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June 7, 2010
The other console-mounted button that gives Panamera drivers control over the fun factor is the one simply labelled “Sport”. Hitting this one tells the PDK that you want it to hold on to lower gears longer and that it should downshift more readily when prodded. The throttle response is also sharpened for an overall heightened sense of eagerness. I always had that button pressed.
 2010 Porsche Panamera S. Click image to enlarge |
And despite my selection of the least fuel-efficient drive modes, I still managed to net about 15 L/100 km in city driving. That’s not great by most standards, and falls short of the car’s official ratings of 12.9/8.3 city/highway numbers, but given the vehicle type and my driving style when piloting such a machine, I can tell you that I was pleasantly surprised by this. Its consumption easily bettered the Taurus SHO and Acura ZDX that I recently drove, and with plenty more performance on tap.
The only thing that surprised me about the Panamera’s driving dynamics is that it doesn’t seem to hide its size from behind the wheel. I can honestly say that when I get into a Cayenne and start to drive it aggressively, it feels like it shaves off a few hundred pounds as things get exciting. Not so with the Panamera which always feels at least as substantial as its curb weight suggests.
All Panameras come with an automatic start-stop function which shuts the engine off when the car comes to a stop and then re-starts it when the driver releases the brake pedal. Thankfully the function is off by default and needs to be turned on each trip if the driver wants to take advantage of it. If you’re expecting hybrid-smooth start-ups, you’ll be disappointed. In reality it’s a bit of a clumsy system that requires a bit of forethought to avoid an awkward delay followed by an embarrassing lurch when the light turns green. No doubt this helps the Panamera’s city fuel consumption ratings, but in practice it’s a bit of a novel gimmick and not in keeping with the character of the car.
 2010 Porsche Panamera S. Click image to enlarge |
You might be a wee bit sceptical about the level of comfort in the Porsche’s back seat. If so, you’re in for a treat. Even though there are only four seating positions, the Panamera treats all with first-class accommodations. The rear buckets are every bit as roomy, comfortable, and supportive as the fronts, to the extent that if I had to be a rear-seat passenger on a cross-country trip, my ride of choice would be a Panamera; or a Lexus LS 600h L: one or the other.
No car is perfect, even at more than 130 large. The biggest thing for me is the lack of rear visibility, and I would consider the $1,710 park assist with camera option to be a must. Minor niggles made an appearance as well in the form of an annoying whistle from the HVAC system and a key fob that consistently required about five pushes of a button to get all of the doors unlocked.
But Porsche now has a model lineup that gives its customers very few reasons to look elsewhere. The Panamera is a welcome addition and succeeds in its role as a luxury GT for four of the first order.
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Pricing: 2010 Porsche Panamera S
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Crash test results
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