PUT THE BABY SEAT IN AND GO GO GO
The crew at Ohio-based Switzer Performance call themselves turbo-tuning specialists, and have spent the last several years driving the point home at events like the Texas Mile, the GTR Nationals, and Russia's Moscow Unlimited mile-long drag races, where Switzer-tuned cars have dominated. Now, however, Tym Switzer is adding Porsche's Panamera to his company's ever-expanding roster of exotic tuning platforms.
After chasing down Bugattis and Koenigseggs with Switzer's hard-core street beasts, Porsche's luxury sedan might seem like an odd choice for a “What's next?” type of car – but Tym doesn't see it that way. “Porsche gave the Panamera a robust, twin-turbo, direct-injected V8, and it was easy to recognize that they'd left a great deal of room to work with. Working with our technology partners in developing this P680 hardware, I believe we've made full use of this, and were able to build the type of Panamera many of us hoped Porsche would build.”
To that end, the new Switzer P680 delivers 680 hp on readily available premium pump fuel, along with more than 200 additional lbs-ft of torque available across the rpm range. At the wheels.
Despite the added power, however, the new turbos help maintain drivability by delivering boost response as good as or better than stock. “You can see how responsive the new turbos are with the dyno sheets (attached), and you can definitely feel it for yourself from inside the car. The throttle response is immediate and incredible.” Turbos built with custom billet compressor wheels featuring advanced aero-profiles designed to deliver optimum performance throughout the operational range of this engine/cooling package can be thanked for the sacrifice-free performance gains. - and all of these performance gains are made through the factory catalytic converters and stock exhaust system if desired. “We really wanted to give the Panamera a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde type of feel. We ended up with David Banner/Incredible Hulk, but the idea is the same: maintain a stock, daily-driver personality all the way up until the fury is released with the right pedal to the floor. I want to say 'You wouldn't like it when it's angry.' but you would. It's a rush!”
Next up on Switzer's tuning agenda was the Panamera's intercooler system (below).
CHILL MAN
“Our original prototypes were based on requests from clients in desert climates, so it was important to increase cooling efficiency in order to provide the kind of consistent power delivery and reliability our clients expect from Switzer products,” says Tym. “By adding our upgraded intercoolers (significantly larger capacity and heat-sink, compared to stock) and increasing the efficiency of the turbocharger system, we were able to help the engine make more power, while putting fewer loads on some key components. Better load-management across the components means a longer part life, to some extent, so – while it's possible to extract a great deal of power from the stock components by pushing them up to or over the edge of their limits, asking someone to live with a car that's always on the edge of reliability is unrealistic. Knowledgeable clients won't stand for it.”
Switzer's P680 PKG, then, promises huge performance gains in an everyday package, with 4 doors and intimidating speed from Switzer's comprehensive upgrades – and it's all tied together with Switzer's Siemens ECU tuning. “Getting the software right was key. There are no 'tricked' sensors or piggy-back systems spliced into a very expensive electronic system. No short-cuts, in other words. This one's done right.”
Switzer claims the P680 Panamera is capable of mid 3 second 0-60 sprints, and the capability to perform 60-130 mph runs in low 8 second range, with a top speed well in excess of 215 mph (350 km). Pricing for the P680 starts at approx. 22000 USD. Contact Switzer Performance for more.
