilometers (about 406 miles), it’s designed to deliver both pace and practicality. The 113-kWh battery supports ultra-fast charging at up to 400 kW, meaning a 10–80 percent recharge can take less than 16 minutes—barely enough time to grab a coffee before hitting the road again.

Powertrain Tech with a Racing Pedigree

The Cayenne S Electric’s drivetrain mirrors the setup found in Porsche’s more performance-focused EVs. Each axle gets its own permanent-magnet synchronous motor, but the real engineering trick lies at the rear.

Like the flagship Turbo model, the S uses direct oil cooling for its rear electric motor. Rather than simply cooling the motor housing, the oil flows directly over the current-carrying components themselves, pulling heat away more efficiently during hard driving. It’s the kind of detail you’d expect in a race-bred system, and it helps sustain high output during repeated acceleration runs.

Feeding the rear motor is a silicon-carbide pulse inverter capable of processing currents up to 620 amps—an advanced setup that improves efficiency and allows the drivetrain to deliver power with lightning-quick response.

Sharper Looks, Sharper Dynamics

Visually, the Cayenne S Electric differentiates itself with model-specific front and rear aprons finished in Volcano Grey Metallic, while the inserts and diffuser are painted in body color for a cleaner, more integrated look. Standard 20-inch Cayenne S Aero wheels round out the exterior package.

More importantly for enthusiasts, the S gains access to hardware that was previously exclusive to the Turbo. Options now include Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus for sharper cornering precision, along with the sophisticated Porsche Active Ride suspension. That system actively counteracts body roll and pitch, keeping the SUV remarkably flat and composed even when driven with enthusiasm.

Stopping power can be upgraded to Porsche’s massive Ceramic Composite Brakes, identifiable by their signature yellow calipers. Pair those with the Sport Chrono Package and you unlock features like Push-to-Pass, which unleashes an extra 122 horsepower for 10 seconds. There’s also a dedicated Track mode that pre-conditions the battery for maximum output—because apparently even electric SUVs deserve a day at the circuit.

Personalization Meets “Director’s Cut” Design

Porsche buyers rarely settle for stock configurations, and the Cayenne S Electric continues the brand’s tradition of deep personalization. Customers can choose from 13 exterior colors and numerous interior themes.

But the more interesting addition is Porsche’s new “Style” product line, developed by Style Porsche and Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. Think of it as a designer’s curated configuration—a kind of factory-approved special edition without the production limits.

The first offering is the Interior Style Package, a striking design centered around the exterior color Mystic Green Metallic. Inside, two-tone leather in Black and Delgada Green wraps the seats, door panels, and trim surfaces, while matching seat belts and green decorative stitching carry the theme throughout the cabin.

Aluminium trim pieces finished in Izabal Green add a modern contrast, and the GT sports steering wheel gets a 12-o’clock marker and cross-stitching in the same shade. Even the airbag module ring, drive-mode selector wheel, and instrument cluster accents follow the green motif. The details go as far as the key—finished in Izabal Green—and illuminated door sills glowing in matching green.

The Middle Child That Might Be the Best Choice

If the base Cayenne Electric is the rational option and the Turbo the halo car, the Cayenne S Electric feels like the one most enthusiasts will actually want. It brings genuine sports-car acceleration, cutting-edge EV tech, and nearly the same dynamic upgrades as the flagship—without stepping fully into super-SUV territory.

In typical Porsche fashion, it also proves that the electric future doesn’t have to be dull. If anything, the Cayenne S Electric suggests the opposite: the middle of the lineup might just be where the real fun begins.

Source: Porsche

News

One Name, Two Souls: Porsche May Merge the Taycan and Panamera

Porsche’s lineup has long been a study in careful segmentation. Want a four-door Porsche? Easy: choose the electric Porsche Taycan or the combustion-powered Porsche Panamera. Different missions, different platforms, different personalities. But that tidy separation may not last much longer.

According to industry sources, Porsche is exploring a plan to unify its two performance sedans into a single model line—one that would offer petrol, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric variants under the same banner. The move is part of a broader cost-cutting strategy led by newly appointed Porsche CEO Michael Leiters, following a downturn in global sales and the expensive fallout from Porsche’s recent rethink of its electrification strategy under former boss Oliver Blume.

In other words: two cars may soon become one.

Two Sedans, Two Architectures

The Taycan arrived in 2019 as Porsche’s first serious step into the electric era, built on the dedicated J1 platform it shares with the Audi E‑tron GT. Low, wide, and unapologetically futuristic, it was engineered from the ground up to be electric.

Its combustion sibling, the Panamera, plays a different game.

The Panamera rides on Porsche’s MSB architecture, a platform also used by the Bentley Continental GT. It’s larger, more executive-leaning, and available in everything from V6 plug-in hybrids to fire-breathing Turbo models.

They occupy similar territory—four-door performance sedans with Porsche DNA—but they’ve always been engineered as entirely separate programs.

That separation is exactly what Porsche now appears to be questioning.

The Cost of Going Electric (and Back Again)

Developing dedicated EV platforms isn’t cheap—even for a company that charges six figures for its sports cars. Porsche has already written down roughly €1.8 billion tied to delayed platform development and shifting electrification priorities.

Originally, the next-generation Taycan was expected to migrate to the Volkswagen Group’s upcoming SSP Sport architecture, a high-performance EV platform still facing delays. Meanwhile, the Panamera is slated to eventually move from the current MSB platform to a newer combustion-friendly architecture later this decade.

Two separate platforms. Two separate development programs. Two sets of costs.

Unifying the model lines—even if they continue to ride on different underpinnings—could help spread engineering and design expenses across a larger volume.

And Porsche has already proven the concept can work.

Porsche Has Done This Before

The blueprint might already exist in Porsche showrooms.

The Porsche Macan, for example, is sold in both combustion and electric forms in some markets despite being built on entirely different architectures. The same strategy is emerging with the next generation of the Porsche Cayenne, where internal-combustion and electric versions will coexist under the same model name.

From the outside, they’re one family. Under the skin, they’re very different animals.

If Porsche applies that logic to its sedans, the result could be a single unified model range—potentially wearing either the Taycan or Panamera badge.

Size Matters—But Not That Much

Interestingly, the two cars are already closer in size than you might think.

  • Taycan wheelbase: 2900 mm
  • Panamera wheelbase: 2950 mm

That 50-mm difference isn’t trivial, but engineers say it’s manageable if the project is designed from the outset to accommodate multiple architectures.

There’s also the Panamera’s long-wheelbase variant, a popular option in markets like China. That could open the door for a similar stretched configuration in an electric successor.

Imagine a Taycan—or whatever Porsche decides to call it—with limousine-grade rear legroom.

What Would It Look Like?

Styling remains the big unknown.

Porsche’s current approach with the Cayenne may offer clues: the combustion and electric versions share a family resemblance but feature distinct exterior designs to reflect their different powertrains.

Expect something similar here—a shared identity but different proportions and details depending on what’s under the floor.

Electric versions might keep the Taycan’s sleek, cab-forward silhouette, while combustion and hybrid variants could lean closer to the Panamera’s traditional executive-sedan stance.

One badge. Two personalities.

The Bigger Picture

For Porsche, this potential consolidation is about more than just product planning. It reflects a broader industry reality: the transition to electrification is proving more complicated—and more expensive—than many automakers expected.

By merging the Panamera and Taycan into a single model line, Porsche could streamline development, protect profitability, and avoid a painful decision: killing one of its flagship sedans altogether.

And if there’s one thing Porsche hates, it’s giving up a performance segment.

Whether the future flagship wears the Taycan name, the Panamera badge, or something entirely new, one thing seems clear: Porsche’s next four-door may carry two powertrain philosophies under a single identity.

One car for the electric future—and the combustion past that isn’t quite ready to leave.

Source: Porsche