It’s official: diesel Panamera is coming

Even if you're not a fan of the Panamera's questionable looks - and we're most definitely not - can you complain about a grand-touring Porsche that returns 43.5mpg? It will be the most fuel-efficient car in the manufacturer's history. And what concessions will we have to make for such thrift? Not many, actually.

See more pics of the diesel Panamera 

The twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine in Porsche's new Panamera produces impressively Porschey performance - 250bhp and 405lb ft of torque (36 more than the V8 petrol-powered S) - which gets it to 62mph in 6.8 seconds and a top speed of 150mph.
 
You'll be able to get 745 miles out of every 80-litre tank. That's 425 laps of the Top Gear test track. And if you spec lower rolling resistance tyres you get even more to the gallon - 44.8, to be precise. That's another few goes round Dunsfold right there.
 
The standard spec's not bad either. The £62,134 entry-level Panamera D - recognisable by slightly unbecoming ‘diesel' graphics on the door - gets leather seats, engine stop/start, a vehicle tracking security system and touch-screen satnav before you start ticking option boxes.
 
Don't expect it to grab you by the bits in the handling stakes. It's rear-wheel drive only and comes with the economy-biased eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox. But if you want the real Porsche experience - and the 24.8mpg that goes with it - go buy a 911. This one, ideally.

We’ll reserve judgement until we’ve driven one. But if you can swallow the styling, cake and eating it do spring to mind for this correspondent...