Porsche Panamera Reviews

Australia hasn't had what you'd call a love affair with the Porsche Panamera. Not compared to the on-going romance with its iconic sibling, the 911 and even its SUV stablemates. So, will the redesign of this sedan launch an arrow from Cupid's bow for Australian families?

Not often in the spotlight, the Panamera sedan and wagon line-up allows Porsche to compete in the 'executive' space, and recent upgrades have made an already impressive package even better.

The Panamera is Porsche's large luxury sedan, that's actually a liftback. The Panamera GTS crosses the divide between comfort and performance. And the Panamera GTS Sport Turismo adds the flexibility of a wagon. How does the combination stack up?

Meet Porsche's first all-out attempt to build a humble station wagon. Wait, did I say humble? Not with this sort of power and this sort of price tag...

Porsche's drive towards electrification continues, and the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid represents an interesting fast GT/luxury-limo mash-up that stands apart from the usual suspects.

Stephen Corby road tests and reviews the 2017 Porsche Panamera with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at its international launch in Germany.

How does the Audi A7 Sportback fare against the multi-door luxury coupe Porsche Panamera and the Mercedes CLS?Audi A7 Sportback 3.0 TDIPrice: from $135,750Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel; 180kW/580NmTransmission: 8-speed auto, AWDThirst: 5.9L/100km; 156g/km CO2Porsche Panamera SPrice: from $287,100Engine: 4.8-litre V8 petrol; 294kW/500NmTransmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto, RWDThirst: 10.5L/100km; 247g/km CO2Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 CDIPrice: from $159,200Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel; 195kW/620NmTransmission: 7-speed auto, RWDThirst: 6.2L/100km; 163g/km CO2

Sports cars made the Porsche name, but what made its fortune was an SUV and a sedan. The Cayenne offroader and the Panamera ‘family car’ have been two of the best decisions the brand has made. And they’ve kept remaking them with a continuing roll-out of variations. So, following in the trail of the five Panamera variants already here, and the diesel arriving in August, comes the hybrid version. Or two.VALUEYou can knock $5300 off the $298,300 price by shelling out a mere $290 for the set of low rolling-resistance tyres that drop fuel consumption to 6.8L/100km -- bringing it in under the Luxury Car Tax 7L/100km discount barrier for a final price of $292,927.But with the standard wheels and tyres, the car’s economy is still claimed to be a low 7.1L/100km – so if you want to show green cred but not give up speed or luxury, it’s just as viable.For that you also get a stack of luxury equipment, including the touchscreen ‘comms’ and Bose audio system, adaptive air suspension that adjusts ride firmness and height, dynamic cornering lights, bits of leather, 14-way power-adjustable heated front seats and two-zone climate-control airconditioning. But no spare tyre – there’s a sealant kit instead.TECHNOLOGYThe drivetrain is from the Cayenne S Hybrid: a 245kW/440Nm 3.0-litre petrol V6 supported by a 34kW/300Nm electric motor connected to a nickel metal hydride (NiMh) battery that stores energy captured while braking.It’s the first Panamera to get the Cayenne’s 8-speed sequential auto, with gearchanges adapted to better suit hybrid driving and the top two gears set for reduced revs to help economy.The fuel-saving story also includes a stop-start system and the separating clutch that at speeds up to 165km/h disengages the engine when you lift off the accelerator, allowing you to ‘sail’ (as Porsche calls it) without drawing on the fuel tank.It gives an electric-only range of 2km on flat ground – not a great distance, but enough to make for a guilt-free run to the corner shop, thumbing your nose at cyclists and walkers along the way.But the Panamera still has Porsche bloodlines under its greenish skin, so there are performance tricks like the boost mode triggered by accelerator kickdown, which combines the engine and electric motor’s outputs and delivers a total 279kW and 580Nm for a brief few seconds. And it’s no slouch at 6.0 seconds for 0-100km/h, with a top speed 270 km/h.To bring the go back to whoa, there’s a dual-circuit brake system with separate circuits for each axle, with six-piston anchors at the front and four-piston at the rear.DESIGNThe Aston Martin Rapide and Maserati Quattroporte both succeeded in adding a couple of doors to a largely coupe design, and coming out stunners. Panamera… not so much. Its bulbous butt looks awkward attached to what is essentially a 911-themed nose. But it’s form following function: in the Panamera’s back seat you get usable space and comfort for two adults. In the Brit and Italian you get leg cramps.SAFETYIt hasn’t been crash-tested yet, but with a strong body and arsenal of safety features, it should rate the full five stars.DRIVINGWith our initial drive an economy challenge on the ‘green’ tyres, running the Panamera on the electric side was surprisingly pleasant. The changes as it switches from engine to battery are barely perceptible – although you notice when it changes back again – and the sailing mode is nearly seamless. Unless you have the ‘E-power’ mode activated to suppress the swap to engine, it tends to flick over there on the slightest accelerator input.On an economy run, we managed to hit 6.9L/100km at one stage, and bring it in at 7.1L at the end of 90km. So the claimed fuel figures are achievable, but only if you keep constant watch on the instrument panel – and nobody wants to drive like that. Or at least, not in a Panamera.The ride is firmer than you’d expect for a luxury sedan, but that isn’t helped by the low rolling-resistance tyres, which clatter over patchy bitumen.But while you’re not going to push the car to track limits on that kind of rubber, they perform better than expected, holding on well enough for mildly enthusiastic driving even on a damp road.What works against their fuel-saving is that the Panamera is so smooth that it’s too easy to have the speed creep up without you noticing – which could be a danger to your wallet in other ways too.

You'd nearly have to be a trainspotter to pick the differences between the new Porsche Panamera V6 and its V8 sibling. At least from a distance.But if you look closely, the black brake calipers might give it away – the V8 has yellow calipers – or the two single exhaust tips where the eight has doubles. There is a different wheel design and a bit of black edging on the side window trims. And that’s about it.But it’s a clear giveaway that there are two less cylinders under the bonnet when you hear the engine, which is a wide-angled V6 developed independently by Porsche rather than being sourced from parent brand Volkswagen like the six in the Cayenne SUV. Incorporating lighter component materials such as aluminium and magnesium, the aim of the engine is to give enough power to satisfy while still trimming weight and fuel economy.MechanicalWhat you get is a 3.6-litre V6 mated to a seven-speed PDK (Porsche for twin-clutch, slick autoshifter with paddles on the steering wheel) driving either the rear wheels or all four. The engine develops 220kW at 6200rpm (peak is 6700) and 400NM of torque at 3750rpm, with the torque curve flattens out from about 2500rpm up to 5000rpm to give great mid-range response.Those totals are 74kW and 100Nm less than the 4.8-litre V8, but – helped by stop-start technology that temporarily cuts the engine when you halt – it’s also 2.8 litres more economical at 9.3L/100km, and with similar exhaust payoff at 218g/km compared to the eight’s 293g/km.Naturally, there’s also about 20 per cent difference in 0-100km/h performance, with the eight ahead at 5.6secs over the V6’s 6.3secs.But it carries just about everything else that’s important. The PDK will come as standard, as will the PASM active and changeable suspension damping system, and the raft of traction, stability and braking controls.PricingAs the new entry levels – making the Panamera a five-model range – the two-wheel drive starts from $193,000 and the all-wheel drive from $204,000. They slot in under the Panamera S at $270,000, the 4S at $282,000 and the Turbo at $364,000.Porsche Australia is currently selling around 12 per month, and expect the V6 models to boost that figure considerably, possibly growing to double. “We’ve already had strong inquiry,” spokesman Paul Ellis says. “We think the V6 will be more than 20 per cent – we hope it will be higher… maybe up to half.”Fit-out and equipmentApart from the two extra cylinders – and the extra power and performance that come with them – you don’t miss out on much by going for the ‘entry level’ Panamera rather than the V8.Strike out the tyre pressure monitoring system, bi-xenon headlights, heated front seats, and settle for steel suspension rather than the standard air set-up on the way for the big brother, and for eight-way seat adjustment rather than 14-way – and that’s pretty much the lot.There’s the same snug leathered cockpit with a centre stack that seems to be encrusted with gadget controls – thankfully intuitive – electric everything, and reasonable room in the back for two adults. Perhaps smallish ones, granted. But it’s a true back seat rather than a parcel rack kitted out with seat-belts.DrivingUnless you measure your life in split seconds ahead of everybody else at the traffic lights, the difference in performance between the V6 and the V8 is not going to matter a great deal.The new arrival is still quick, eager and strong all the way. More than enough for most people, and more than enough for most of it to remain untapped on Australian roads anyway. Those who think there’s no substitution for capacity might be surprised.And helped by being a bit lighter – and by being more centred with the V6 weight further back in the engine bay than the bigger eight, giving a front: rear ratio of 52:48 – the new car seems more nimble, more sprightly.The steering is sharp but feels oddly a little too light around town, however it weights up meatily once you start to hit higher speeds. And the all-wheel drive we tested held its ground through a series of curving little hill roads.Switching the suspension over the Active Sports put more steel into everything, with the gears holding out longer and the dampers getting tenser ... perhaps a little too tense over some cracked and crumbled town streets.But there's little music for the ears unless you really plant your foot, when admittedly the exhaust does surrender a passable snarl. On which note, you have to wonder if potential buyers for this car are really keen on waking up the street in any case.But those who want to feed their inner hoon will be delighted to know there's a sound-boosting exhaust option on the way next year, that promises to lift the decibels nearer to unsociable levels.In some ways that would spoil the car. Like the V8, it's a luxurious and comfortable grand cruiser. And we think we might just prefer it to the bigger bruiser. Unless you really want to spend that extra $70,000-odd, you’d be hard pressed to pass up the six.Porsche V6 Panamera and V6 Panamera 4Price: from $193,000 ($204,000)Body: Four-door sedanSeats: FourEngine: 3.6-litre V6Power: 220kW/6200rpmTorque: 400Nm/3750rpmTransmission: seven-speed PDK double-clutch gearbox, rear or all-wheel drivePerformance: 0-100km/h 6.3s, top speed 259km/hEconomy: 9.3L/km (9.6 Pan 4)Emissions: 218g/km