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February 12, 2010
   2010 Porsche Panamera; engine photo by Paul Williams. Click image to enlarge |
Pop the powered hatch and you’ll find a finely trimmed and deep 445-litre luggage compartment, suitable for a few sets of golf clubs, suitcases, or a very privileged 80-pound Golden Retriever. Flipping forward the rear seats expands capacity to a cavernous 1263 litres.
The naturally-aspirated, direct-injection dry-sump 4.8-litre V8 in this car (and the base Panamera S) makes 400 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and pushes the sedan through the 100 km/h mark in 5.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 283 km/h. It’s a smooth and linear engine, with a measured aural tuning that lets just enough of that wonderful V8 soundtrack into the cabin. On the highway the 4S is very quiet, with the engine turning just 1,900 rpm at 120 km/h.
As might be expected, the Panamera 4S drives “smaller” than its girth and considerable heft (1,860 kg) suggest. The cockpit has an intimate feel, and the steering is nicely weighted and reasonably tactile. No, you’ll never mistake this for a Porsche sports car, but it surprises with its engaging demeanour when all the right buttons are pushed. The optional air suspension (with additional air volume available on demand in each spring) in conjunction with the Sports Chrono Package, give this Porker two extra degrees of sportiness.
Pressing the Sport button on the console sharpens throttle response, gives more body control (with little loss in ride comfort) and calls for a slightly more aggressive transmission mapping. Sport Plus really firms up the suspension and has the PDK snapping off shifts faster and earlier – plus launch control is on board.
At any time, you can shift the seven-speed PDK with the push-me-pull-you devices on the steering wheel. This is a spectacular transmission – shifts are instant and seamless. I found it fascinating that at highway speeds you can toggle between the top three gears with nary a ruffle to the cabin – the faint change in engine note and a quick swing of the tach needle the only clues to all that mechanical shuffling.
And yes, this big hatchback is really most at home racking up the clicks on the motorway. My only gripe is poor rear visibility, not helped by small rearview mirrors. The standard park-assist is well appreciated – a back-up camera is optional.
 2010 Porsche Panamera; engine photo by Paul Williams. Click image to enlarge |
The Panamera features a segment-first Start-Stop system that helps it attain its 12.9 L/100 km city and 8.3 L/100 km highway fuel consumption rating.
With all the options, this 4S came in at around 147 grand, mere spitting distance from the 500 hp $155,000 Turbo which comes with 19-inch wheels, a full leather interior, 14-speaker Bose audio, bigger brakes, heated rear seats, 14-way powered front seats and bespoke walnut and aluminum trim. And of course, 516 lb-ft that transforms the Panamera from very swift to eye-widening ballistic. We’re talking a sub four-second 100 km/h blast.
The Panamera competes with the likes of the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG, Bentley Continental Flying Spur, Audi A8, BMW 750i and upcoming Aston Martin Rapide in this rarefied market segment. A V6-powered model in rear and all-wheel drive will follow later, as will a Panamera Hybrid.
As with all Porsche vehicles, the Panamera is a unique creature. It looks like nothing else on the road, it does a remarkable job of melding sybaritic motoring comfort with sporting behaviour, and as a bonus – it’s a bloody useful hatchback. I’m taking my dog out to the forest right now and them we might swing by Ikea on the way home.
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Pricing: 2010 Porsche Panamera 4S
Click here for options, dealer invoice prices and factory incentives
Specifications
Competitors
Crash test results
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