Guys from Porche are visionaries. Go ahead and laugh! You probably forgot about 989 model almost reaching production at the doorstep of 90’s, which was around 15 years before Mercedes created four-door coupe segment with CLS. On the other hand, to be honest, we actually waited way too much till 2009 to witness its materialization in Panamera, which was impolitely long. Anyway, we all loved or hated Porsche, on the subject of overfeeding 911 and adding extra doors, while side depended on the amount of your conservativeness. Let’s put this to side as the new generation was welcomed this year, and we’ll review what 2017 Porche Panamera Turbo has to offer.
STYLING
It was extremely polarizing from the beginning. For some it was revolutionary and extraordinary, for others it was “bloated fish,” while “back side was shared with certain part of monkey’s body” and so on…
The dispute between Porsche enthusiasts has just been tamed as new one went on a rigorous diet and it is turned from Sumo wrestler to photo model. Changes on the front are at first glance hardly recognizable but are participating vastly in a sleeker design, and the troublesome rear end looks quite seductive now. It just hits the right spot for the majority now.
CABIN
The cabin was extremely luxurious from the beginning, and nobody argued about that, and same goes for refinement which was nothing short of breathtaking. But styling again stepped in and inspired some heated arguments.
Some adored center console pack with buttons, some argued that it was confusing and outdated. Again new model ends all discussions, by going for full digitalisation leaving a clean and ultra modern impression. Everything is touch sensitive except climate control knobs, which is commendable.
Positioned at the center of the dashboard there is the large and incredibly stylish 12.3-inch touch display as infotainment thing and the story about screens don’t end up there because another one seats behind the wheel in the form of the digital cockpit. Sleeker exterior design hasn’t compromised space inside, it is even more spacious due to the extra inches added to width and length.
VULCANO
Is positioned under the hood, that is the simplest way to describe powerplants we are getting. New generation broke up with naturally aspired engines, and the old 4.8-liter unit from Turbo version received a replacement with 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 powerplant that pumps 550 hp and 600+ hp in Turbo S version.
Figures are staggering, and with the Sport Chrono Package, it reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in just 3.6 seconds, and 200 km/h in 12.7 seconds, while incredible 770 Nm of torque looks enough to create wormhole on the road. Maximum torque is available between 1,960 and 4,500 rpm making it always at hand.
RIDE
You just have everything. You want it to float, it can, you want it to brake lap record, it can. It can proudly connect two most separate parts of the equation, yours is just to select preferred mode. If you are feeling sporty, there is no other sedan, which can even remotely compare to this, while reaching almost 5 meters of length.
The maximum possibility of preserving Carrera driving heritage with this proportions is achieved, and if Sport+ is engaged, you’ll think that you are sitting in sports car coupe, rather than Merc’s S-Class size sedan. Everything is made possible, among else, also by new 8-speed PDK gearbox, which cannot be characterized as something, because it can be everything. From extra smooth, Rolls-like changes, to blistering fast ones in pair with any decent sports car, it just covers every preference.
CONCLUSION
2017 Porsche Panamera Turbo has a price tag of $150,000, so Merc’s CLS can’t compete with that, as it is half the price of regular Panamera, let alone this beast. It is in relatively similar price area of legends as S-Class, BMW 7 and Jaguar XJ, but this is a different kind of thrill. It will offer the same amount of luxury, but the coupe-like body and driving joy are from out of space compared to them. Only real contender would be Aston Martin Rapide, but with new Panamera ii doesn’t look so exclusively sleek anymore, does it?
