Porsche Panamera s Review

The Launch of the Panamera Comes During a Strange and Tumultuous Era at Porsche

Display A: The German sports-car maker’s bestselling automobile since 2003 was a sport-utility car, the Cayenne. Display B: The car before you, the business’s first manufacturing sedan, is an additional hyperextension of this Porsche lineup. Exhibit C: The attempt by Porsche to dominate Volkswagen resulted in a great reversal of fortunes: Volkswagen took over Porsche. From which point, Porsche manager Wendelin Wiedeking was hurried off the premises, replaced by their right-hand guy, Michael Macht.

Therefore we chosen two challengers when it comes to brand-new Porsche: a standard-wheelbase BMW 7-series and a Maserati Quattroporte. The Quattroporte got the invitation because we'dn’t had it in a comparo since one disposed of a Jaguar XJR and a Mercedes E55 AMG in 2004. Of three QP models, we chose the top Sport GT S because its 4.7-liter V-8 tends to make 433 horsepower, 37 a lot more than a typical 4.2-liter Quattroporte, and possesses the sportiest suspension. The Porsche and the BMW both make 400 ponies.

We’d hoped to keep our entry-level Panamera reasonable—even $10, 000 in choices will have managed to get the lowest priced vehicle into the test—but, as always, our rear-wheel-drive S design (base cost: $90, 775) had been zooted up with over $40, 000 worth of choices.

Nevertheless, the Maserati had been the costliest, at $150, 375. Our completely filled BMW 750i checked in at $104, 230, though it begins at $82, 280.

We tossed a six-pack of clean Jockeys and a stash of Altoids into a rucksack and jetted to Bavaria for a weeklong roadway bender. It’s reasonable to say we drove the spätzle out of these vehicles. Here's how they stack up.