ROARING REBOOT
First time around, the Panamera was flawed. But, writes JON WALL, with the second-generation 4S, Porsche’s flashy four-door has finally achieved greatness
Porsche Panamera 4S
WHEN YOU HEAR the word “Porsche”, what comes to mind? For me, there’d be a succession of images: the 911, considered by many to be the greatest sports car ever, and the mighty 917 – as much offensive weapon as racing car – with which the company annihilated the opposition at Le Mans and in the Can-Am series in the early 1970s. I’d think of the nimble Cayman GT4, too, the sports coupe that comes so close to perfection it’s nigh on impossible to fault, as well as the 550 Spyder of the mid-’50s, an exquisite little lightweight racer that achieved a tragic notoriety as the car in which actor James Dean lost his life.
For others, I suspect the name would conjure up very different notions, as nowadays – and especially in Asia – Porsche is regarded as a maker less of sports cars than prestigious luxury automobiles. This huge upheaval in perception is borne out in the company’s own figures, for in 2016 the two-door coupes and convertibles that were once its bread and butter made up less than 25 percent of the almost 238,000 cars delivered to customers. Macan and Cayenne SUVs accounted for the vast majority of sales, a proportion that’s especially staggering when you consider that the German carmaker only began selling vehicles with four doors less than 15 years ago.
That the Panamera – Porsche’s contender in the luxury executive segment, the first generation of which was introduced in 2009 – didn’t sell in anything like the quantities of the two SUVs is less a reflection of the car’s abilities than the fact that an entirely new model went on sale late last year. Indeed, though flawed, the original Pana verged on the exceptional in several areas and – in spite of being compromised by a rear end for which the description “misbegotten” errs on the side of politeness (it’s said that the odd, humpbacked appearance derived from the then-company chairman’s insistence he’d be able to sit in the back without stooping) – set down an ambitious marker for the future. We may have been a niche sports car manufacturer in the past, went the message, but now you must take us seriously as a luxury brand.
Not getting exterior aesthetics right first time does seem to be a corporate trope, however, for just as the stylists struggled in their efforts to beautify the Cayenne – it started life looking frankly weird, even as it set new dynamic standards for an SUV – it also took them seven long years to knock the Panamera into shape. Fortunately, this time around they’ve pretty much nailed it – in fact, they’ve done it so effectively you can’t help thinking that this new model is surely the car Porsche always wanted it to be.
The second-gen Panamera is not only bigger and way more handsome than its predecessor – the idea from the outset was that it would resemble a scaled-up, four-door 911, a box that can now be confidently ticked – but it’s also new in every meaningful respect, whether it’s the shared VW Group platform on which it’s based, the widespread use of aluminium and highstrength steels in its construction, or the smaller, lighter yet more powerful and fuel-efficient V6 engines. I’m lucky to have secured the use of a Panamera 4S for a couple of days, and though the twin-turbo, six-cylinder motor of this 2-tonne machine displaces a mere 2.9 litres, it nonetheless summons to my right foot the muscle of 434 horses, not to mention an equally vigorous 550Nm of torque at 1,750-5,500rpm. As that potent punch is delivered to all four wheels via an eight-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox and a newly developed 4D-Chassis Control system, the portents certainly look promising.
To succeed, though, the new Panamera needs more than just power. It must also convince against stiff competition that includes the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 series, each of whose interpretation of refinement, luxury and ability has come to define this key and lucrative segment. And that means a cabin that’s as eye-catching, seductive and comfortable as the two market leaders’.
Ramping up the allure (and, in doing so, boldly distancing itself from the competition), the Pana’s interior is sleek and airy, with a pair of contour-hugging chairs at the front separated by a broad central console that gleams with a glassy sheen – and where traditional switchgear is almost completely replaced by rows of touch-sensitive buttons. The dashboard comprises a vast central hi-res touchscreen, with twin
subsidiary TFT panels flanking a main dial that combines an analogue rev counter with a digital speedo. Drawing on Porsche’s sporting credentials, it feels more elegant grand tourer than executive express, an impression that’s heightened by the low-slung driving position, yet the execution is utterly modern and it’s all rather gorgeous.
Unlike the average GT, there’s plenty of room in the back (sufficient, even, for our lanky Aussie lensman) and, once on the move, the ride is fluid and supple – and especially so with the dynamic settings for the newly designed suspension switched to Comfort. The impression of enormous refinement is complemented by the drivetrain, which in cruising mode is smooth and relaxed, the transmission slipping from gear to gear undetectably, the engine note silken and unobtrusive.
Optioned with the Sport Chrono Package, the 4S gets a helmmounted switch to alter engine, transmission and chassis settings, additional display graphics and a stopwatch-cum-clock above the centre of the dash. Flip the switch to Sport or the more aggressive Sport Plus – or jab the Sport Response button, which delivers a brief, rocketlike burst of acceleration that’s especially handy when overtaking – and the transformation is startling.
While the Panamera does luxury cruiser with great aplomb, those who feared the company had gone soft need worry not: at its heart, this car is every bit a Porsche – meaning
it’s seriously, gloriously fast. Floor the loud pedal and you’ll hit 100km/h in just 4.2 seconds; find a convenient stretch of autobahn, or perhaps an empty airfield runway, and you’ll eventually reach a maximum speed slightly short of 290. You could spend considerably more money on a V8 for your Pana, but I can think of no sound reason for doing so because this V6 is superb: tuneful, flexible and fabulously responsive, it commands easily enough power for just about any conceivable situation.
The chassis is similarly estimable, with the 4D control system overseeing a complex suite of electronic technologies that includes the familiar Porsche Active Suspension Management (which here gets a new Sport mode), as well as optional rear-axle steering. I could write several pages about how these work (were I able fully to understand them); suffice to say that the Panamera handles like a genuine sports car – a big sports car, but a sports car nonetheless – poised and predictable, with massive, sure-footed grip from its P Zero tyres, and deliciously accurate, pointy steering. As I did, you’ll probably play with the settings before falling back on Comfort as your default, for even on this softest mode the handling is hard to faze – and few cars can waft so luxuriously.
There is one problem, however. After two days with the 4S, I’m so flabbergasted as to how good it is that no matter how hard I try to think of something I don’t like about it – OK, I’m not wild about the test car’s exterior colour – I can’t. So let’s stick with plaudits. Versatile, accomplished, comfortable, swift and desirable, the Panamera possesses such style and sophistication that it poses a credible threat not just to Es and 5s, but even to the S-Class and 7 series. In short, I’d say it could be everything you’d ever want in an automobile.
So that when next I hear the “P” word, perhaps this big, fast fourdoor is what springs to mind first.