The new Porsche Panamera is neither sports car nor luxury sedan, but in a class of its own
Powerful engine, refined handling, the new Porsche Panamera is neither sports car nor luxury sedan, but in a class of its own
FASTER THAN A SALOON in a single bound, shaped like a luxury sports car, is it a sedan? Is it a race car? It’s the Porsche Panamera. With the look and performance of a Porsche we have all come to aspire to, but with four doors and a trunk for golf clubs, the Panamera makes its case as a daily driver.
Combining impressive performance with superior comfort, the Porsche Panamera is further enhanced and redesigned. The popular four-door luxury saloon has been revamped, featuring sportier appearance, chassis and control systems.
With a practicality that doesn’t tarnish its sporting character, this is likely the most sensible performance vehicle you could invest in, even if you were a middle-aged gentleman looking to stave off a mid-life crisis. If you are a virile young man, then the agility, feel and handling characteristics of the Panamera will simply make you that responsible good friend everyone counts on for a lift home after an epic night out. Both the new Panamera and Panamera 4 Executive are now built with the familiar 2.9-litre V6 biturbo engine and continue to offer 243kW (330PS) and 450Nm in power and torque respectively.
The new Porsche Panamera is more fun to drive than most other cars its size or genre ‒ think the Mercedes CLS, Audi A7 and BMW 8 Series Gran Coup. It may pack rear seats like a sedan, but going down South Buona Vista road, a picturesque boulevard flanked by forest edges with the nickname “99 bends” for its hair-pin bends, the Panamera is amazingly nimble while assisted power steering makes it easy to judge exactly how much grip you have. Feedback is remarkably tactile considering that modern automobiles tend to take a lot of the driving experience away.
Rear-wheel drive and powered by a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, adjustable suspension helps make the most of that grip. A car’s suspension system is designed partly to give passengers a comfortable ride, but mostly to make sure that all four wheels stay in contact with the road when they need to.
Physics dictates that a car often won’t stay perfectly upright when cornering, and the
angle of lean is usually greater in tall, softlysprung cars. If a car leans only slightly in a bend, the suspension is controlling the body well. In its sportiest setting, body lean when the Panamera corners is all but eliminated. The revamped Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system results in a noticeable improvement in damping comfort as well, while the control of the electric roll stabilisation system Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport) ensures improved body stability. A new generation of steering control system and new tyres ensure improved lateral dynamics and greater precision. Change the drive mode and the Porsche Panamera’s suspensions can also be softened to take the edge off bumpy roads.
For 2021, Porsche has given the Panamera subtly refreshed styling, incorporating the previously optional SportDesign front fascia as standard across the lineup, featuring striking air intake grilles, large side cooling openings and a single-bar front light module. A tighter rear is matched with an LED strip that runs edge to edge of the vehicle. The revamped light strip at the rear now runs seamlessly over the luggage compartment lid with an adapted contour, thus providing a continuous and flowing connection between the two newly designed LED tail light clusters, while a new diffuser between the car’s dual exhaust outlets matches the aggressive new stance seen at
the head of the automobile.
Inside, all Panameras have received an updated steering wheel design with integrated shift paddles while offering drivers with an extensive range of innovative light and assistance systems. Lane Keeping Assist with road sign recognition now comes standard, as well as Night Vision Assist, Lane Change Assist, LED matrix headlights including PDLS Plus, Park Assist including Surround View and head-up display. Around tight parking spaces like NEX in Serangoon, a whole suite of driver assistance intelligence helps navigating tight corners and blind spots. Beauty and brains, the new Porsche Panamera is the ultimate dream ride for anyone.