Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel
FIRST DRIVE Crushing acceleration and decent economy make this the pick of new saloon’s range
PORSCHE launched its original Panamera in the middle of a global recession. Despite that, it notched up more than 150,000 sales worldwide.
For this second generation, the fourdoor saloon has been given a complete overhaul with an all-new platform, fresh engines and totally revised styling. Often criticised for its awkward lines, the latest version looks more like a stretched 911 than ever – and all the better for it.
We’ve already driven the new Panamera in Turbo form (Issue 1,436), and were blown away by its ability to cover ground at mindboggling speed in complete comfort. We acclaimed its high-speed stability, hailing it as “effortless at 170mph as other cars are at 70mph”. But how does the slightly more modest 4S Diesel model compare?
As with all the engines in the latest Panamera, the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 diesel is new. It serves up 416bhp, but more importantly, a massive 850Nm of torque from just 1,000rpm – barely any more than tickover. The result is crushing acceleration at any revs and impressive fuel economy. With the new eight-speed PDK dual clutch auto’s launch control feature as part of the £1,344 Sport Chrono Pack, the 4S Diesel hits 62mph in just 4.3 seconds.
All that torque means there’s massive mid-range muscle, though. So you can cruise along effortlessly, with just a faint hum of V8 diesel burble in the cabin.
The Panamera’s relaxed gait stems from its supple ride. Even on 19-inch wheels it floats over rolling roads – you can feel wheel movement and the occasional thump over sharper bumps, but it’s never uncomfortable. It offers plenty of compliance and is probably the best-riding Porsche ever – but this isn’t at the expense of handling. This stronger connection to the road is down to the brilliant body control. The rigid aluminium shell is based on the VW Group’s MSB platform, so we’ll see more of this tech in the future. And on the basis of this encounter, the new architecture is extremely capable.
The Panamera corners fairly flat for a big car, but you can tighten the chassis even further by dropping the suspension into Sport or Sport Plus mode. All cars from launch come with air-suspension – which adds adaptive dampers and is an enforced £1,541 option until steel springs arrive – but it means the car is nicely isolated on the motorway, and taut and composed on twistier tarmac.
The steering doesn’t have a lot of feel, but it’s nicely weighted, and with the optional £1,478 rear-wheel steering it gives the Panamera surprising agility. It’s especially noticeable through direction changes, but there’s rock-solid stability at motorway
“The Panamera is probably the best-riding Porsche ever, but this isn’t at the expense of the handling”
speeds, too. It also helps the turning circle, so it’s surprisingly manoeuvrable given the new Panamera is more than five metres long.
It’s only a four-seater, but despite the even lower roofline, rear headroom is respectable. There’s also masses of legroom, while the 495-litre boot capacity rises to 1,304 litres when you fold the 40:20:40 split rear seats.
With claimed efficiency of 42.1mpg, the Panamera can cover more than 600 miles per tank – meaning the most powerful diesel Porsche ever is also an incredibly usable one.
There’s a pair of twin seven-inch screens in place of the dials as part of Porsche’s Advanced Cockpit, which can be configured to show pretty much whatever data you want, but the central analogue rev counter remains, which is a nice nod to the brand’s sporting heritage. It’s an exquisite cabin that’s crammed full of tech. The previous Panamera’s transmission tunnel was littered with buttons, but there are now fewer switches – and they’re all touch-sensitive.