mmarshall

By non-CL member request, a Review of the 2010 Porsche Panamera.

http://www.porsche.com/usa/models/panamera/

In a Nutshell: A great GT/Tourer......this is sure not James Dean's Porsche.























This review was requested by a close friend and former co-worker of mine (who could probably afford a new Panamera if he really wanted one), but, of course, as always, I'll post it on CL for you guys as well. Even with some test-drives, though, it's also been a while since I did a formal review of a new Porsche (the last formal write-up one was a Boxster a few years ago), so I figured it's about time. The Boxster's complete lack of a engine hood (with only extended-length dipsticks for engine access) really annoyed me, so it was nice to see the Panamera with a normal front-engine hood (and a rather roomy one that, especially with the V6)........but more on that later.

The Panamera, of course, like the Cayenne SUV that preceeded it, is another step away from the usual Porsche practice of doing only 2-seat sports cars. Porsche figured (correctly, IMO), that there is a market for a 4-door, extended-wheelbase model with a real and usable back seat, and one that, expensive as it is, would still undercut the competing 4-door Aston Martin Rapide in price (there was an Aston dealer right across the street from the Porsche shop I was at, where I could maybe (?) have looked at a Rapide, but I didn't want to take time away from the review-requested Panamera).

The Panamera appears to be marketed, not only as a back-seat, 4-door door model that will seat 4 people in comfort (the full-length console prevents seating 5) but also one of the most luxurious Porsche interiors and fit/finish to date. This is arguably the first Porsche I've seen with interior fit/finish in the Audi/Lexus league...but more on that later. It seems to be more of a luxury GT/Tourer than a hard-edged, track-oriented Porsche like th GT2/GT3, 911 Turbo, or Carrera GT. This is a Porsche you can impress your Friday night date on looks alone....without the need for a winding, twisty road or a race track. Of course, being a Porsche, it can still hold its own on a true sports-car road (Dr. Ferdinand wouldn't have it any other way).......but, again, more on that later.

For the American market, the Panamera comes in several different versions, although Porsche's American-market website doesn't agree with its own brochure. The website lists 5 different models....Base Panamera, 4, S, 4S, and Turbo. The brochure, however (it's actually a nice thick 160-page booklet) lists only the S, 4S, and Turbo. But I know that the 4 is sold in the American market, though, because I actually saw one. The base Panameras and Panamera 4 get a 3.6L V6 of 300 HP and 295 ft-lbs. of torque. S and 4S models get a naturally-aspirated 4.8L V8 with 400 HP and 369 ft-lbs. of torque. Turbo models get a turbo 4.8L V8 with 500 HP and 516 ft-lbs. of torque (568 ft-lbs. with the Sport Chrono Package). Base and S models have RWD; 4, 4S, and Turbo models AWD. There appears to be no traditional 3-pedal manual transmission for the American market (strange, in a Porsche)...all models get a 7-speed auto-manual transmission with SportShift, called Porsche Doppelkupplung (don't ask me how to pronounce it).

Panamera prices run across a big range of territory, with base models starting at $74,400, and top-line Turbo models at $135,300 (and, of course, running a lot more than that with options/packages). So, of course, it goes without saying that you don't just walk into a Porsche shop and take one home at Hyundai or Kia prices. And, when it comes time for non-warranty parts/service/repairs, it's also time to open your wallets up wide. With Porsche, you pay to play. And, to top it off, in the past, Porsche shops have had a reputation for snooty, aristocratic sales and service people and didn't always treat their customers and prospective buyers well. Fortunately, that's changing.....while a little of that still remains, Porsche dealer personnel today are generally much friendlier now than in the past...at least judging from the relatively few times I've seen them recently at dealerships and auto shows. The Panamera, of course, being a new model this year, has little to go on for any idea of how its potential reliability might stack up. Other recent Porsche models, according to Consumer Reports, have varied quite a bit in reliability, from well-below-average to well-above. The Panamera's basic platform, being front engine and RWD or AWD, is not shared with any other U.S. market Porsche, though, in some respects, it is closer in execution to the front-engine Cayenne than to the other rear or mid-engine Porsches.

I arrived at the Porsche shop late this morning, after Sunday-morning services at my church, and there was a row of about 4 or 5 Panameras there, waiting to go. The Porsche salesman, to my surprise, said "Pick out any one of them.....you can go out alone if you want" (these are expensive cars, after all, and sometimes dealer and insurance regulations require someone from the dealership to ride along). So, right on the end of the row, was a beautiful white Turbo model that listed for 155K. Normally, I would have jumped at the chance to drive something in this class, but this time, for several reasons, I felt a nagging voice saying "No...don't drive the Turbo". It continued to bother my conscience...so I willingly passed it up in favor of a black S RWD model next to it.....still no cheapie at 98K, and with a normally-aspirated 400 Hp V8. Well, that turned out to be a VERY wise move.....I'll explain later.

And the S model, on its own, turned out to be quite a car, too. Details coming up.




Model Reviewed: 2010 Porsche Panamera S RWD

Base Price: $89,800


Options:

14-Way Seats: $1705

19" Turbo Wheels: $1560

Heated Steering Wheel: $210

Bose Surround-Sound System: $1440

XM Satellite Radio: $750

Wheel Caps With Colored Crest: $185

Front Seat Ventilation System: $800

Bluetooth Phone Interface: $695

Floor Mats: $150

UniversalAudio Interface: $440


Destination/Freight: $975 (substantially more than average)

List Price as reviewed: $98,710


Drivetrain: RWD, Longitudionally-mounted 4.8L V8, 400 HP @ 6500 RPM, Torque 369 ft-lbs. @ 3500-5500 RPM,
7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung automanual transmission with SportShift.

EPA Mileage Rating: 16 City, 24 Highway


Exterior Color: Black

Interior: Black Leather




PLUSSES:


Smooth, strong, torquey V8

Smooth, flexible 7-speed automated-manual transmission.

Quick steering reponse (but not as quick as some other Porsches)

Superb ride/handling compromise.

Flat cornering with little body lean.

Smooth, powerful, no-sponge brakes.

Relatively good noise isolation (but not Lexus-quiet).

Relatively roomy underhood, especially with the V6.

Extremely high-tech, strong unibody frame with expensive alloy metals.

Numerous safety features and 10 airbags.

Tank-grade body sheet metal.

Durable exterior hardware/trim.

Excellent paint finish.

Superb, classy paint colors.

Choice of 17 exterior paint colors.

4 different interior wood trims, carbon fiber, or brushed-aluminum.

Real aluminum interior trim, not painted-plastic.

Many different interior leather/full-leather monotone and two/tone patterns.

Audi-grade interior fit/finish.

Typically Porsche clear, easy-to-read gauges.

Full-instrumentation for all engine functions.

Nice fore/aft transmission shifter without the annoying zig-zag.

Good headroom/legroom front and rear, even with sunroof.

4-zone, dual front/rear climate control for each passenger.

Superbly-finished cargo area.





MINUSES:


Drivers' seat cushion/bolsters a little narrow for wide torsos/legs.

Uncomfortable leather-stitching on the steering-wheel rim.

Some versions have only manual tilt/telescope feature for steering column, not power.

Too many closely-grouped console/overhead buttons.

Rear vision OK but not the best.

Too-small, poorly-designed side-mirrors.

Cheap sun visors for an 80-130K car.

Wide but low glove box has limited space.

Fix-a-Flat bottle in the trunk, instead of a spare tire. (Are they serious?)

(Some) traditionally snooty dealerships....fortunately, not this one.

Extemely high cost for non-warranty parts/service.

Few factory sales incentives.

Somewhat confusing website/brochure stats/feature lists.

Unknown potential reliability.






EXTERIOR:

No surprises as you first walk up to the Panamera...it's easily and instantly recognizable as a Porsche, with the front and rear ends being similiar to the Cayman, Carrera coupe, and 911, although, of course, the center section is somewhat elongated to accomodate the 4 doors, and the headlights are a little more swept-back. Still, no question you are looking at a Porsche. Some CL posters have voiced their opinion that the Panamera is ugly. I disagree........like its Aston Martin Rapide competitor, I find the body and styling quite handsome; just what you would expect from a 4-door 911. The exterior hardware and trim, as expected, seemed durable and well-mounted, including the twin-side mirrors, but I thought the small, triangular shape of the mirrors was not well-done. Several different alloy wheels are offered (I thought most of them were handsome), and, on a few models I looked at, had Michelin Plot Sport tires. Porsche doesn't skimp on sheet metal or paint quality...and, of course, they shouldn't, at the Panamera's price. The body sheet metal felt like a tank, and (depending on model), the choice of some 17 classy exterior paint colors was superb, and included one of my all-time favorites...Amythist (Purple) Metallic. The paint finish, in addition, was superb...a longtime Porsche strong-point. On some models, a trunk-mounted spoiler pops up out of a slot to stabilize the car at higher speeds (higher, of course, than what is legal in most of the U.S.). A handsome fender-scallop, just behind each front wheel, strongly reminds one of those on the Ford Mustang (another good-looking car, IMO). All in all, though not quite as sleek-looking as the 911, an excellent styling job, IMO, on the exterior, particularly for a 4-door. And, it was done without putting in too-small, Peek-a-Boo rear windows like on the Volkswagen CC or Mercedes CLS. The doors, however, didn't shut with quite the same thunk that you would have expected from the battle-tank-grade sheet metal, and the hood, while still solid-feeling, seemed to be of a lighter weight.....maybe aluminum.





UNDERHOOD:

Generally well-executed, particularly with the V6. Open up the hood, with its secure and precise-fit, and, of course, nice gas struts hold it up for you (if Porsche had used a cheap prop-rod for this car, I would have walked right off the lot). Most Porsche owners, especially with one in this class, don't do their own underhood work (the Boxster, of course, without a separate hood, won't LET you do aything), but still, it's nice to have a decent layout under the hood that lets you get to many things. The fore-aft, longitudionally-mounted 3.6L V6 fits in especially nice, and, because it's set back towards the center of the car for chassis-balance, there's plenty of room on the front of the block, and a lesser amount on the sides, to reach components. The larger 4.6L V8, of course, fits in a little tighter, but, even then, room to reach things is reasonable. With both engines, of course, you have to put up with large engine-covers that block topside access. I forgot to check for the oil dipstick, but I think that Porsche, like M-B and BMW, uses an automatic oil-sensing system. The other dipsticks, reserviors, and filler caps were all reasonably easy to reach. The battery is in back, under the trunk floor, in typical sports-car practice....more on that later.





INTERIOR:

This is, from what I've seen, the most impressive and plushest Porsche interior ever...which is probably not surprising when you consider the car's role as a sport/luxury GT tourer, rather than a hard-edged, track-ready sports car like some other Porsches. There is surprising headroom, both front and rear, even with the sunroof housing....I'm 6' 2" and had no problems, even with my ever-present baseball cap. Legroom, likewise, was surprisingly good too, especially in back. The wood-trimmed, full-length center console prevents a full-width rear seat, but four large adults can ride in this car in surprisingly roomy conditions. I found little to complain about inside. In most areas, the level of interior trim/equipment is befitting the price, though the steering column's tilt/telescope feature is power-operated only on the upper-line models. I thought there was too many buttons clustered around the shifter and on the front/rear consoles, and overhead on the upper-console, but that just reflects the car's many interior features.....a 747 pilot would feel right at home. The cushion side-bolsters on the standard front seats are OK, but slightly too narrow for not-so-Frugal Fannies like mine, and are not adjustable (they are adjustable on the optional 18-Way Adaptive Sport Seats). The leather stitching on the steering-wheel rim was hard, (I also noticed that on some Acura MDX models). The sun visor material could also be a little nicer for a car in this class. But that's about it for the negatives.....this is a geneally superb interior, with little to complain about.

The aluminum trim on the console, door panels,shift-paddles, and surrounding the wood is real aluminum.....no cheap silver-painted plastic here. The wood trim is real wood....no plastic wood-tone here either. Several different wood patterns are available.....or carbon-fiber or all-aluminum if desired (I generally prefer wood, but also like a good carbon-fiber job if it's done well). And all of this is done with Audi-grade fit/finish.....the first time I've ever seen that in a Porsche. The primary gauges, in typical Porsche fashion, are clear and easy-to-read, with the ubiquitous larger tachometer right behind the steering wheel, and the other gauges off to each side. A small, digital speedometer, in addition to the larger analog one, occupies space in the lower-tach. There is, of course, complete instrumentation for things like oil pressure and voltmeter. The stereo, with the Bose Surround-system, was a killer.......perfect for James Brown shouting and hollering some good old-fashioned Funk tunes. The seat leather is a nice grade (though not quite as smooth as that in some Jaguar and Lexus models), and comes in partial or full-leather versions. In the full-leather versions, (monotone or two-tone), it also covers the padded dash, upper-door panels, and some other surfaces. The ceiling headliner is a nice soft fabric. Virtually all of the interior hardware was solid-feeling and of reasonably high quality, and the steering-column stalks did not have the light, flimsy feel I've noticed in some other German-designed cars. The Sport-Chrono package provides, among other things, a nice analog chronometer/stopwatch on top of the center-dash for timing/track use. The video-display screen in the center of the dash, for stereo and other uses, was more complex that I'd like, but not as much as, say, BMW's I-Drive or Audi's MMI.





CARGO AREA/TRUNK:

Generally well-done, although the sloping rear roofline/hatch takes away some of the cargo room. But, you expect that on a car like this...this is not a wagon or SUV. The trim quality and fit/finish/even in the trunk, is superbly-done. On most models, the hatch is power-lifted and lowered, with very large, durable gas-struts. Once up, you immediately notice (and feel) the nice, plush, thick carpeting on the trunk floor and lower-walls. The cargo floor has several very solid, swiveling, chrome-plated, pure-metal (no plastic here) tie-down hooks. The rear-seats, of course, fold down for added cargo space. The carpeted cargo-cover is attached to the hatch lid by cords, so it rises and drops with the hatch. The floor panel is solid, heavy, and pulls up to reveal a mini-compatment underneath with some basic tools/hardware. Under that, on the floor, lies the battery and some other equipment....the battery is there, if course, for added underhood space and, in typical sports-car fashion, for better front/rear weight balance. Now...the spare tire? Forget it. Instead, you have what is far and away the car's worst feature...a Fix-a-Flat bottle of compresed air. The Porsche people there said that's the way that all of their new models now come, except for the off-road Cayenne, which has a conventional full-size spare. I was so irked by this that I didn't even
bother to reply....what can you say about a 100K car with a cheap bottle of compressed air? Porsche is not alone, however.....Mercedes also does this even on some of their upmarket models.





ON THE ROAD:

Start up the big 4.8L V8 with your left hand, an electronic ignition module, and the traditional Porsche ignition on the left side of the steering column (I don't know why Porsche still persists with that....Saab finally got rid of their non-conventional console-mounted ignition). The V8 comes to life smoothly and fairly quietly, though with a small amount of the well-known Porsche exhaust note (even though this was not a traditional Porsche boxer-engine, it still has a nice exhaust note). Release the electronic tab-brake, slip the nice aluminum-covered shifter back, and you're on your way. This is no slouch of an engine, with 369 ft-lbs.of torque, though the Panamera weighs a little more than smaller, 2-seat Porsches to compensate. Still, punch it, and you get a firm shove in the back. First gear in the transmission, taking off, is quite jumpy, you have to watch the car in front of you, and take it easy. The engine is not noisy either, although just enough of that nice exhaust note comes in to let you know you're in a Porsche.

The 7-speed automatic, according to Porsche, is essentially a twin-clutch automated-manual, and shifts/operates with the smoothness and efficiency of one. That's part of the reason why a car with this kind of power can escape the Federal Gas-Guzzler Tax. I liked the shifter's nice fore-aft action, without annoying zig-zags, and manual shifts can be done either with the lever (in a manual-gate) or the aluminum steering wheel shift-paddles. The paddles operate in a rather unusual manner...you tap the front or back of each one to up or down-shift. The shifts are smooth, but with just enough borderline firmness to let you know you are in a drivers' car.

The chassis, as expected of Porsche, is superbly-done and an excellent combination of ride/handling. One CL member said recently that he thought Porsche steering had more road-feel than BMW's......I haven't driven every recent Porsche, but, with the Panamera, I disagree. The Panamera's steering is well-done and nicely-weighted, but, IMO, BMW is still the King of power-steering design. Cornering, from the relatively low center of gravity and well-done suspension, was quite flat, with little body lean. The steering response was quick, but not quite as quick as I expected...perhaps due to the Panamera's weight and longer wheelbase of the 4-door design. The ride/handling combinaton, as stated above, is excellent...the more I drive upmarket German products, the more convinced I become that Germany has the best chassis/suspension engineers in the world (but others are rapidly catching up on some of their products).

Road noise, from the big 19" Continentals (the Panameras I saw had either Continentals or Michelins) was not super-quiet but generally well muted......as was wind noise. The brakes were pretty much what you expect from upmarket German products...though my test car didn't have Porsche's expensive ceramic brakes on it. Still, they were smooth, responsive, and firm, without sponginess. But, being a front engine/ RWD car, they didn't quite have the stop-right-now-effectiveness of the rear/mid-engine Porsches, which, of course, benefit from greater balance and front weight-transfer of the rear engine on hard braking. Few vehicles, in a strong panic-stop situation, can stop shorter than mid/rear-engine Porsches, because the forward-weight-transfer on hard braking places the center of gravity right smack in the middle of the car, and all 4 brakes do their equal share. That, of course, combined with the huge Brembo or ceramic calipers/rotors some Porsches use. The brake pedal itself, on the Panamera, is well-designed/located, and I didn't notice much, if any, tendency for my big size-15 shoes to hang up on the pedal when going from gas to brake.

Usually my test-drives go safely, without a hitch. It is rare for me to have any incidents or close calls (the last one was some years ago with a late-90's Firebird trans-Am), but I had a close call today with the Panamera.....fortunately, not an accident. I was at a stoplight, with traffic on both sides in either lane. When the light turned green, I started out gently, let the traffic ahead of me gain some distance, then gave it some gas to check the rolling-start acceleration (here was then enough room for that with traffic in front of me). Just as the torque started to come on, some woman in a Honda Civic, just ahead and to the right, decided that she was going to cut left, right in front of me, for the next left-exit ahead. Aided by the superb Porsche suspension and brakes, I swerved and hit the ABS just in time to avoid hitting her by just a couple of feet......and traffic around me, fortunately, didn't hit ME either. Then, I continued with my review/test-drive normally and brought the car back. When I got back, it hit me.......NOW I knew why something, as I explained above, had told me not to drive the Turbo model today. Had I been in the Turbo when the close call happened, its much greater torque (516 ft-lbs. to my car's 369), under those conditions, would have had me rolling faster, and closer to the Civic, at the instant she decided to cut in front of me, vastly increasing the chances of an accident.....I probably wouldn't have been able to swerve in time. And then, of course, despite the fact that both the dealership and I have insurance (I've been a low-risk, preferred GEICO customer for many years), I would have had to explain to the Porsche people back at the shop why I had wrecked one of the most expensive vehicles on their lot.



THE VERDICT:

In addition to being Porsche's first 4-seat, 4-door passenger car, the Panamera is a great GT cruiser. I haven't driven the Aston Martin Rapide that this car seems aimed at, but the Panamera, despite its 80-150K range, sells at substantially less than a Rapide, and is probably a better bargain. This is also the first Porsche I've seen that has Audi-grade interior plushness and fit/finish. Those who are used to other Porsches (even the Cayenne) will find the Panamera quite luxurious and gadget-laden inside. It is also a Drivers' Car, though without quite the same right-now steering/brakes of smaller, mid/rear-engine Porsches. There are a few irritating features here and there, such as the unfomfortable steering-wheel-stitching, too-small outside mirrors, and Fix-a-Flat bottle, but, overall, I found little to complain about. This is a lot of car.....for a lot of money......and, of course, you can take a small family with you.

And the traditionally snobby, snooty Porsche dealer experience (like that at BMW and Mercedes) also seems to be getting better, as even the Germans are finding out that you can sell more cars (and get more satisfied customers) with honey than with vinegar. The big question, of course, with the Panamera, is if you spend a lot of money to get a lower-line model, or a lot MORE money for a high-line or Turbo model. The Turbo, of course, comes with the standard AWD, but that feature is also available on lower-priced models. It also has a lot more power, of course, but (as witnesed today), sometimes more power can just get you into trouble. And, for those who live in mild-weather areas, the AWD is usually not needed (though it does help out in rain as well).


And, as always, of course............Happy Car Shopping.

MM

Diemellz

LMAO @ fix-a -flat, really? no spare?...nice review btw

mmarshall

Yep. Same thing on the 94K Mercedes E63 AMG I reviewed a couple of years ago. In Porsche's case, though, they use the space under the trunk floor for other things, including the battery.

Thanks.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Just wondering, are you comparing Panamera's steering to a similar BMW (7 series) or a 3 series?

I never drove the Panamera, but I wouldn't expect a large sedan to have a similar steering feel to a nimble 3 series. Just saying.

TXSTYLE

iTrader: (1)

Nice Review.

Neighbor just got one and after seeing it more... It has grown on me.

mmarshall

Remember, I'm talking road feel here, not necessarily agility....that's a different issue. I'm comparing it to BMWs in general...most of which I have driven or reviewed.

Non-Active-Steering BMWs, while not identical in power-steering feel from one model to the next, have a general tactile-feel which is not only superb (IMO the best in the auto industry), but also more or less consistant from one model to another...even the X3/X5 SUVs. I can tell a typical BMW power-steering unit from its feel alone, even if I was driving blindfoled (which, of course, I wouldn't do). Few other vehicles have been able to equal it, though some Subarus come close (as does the Panamera and the E63 Mercedes), and the Hyundai Genesis 3.8 Track Coupe comes VERY close.

I agree, if you are talking agility alone.....all else equal, smaller cars are more agile and manuverable. But, again, I'm not talking agility here, but the tactile-feel of the steering. That's one of the things that makes the typical BMW so pleasant to drive.....and why they call it the Ultimate Driving Machine, one of the few auto-marketing slogans that actually has some truth to it. However, for several reasons, BMWs are not the cars for me, although if I were to spend 50K for a new car, I would consider owning a 335xi, which I have an extremely high opinion of (more, BTW, than the M3).

Och

iTrader: (3)

Mike, I can tell you from my experience with both 7 and 3, their steering is worlds apart, so I wouldn't simply generalize BMW's steering feel as being superior to Panamera's - I think it should be tested against an appropriate competing model.

In any case, great review, and I'm glad you were able to avoid that Civic. I'm sure it wasn't very easy to get the dealer to let you test drive the Panamera, and they would be pissed if you brought it back wrecked

Do you plan on reviewing the new 7 series? I'd love to see that review.

mmarshall

Thanks.

With 4 doors and 4 seats instead of 2, the Panamera has "Grown" on a lot of former Porsche owners.

Seriously, congragulations to your neighbor. It's a lot of car. I'm sure he or she will enjoy it.

mmarshall

It's not that much superior, but, IMO, noticeable. But, I guess each person's senses is a little different....including you and me. But many auto-enthusisat magazines and much of the auto press seems to agree.....BMWs have won or ranked very highly in many review/comparisons over the years. But, no sense going on and on about it. I respect your view here, and we'll just (slightly) disagree.

Thanks.

Actually, I didn't have to beg, borrow, or steal at all. This guy (salesman) WANTED my opinion....even driving it alone. He said "Choose any one you want", and practically threw me the key (or, rather ignition module)

Yes, the Turbo was indeed a temptation (though I have driven similiarly-powered cars like the E63 AMG), but something inside of me just said not to drive it....and I knew why when I got back.

Is this close enough? Last December, for my Annual Holiday review, I did the 550GT, which is actually done on a 7-series platform, with a 7-series twin-turbo V8, but marketed as a 550. It is, in effect, a rounded-off, 7-series Sportwagon.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...-tourismo.html

IS-SV

Several CL members (not just one) with thousands of miles of hands-on ownership experience (of both Porsche and BMW cars) have said that Porsche 911/Boxster/Caymen steering has better feel than BMW's which comes as no surprise. The 911/Boxster/Caymen are luxury sports cars (without a heavy engine located over the steering wheels) not heavy sedans so nobody is surprised. And splitting hairs over steering feel in luxury sedans is so subjective and nearly pointless anyways. The new 5 and 7 series with electric steering systems are already getting mixed reviews in many publications over the vague topic of steering feel, like the Panamera.

But sweeping generalizations about "king of steeing design" is what it is, nothing more (sweeping generalization/internet hearsay).

Nice review regardless, if a bit long. This car is certainly making a splash and selling well, a good business decision.

Och

iTrader: (3)

I would assume the Panamera would steer and handle quite a bit differently from the "classic" Porsches, which are rear engined.

I wonder if the Panamera is based on the A8 at all.

mmarshall

The Panamera is not a typical luxury sedan, but a Porsche, and quite driver-oriented. But, I agree, it's not worth splitting hairs over. This is a very complex car with a lot of equipment, and a lot of things to operate.

I was basing my comments on the BMWs I've driven over the years. I haven't driven the very latest 5 or 7-series, except for the 7-series-based 550GT. And, to put it bluntly, that car, if you can get past its looks was a blast. ...though I agree its steering feel wasn't quite up to that of previous 3 or 5-series models.

And the Active-Steering BMWs, which sacrifice feel for multi-valving and an variable-rate electric motor on the steering column, are another whole league....you can't compare them with conventional-power-steer BMWs. Several auto mags don't like the Active-Steer models either.

mmarshall

Based on the Porsches I have driven, definitely. The big V8 up front makes it much more nose-heavy than traditional mid/rear-engine Porsches. And, of course, the longer wheelbase for the 4 doors means less agility, though I tried a couple of sharp U-Turns and the turning radius wasn't bad for a car that size.

Maybe...hard to say. The Porsche people haven't mentioned any connection to the A8 platform that I know of. It sits lower than an A8, with a lower center-of gravity, and, of course, is more driver-centered. The A8, though somewhat sport-oriented, is more of a traditional luxury car, except for the S8 and RS-8.

IS-SV

Agreed, Porsche does things its way for a reason. Splitting hairs on a non-measurable area such as steering feel in this class of cars isn't worth the trouble.

And all of the cars in this class are very complex and heavy (including Panamera, 7, S, LS) with a lot of electronics to aid handling, so it comes as no surprise that the interface is a bit muted, but the luxury level and overall capabilities are tremendous.

CDNROCKIES

Good review as usual Mike.

+1 regarding the steering.

I have yet to have a chance to drive it, but a friend of mine who is currently in an RS4 and Q7, and that has owned several A4's and A6's stated that it is hands down the best handling 4 door he has ever driven period.