Bloomberg Test Drive.



Porsche’s Panamera Seats Giants for $94,000: Jason H. Harper
2009-07-09 04:01:00.9 GMT


Review by Jason H. Harper
July 9 (Bloomberg) -- And so Brian the Giant climbed into
the back seat of the Porsche, stretched his legs and flashed a
goofy grin as he settled down in comfort. And they all lived
happily ever after.

The End.

This is no fairy tale. I do have a friend named Brian who
is 6-feet-8 inches tall, and he actually did fit comfortably in
the back of a Porsche Panamera. He even had extra headroom.

The Panamera is Porsche’s new model line and its first-ever
four-door car. Like all businesses, car companies must change or
die. (And with 9 billion euros, or about $12.5 billion, of debt
to refinance after gobbling up stock in Volkswagen, Porsche has
its share of troubles.)

So expect no outcry from me about Porsche selling out its
heritage. If Aladdin can fly a carpet, why not a four-door
Porsche?

After all, Porsche’s best-selling vehicle is the Cayenne
SUV, which seats five but is no sports car like the storied 911
(which is charitably known as a “2+2”). The Panamera is
intended to fall somewhere in between: a nimble gran turismo
which fits four adults and even has a hatchback for ample
stowage. Just don’t call it a sedan. Porsche won’t.

The Panamera will be available in mid-October and, like
Goldilocks’s furry friends, comes in three variants: the $89,800
S, the $93,800 all-wheel-drive 4S and the $132,600 Turbo (also
all-wheel drive). The typical pricey Porsche options means the
final bill could be substantially more.

Chinese Porsche

The company plans to sell 20,000 units a year, and the car
seems particularly suitable to China, where many owners prefer
to be driven. Porsche says it expects to compete with the Mercedes S-Class and CLS, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8, though the Panamera is significantly shorter than most of those models.

On a recent trip to Germany, I lucked out and got a chance
to drive all three styles.

The Panamera hovers over the road, low and wide, and both
the upright seating position and view out the windshield are
similar to a 911. The fit-and-finish in the interior is the best
I’ve seen in a Porsche, with beautiful leather and meticulous
stitching. A fairy godmother couldn’t have done better.

Because of the rounded rear, the back bucket seats offer
incredible headroom, good legroom and a decent view despite
small curved side windows. Though the rear doors are modest,
ingress and egress is reasonable. No S-Class, certainly, but
it’s not a dark witch’s cave either.

Three Big Guys

But does it drive like a Porsche?

Bombing down the Autobahn in a 4S at a speed of 163 miles
per hour, the car sat steady with nary a tremble or iffy moment.
The front of a 911 can get light at those speeds, so this was
good news. More amazingly, my car was stuffed with heavy gear
and three big guys.

I pointed the snout toward the foothills of the Alps. Again,
the sensation was familiar. Bigger and heavier than the purebred
911, yet if I were blindfolded I’d still identify it as a Porsche. (Well, not blindfolded, but you know what I mean.)

Anyway, does your four-door have 500 horsepower and do
zero to 60 in 4.2 seconds? Those are the Turbo stats, powered by
a 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V-8.

While that giddy power is fun when bursting around a slower
Fiat (or BMW or Mercedes), the Turbo is difficult to drive
smoothly. The optional ceramic-carbon brakes have too much bite
for regular motoring and power from the twin turbos comes on
rather suddenly. Also, the first few degrees of steering seem
hazy; it takes a mini-beat before turn-in actually commences.

Fancy Pumpkin

If this was my fairy tale, I’d probably opt for the middle-
priced pumpkin, the 4S, and save the extra $38,000 to woo Snow
White.

It has a V-8 with 400 hp and makes 60 mph in five seconds,
with a top speed of 175. Just right for hard back-road roaring,
particularly when equipped with the Sport Chrono package engaged
in Sport Plus mode. It’s crisper and more sorted.

Gunning through curves, I ignored the backseat passenger
who complained of feeling carsick. Just don’t get it on the
leather, friend.

Stateside, it’s only available with Porsche’s new PDK
double-clutch system, which can be left in automatic or shifted
using the maddening, Porsche-specific steering-wheel-mounted
button system.

While Environmental Protection Agency fuel-economy numbers
aren’t in yet, efficiency measures include a function which
temporarily stops the engine at traffic lights, as well as
direct injection.

Round Rump

Which brings us to the polarizing body of the Panamera.
Designers had to make it look like a Porsche, but whereas the
911’s rounded rear proportions make sense, they are more
peculiar in the four-door car.

I like the hood and enjoy the three-quarter perspective,
even the good-looking taillights. But that bubble-shaped rear.
How do you tell Cinderella her butt’s too big?

Nonetheless, it’s got presence. It’s a Porsche, inside and
out. For Porsche lovers who’ve acquired a couple of kids, your
wish is granted.

The 2010 Porsche Panamera 4S At a Glance

Engine: 4.8-liter V-8 with 400 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.
Transmission: PDK seven-speed, double-clutch.
Speed: 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds.
Price as tested: $106,000 (estimated).
Best feature: Capacious interior for four, with sports-car chops.
Worst feature: Well, those buttocks could be more beautiful.
Target buyer: The would-be Porsche owner who wants to bring
along his buddies or kids.

(Jason H. Harper writes about autos for Bloomberg News. The
opinions expressed are his own.)