The Panamera is Porsche’s first foray into the realm of four-door sport cars — and while it’s a gamble, it’s a gamble that pays off.
Sure, there’s already the big Cayenne but, although remarkably dynamic for an SUV, it’s still a pretty long way from a 911. The Panamera definitely occupies much more similar territory to Porsche’s most famous sports car.
Its looks are an acquired taste and were the subject of some debate among my co-workers. It doesn’t work from all angles but the Panamera’s shape grew on me.
From the front it looks great, very 911-ish. Side on, it’s sleek and coupe-like, the rear doors blending into the profile, and from the back it’s squat and powerful. The overall impression is of a stretch 911, and only the slightly bulbous rear quarters hint at the nightmare Porsche’s designers must have had getting the long, low saloon’s shape right.
The Panamera range starts at just over £72,000 (though a V6 version costing £61,000 is on its way) and rises to £95,000 for the Turbo version.I drove the Panamera 4S, costing a night out less than £79,000. A pile of extras, including 19-inch alloy wheels at £950, a power tailgate, park assist, electric sunroof and sports exhaust brought the final price tag to £85,150.
The 4.8 litre V8 produces 400bhp, enough to get the big Porsche from 0-62mph in five seconds dead. Top speed is 175mph. If anyone needs their Panamera to be faster, the turbo version adds another 100bhp, shaves the 0-62mph time to 4.2 seconds and increases top speed to 188mph.
The naturally-aspirated version should be more than enough for most, though. Press hard with your right foot particularly if you’ve slipped it into sport mode and the Panamera surges towards the horizon. I drove the four-wheel-drive version which, coupled with traction control, ensures the car doesn’t become too much of a handful whatever the Scottish weather throws at it.
Though it’s a joy to take to the red line, much of the power comes low down, and it’s easy to make swift progress without revving hard. The balance between ride quality and handling is superb. Happy on all but the bumpiest and narrowest of B-roads (where its bulk becomes an issue), it is a magnificent A-road and motorway cruiser, capable of covering whole countries in a single, comfortable sitting.Show it a corner and it seems to grip forever. It’s not light and nimble like an Audi R8, but it is one of the most capable and composed cars I’ve ever driven.EconomyEquipping a 175mph four-wheel drive sports car with start-stop technology may seem a bit pointless, but the Panamera surprised me on this count and I had no difficulty matching the official economy of 25.4mpg. In town, the engine cuts out when you’re stopped, saving fuel, and on the open road as long as you’re not in sport mode and go easy with the right foot the auto transmission races through gears for maximum economy. At 70mph in seventh gear the engine is running at around 1500rpm, or a little over tick-over.
My quest to find attractive girls to complement the car took me out of Dundee to Edinburgh and on a run down to the delightful coastal village of Cramond, but used only a third of a tank of fuel. You could easily use this car for a daily commute without spending all your wages on fuel.
While there was some debate about the Panamera’s exterior, everyone I allowed inside agreed the interior was faultless. Oozing class, there’s fine leather upholstery and all the mod cons you’d expect, while a smattering of Porsche badging reminds you of the car’s pedigree. The awkward-to-use stereo controls behind the steering wheel are the only fly in the ointment.
It’s a proper four-seater, with a centre console and separate temperature controls for each of the rear seat occupants. The Panamera can easily accommodate four people of six foot-plus in comfort.GenerousAmazingly practical, the hatchback boot has a generous 445 litre capacity. The rear seats fold down, giving it a potential load volume of 1263 litres.
A button inside the car activates the £1700 sports exhaust, causing a noticeably throatier rumble. It seems like a bit of a gimmick, and is a reminder of how artificial exhaust notes really are, but plenty of people will have the cash to bolt every extra onto their Panamera.
A four-door saloon is a gamble for Porsche (and a convertible Panamera, currently in development if rumours are to be believed, is an even bigger throw of the dice), but it deserves to pay off. Fast, comfortable, spacious and luxurious, relatively economical and (to my eyes anyway) good-looking, it’s a strong contender for the best sporting saloon car money can buy.