THE notion of being able to drive a Porsche from Lands End to Loch Ness on a single tank of fuel would have been the stuff of dreams not so long ago.

But that's exactly what the premium manufacturer is claiming for its upcoming Panamera Diesel - a luxury four-seat grand tourer for the long haul.

On sale from August at £62,134, this latest addition to the Panamera line-up is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 engine producing 250bhp and using an eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox as standard. Acceleration from 0 to 62mph is 6.8 seconds and top speed 150 mph.

Porsche says that the 80-litre tank allows for a driving range of more than 745 miles, while the car emits 172g/km of CO2 and delivers a Combined fuel economy of 43.5mpg. With the optional lower rolling resistance tyres, efficiency improves to 167g/km and 44.8mpg.

Also fitted as standard is an auto start/stop function and adaptive air suspension is available as an alternative to the standard steel spring suspension, to provide a wider range of settings to extend the driving qualities.

While the new model can be recognised by the lettering ‘diesel' on the front doors, it also boasts a leather interior, Porsche Active Suspension Management, Bi-Xenon headlights, front and rear ParkAssist, tyre pressure monitoring, automatic dimming rear view mirrors, Porsche Communication Management with touchscreen satellite navigation and audio controls, cruise control and a three-year warranty. 

Every Panamera also has a sophisticated vehicle tracking package and customers will be able to explore the potential of their car courtesy of a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone.