Over the years, the Panamera developed somewhat of a stigma which found that the only good looking Panamera, was one you couldn't see. Well known for being the very ugly duckling, there was no saving its ass from insult. A pity really, because the 4 door Porsche has always been a performer of galactic proportions and stellar interior ambience. The critics claimed it was trying to copy too much from the iconic 911 form – but it didn't really, it just looked like a broken 911 with too many doors. They only borrowed enough to make it the lonely cousin.
It seems however that this time 'round the design team said, bugger it, let's use a lot more 911 – cos the 911 works. So, does it work for the new Panamera? Hells yes it does. I never thought I'd say it, the Panamera is beautiful. Cheque, please!
So what have they changed? Well, it's almost the same proportions of the former but they've re-fondled some shapes. The windscreen is steeper, and they've added some wheelbase. The line of the roof has dropped significantly too. 911 style side windows, skinny tail lights, next-gen LED headlights and different sporty exhausts per model variant. All in all, the frumpy 4-door of old now looks like it's been on a lean diet, gone to dancing lessons and become a trendsetter.
The design mob have really done a good job – whilst making a leaner design, rear cabin space isn't compromised and the boot is even bigger than before. At the front, though; oh boy, you're in for a treat. The Panamera was always known for it's luxurious and functional interior but this new design is off the hook. No more big buttons but touch surface integration and only some switches. The new 12.3" screen interface has taken over a lot of the chores and the driver information setup gets you two 7" displays either side of the tachometer.
The variants
The 4S: 440hp twin turbo 3.0ltr V6. The 4S Diesel: 420hp twin turbo 4.0ltr V8. The Turbo: 550hp twin turbo 4.0ltr V8. Each model has a ZF eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission. No more manual, bye-bye.
Later additions:
An entry level model will come after with a 3.0ltr V6 single turbo and furthermore a 3.0ltr V6 diesel and a V6 hybrid. A Turbo S model will join the crew whipping its tail out with 600hp.
Further adornments will include adaptive cruise control, night vision, stop-start function and smart connectivity. The Sport Chrono package is the nice one, featuring a steering wheel switch to make the chassis more aggressive – the centre air vents can be cut off which make the cup holder bottoms raise to become flush with the surface... and you get a funky centre clock too, just to be retro.
Tech specs can be viewed on the Porsche website link below, and they're pretty great. The new Panamera looks set to be a real winner and has finally turned into a swan.
Porsche Panamera Overview - Porsche Australia
Select your Panamera and check out the specifications
