When Porsche decided the time was ripe to launch its four-door Panamera sports car back in 2009 it was inevitably greeted with controversy, despite the fact that the company had been working on a concept 4-door product as long ago as 1988.
WORDS TONY WHITNEY, PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF PORSCHE
When Porsche decided the time was ripe to launch its four-door Panamera sports car back in 2009 it was inevitably greeted with controversy, despite the fact that the company had been working on a concept 4-door product as long ago as 1988.
WORDS TONY WHITNEY, PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF PORSCHE
Porsche enthusiasts are a notoriously conservative bunch and anything that departs from the basic 911 philosophy amounts to nothing less than automotive heresy. Time though, as the saying goes, is a great healer and today the Panamera is a well-entrenched and established member of Porsche’s diverse family of vehicles.
The current 2022 model is the second generation of the vehicle, with the name inspired by the legendary Carrera Panamericana road races of the 1950s, although Porsche never won any of the original events. The Panamera range is surprisingly large for what is basically a specialty vehicle. There are two four-door body styles – standard and Sport Turismo, plus several powertrain choices ranging from a basic six cylinder, through a selection of hybrids and all the way to ultra high-performance turbo variants. At the top of the range, prices are in the 200.000 euro-plus bracket, almost twice that of entry level cars.
The philosophy behind the design of the Panamera was to bring Porsche enthusiasts a sports car in which they could take along family or friends and it succeeds brilliantly. More than likely, many Panamera owners also have a 911 or Boxster in the garage and the bigger car is used for group outings. The key point with the Panamera is that the rear seats aren’t just token affairs only suited for small children. They really will take a couple of full-sized adults and headroom isn’t bad either.
We’ve driven most Panamera variants and it’s never been easy to decide which was fastest. Until recently, the Turbo S E-Hybrid held the crown, but the latest version of the Turbo S is faster still thanks to its lighter weight and will blast you to 100 km/h in a scant 3.1-seconds. This is quicker than a McLaren 570S and a fair number of other supercars and remarkable for what is fundamentally a 4-door sports saloon. Even so, the entry-level 330-horsepower six is still a more than adequate power unit for this Porsche.
The Panamera Turbo S, which in basic form uses a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, is powered by a twin-turbo V-8 developing around 630-horsepower and it’ll keep pace with just about anything in or near its class. When it comes to handling, it’s no 911, but it comes surprisingly close and most drivers won’t notice much of a difference unless they take it to a track. The big plus over a 911 apart from the four proper seats is the generous amount of cargo space, making the Panamera a lot closer to being the perfect grand touring car. The standard Panamera is roomy but the appealing Sport Turismo with its ‘sports estate’ bodywork has even more cargo space.
Behind the chunky steering wheel you sit low in the car and the ambiance is most decidedly Porsche. You’re not piloting a 911, but the feeling isn’t that different. Expectedly, there’s a wide range of infotainment and connectivity benefits as expected on any up-to-date luxury car. The rear seating is pretty good on basic cars, but you can enhance it by opting for an Executive model, which has a slightly longer wheelbase with space gained benefiting rear seat occupants. An exceptionally wide variety of safety aids are either standard or optional.
The market may be awash with highly desirable sporty choices, but given the Panamera’s astonishingly wide range of variants, it doesn’t really have a serious competitor.
ENGINE Wide range of powertrains. Base Panamera, six-cylinder, 2.9-litre, 330-horsepower. (Top model, 690-horsepower twin-turbo V-8).
TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic.
ACCELERATION Zero to 100 km/h in 3.1-secs (Turbo S).
TOP SPEED 315 km/h (Turbo S).
I LIKED Amazing range of variants to choose from, a rarity in the luxury sports car field. Very roomy interior, even in the back. Thrilling performance at the top of the range. Economy of E-Hybrid models.
I DIDN’T LIKE High prices for top-end models.
MARKET ALTERNATIVES Mercedes-AMG GT43/53, Audi RS7, BMW M5, BMW M8 Grand Coupe.
WHO DRIVES ONE? Drivers who want most of the benefits of a high-performance two-seat sports car but need more seating for family or friends.
PRICE AND AVAILABILITY Available now starting at €109.724.