Handling a sporty limo

As Porsche takes on the limousine market with the Panamera, Adrian Ion discovers whether driving the car through Bucharest can spin heads

February 2011 - From the Print Edition

Porsche has evolved to keep up with the latest trends and market demands in various segments of the auto market over the last ten years.
At first the group took up the challenge of an SUV and the result was the Cayenne – which became a huge success.
Then it risked introducing a diesel engine – a pragmatic choice for the luxury market – and the diesel Cayenne became one of the best selling models.
Meanwhile Porsche has managed to keep developing its original sport versions, so the choice of a genuine Porsche car is there for Porscheophiles.
There is still the iconic 911 turbo and its mean cousins - the GT2 and GT3 - and a turbo choice in the Cayenne family that can develop as much as 550 hp, to keep the fun factor alive and kicking.
So how about the Panamera?
This is a family friendly limousine, with four seats, four doors and a decently large boot. When launched, the car received mixed reviews in terms of design - but everyone praised its handling and drive. Is this enough to convince the Porsche customer to buy the automobile? If he or she wants a family car, there are cheaper Cayennes, which are larger and more versatile. If they want a sports car, there is the Cayman and the 911. So what is the unique selling point?
I took the Panamera 4S for a test drive. This is the 400 hp version, aspirated engine and four wheel drive, in the middle of the range in terms of power, between the Panamera 320 hp and the Panamera Turbo with 500 hp.
The first impression when turning the ignition was that I was in a sports car. There is an impressive roar that will turn on the alarms of nearby parked cars. And there is a button on the central console that inspires the sound of the exhaust to even more drama.
Inside, I counted no fewer than 48 buttons and switches on the central console and radio unit – a multitude by any standards. A driver needs time for adaptation. I had the car for one day and found it difficult to intuitively put my finger on the right button when driving. But this should not be a problem after two or three days with the car. Meanwhile the dashboard and central console are similar to those in the Cayenne.

Fun drive
The drive was more diverting than expected - the first surprise was that, although this is a limousine, it drives like a smaller car and I could not feel its weight. Contributing to this sensation are the lightweight materials, but also the different electronics - such as the adjustable suspension which changes the behavior of the car in an instant, depending on driving conditions.
The V8 engine in the Panamera S and 4S delivers enough power to take a driver as fast as they want to a top speed of over 280 km/h. Being an aspirated engine, it develops the power smoothly and in a linear way, as opposed to the turbo - which may surprise with bursts of power. All engines are fitted as standard with the PDK transmission, which works well and offers the comfortable ride of an automatic, but in the Sport and Sport Plus modes it keeps the engine revving up to deliver the right amount of power for sporty driving.
The competition comes from the Audi A8, the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, as well as the more exotic Maserati Quattroporte and Jaguar XJ. Prices at this level are never low even in the base standard equipment - but it is the optional extras that will hurt the pocket - so a wise and balanced thinking is necessary when ticking those tempting boxes. Prices for the Panamera base model starts at 84,508 Euro plus VAT and for the tested Panamera 4S start at 113,797 Euro including VAT.