· Indeed, by now we all have seen one trim or the other of the Porsche Panamera—a slightly elongated 911 with four doors. In this, I shall focus on the base Panamera, as it is the most commonly bought trim.
· Design & Engineering:
From the front, one might see hints of 911. Look closer, and the wider headlamps, daytime running lights and stretched out face becomes apparent. Peer to the sides, and one notices the smooth sheet metal, encasing a total of four doors. Standard base wheels seem slightly unfitting on a Porsche—but are soon made up for by the graceful arching rear. Unfortunately, it all seems to make the car seem slightly gauche. Under the hood, this trim model takes charge of a 3.6-liter engine.
· Interior
This time, let’s start from the back. As you open the rear boot, you seem to be invited into a spacious, and somewhat ‘warm’ interior—definitely a plus for the Panamera. Boot space is relatively good, taking into consideration that the entire vehicle is technically based on a 911. Easing into the back seats, you enjoy the sensational coupé feel, where you appear to have your own individual cubby. Soon, you begin to notice the center ‘piece’ running down the middle of the vehicle—such as you get in the new Mini Countryman. Though, there is one difference. This particular center ‘piece’ contains all the buttons needed to adjust the climate, the TV channel, the sound, etc. BUT, before one figures out how to use the multitude of buttons at the back or in the front, first, one has to appreciate the soft yet ergonomic leather, optional BOSE surround sound, ambient lighting, and multi-interface system. Finally in the front, the first impression one gets is: “wow! That’s a good number of buttons”. Electrically adjustable seats come standard, and so do hard-drive based navigation, eleven speakers, a power tailgate, rear parking sensors, tilting and telescopic steering, along with a cooled glove box. As the base trim, there are obviously multiple features waiting for you to glance at. Personally, one thing missing from the otherwise surpassable interior would be another seat in the rear.
· Ride & Handling
Obviously, as the ‘tiniest’ engine is used, fuel economy is impressive for a lump such as the Panamera, and equals out with an A8. 0-->100km/h is done in 6 seconds (for the rear wheel drive; 5.8 seconds in the all-wheel-drive). Oddly enough, one might find that more satisfaction is produced out of the 3.6 Panamera, than the 3.6 Cayenne. All Panameras come with Porsches seven-speed PDK dual clutch transmission. Acceleration and power comes almost naturally on the car, and so does handling and suspension. Many argue that the V6 Panameras are one of the most agile four-door vehicles out on the road. Braking is never an issue to consider, as the standard brakes are considered highly impressive, though optional ceramic brakes are available. As an Edmunds reviewer stated: “steering is precise, and handling is much comparable to much smaller sport cars”—probably what makes the Panamera so special.
· Verdict
A coupé, a sedan, a sports vehicle, a show car—the Panamera does it all. It will be better if Porsche adds an extra seat to the Panamera, and if they include more options as standard. What makes this Panamera so special? The fact that you enjoy a luxury four-door saloon with that special Boxster/Cayman/911 feel…
o Pictures from:
No comments:
Post a Comment