“Where the Porsche comes good is in the everyday”
but realistically you’ll get low thirties. Still, that represents a massive saving in fuel and tax over the 22.1mpg, 257g/km CO Mercedes 2 (which admittedly will do its claimed numbers all day long). We’re led to believe there will be a hybrid version of that in time, too, though.
The Panamera also benefits from the nicer interior of the two – in terms of quality, if not design. Though Merc has given the dashboard more rake and raised the centre console so you feel like you’re sitting in the car rather than on it, the GT still feels a bit too E-Class. It looks great, plusher and less businesslike than the Porsche, but in parts the quality of the centre console (everything else is spot on) is closer to that of a £50k car than a £150k one.
Those ‘buttons’ on the centre console, meanwhile, really ought to be actual buttons rather than displays, and getting rid of the infotainment’s rotary controller in favour of a touchpad is a step in the wrong direction. Say what you like about the Panamera’s gimmicky electric air vents, but it feels very well made inside, and the touchscreen infotainment is among the very best of its kind.
Unlike the rest of the car. The Panamera is very impressive technically, but this is not the one to go for. The added complication and weight of the hybrid system make for an ultimately less satisfying, less good car than a regular Panamera Turbo. But even so, while it’s not quite as high-quality an item as the Porsche (nor quite as aspirational a badge), the GT’s benefits more than outweigh its shortcomings. It’s a more engaging thing to drive thanks to its lighter weight, better steering and charismatic engine. As for looks – the entire population of Barnard Castle can’t be wrong.