SPANKING THE PANAMERA AROUND SEPANG
mere positioning and tangible, quantifiable reality.
A healthy dose of quantifiable reality was exactly what selected members of regional media received via a recent staging of the Porsche Media Driving Academy, set at the pristine 5.5- kilometer, Formula 1 venue that is the Sepang International Circuit in Selangor, Malaysia.
On the menu is a succulent array of Porsche pocket rockets ready to be pushed and prodded — ranging from the sprightly midengine 718 Boxster, to 911s, and, of course, the all-new Panamera. While there is plenty of hype and talk surrounding Porsche’s luxury four-door saloon, whose second generation was first unveiled last year in Berlin, the proof of its vaunted attributes such as muscularity and sports car prowess were yet to be experienced on the track, at least by the motoring media in the region.
During a short briefing before we were ushered off to a day’s worth of hands- on experience, Porsche Asia Pacific PR executive James Wong averred that classical sports car tenets have been bestowed on the Panamera, and that designers have “infused more Porsche elements into its DNA.”
Mr. Wong said designers have optimized and improved the Panamera chassis — optically reducing its height into a wider, sportier profile. Crucially, even during nighttime, the car stays true to its Porsche look via strategic lighting of its rear fascia. “Many cars lose