I think it looks good from the front. From the side or the rear......I don't think so.....

 

i think in certain colors and with certain wheels the car can look much better then some of the early images we're used to.
over time we get used to the looks and accept it as normal.
look at the previous gen bmw 5 and 7 series. they were horrible when they came out and then we got used to them.
but i think that when the gen 2 comes out, the gen 1 will look totally outdated and ugly again.
think 99' 996 vs 997 gt3 or the above bmw's.

 

My wife loved the Panamera at first sight. In 2009, we were at the unveiling at our local dealership. As many of us know, wives have a way of getting what they want.
A year later, we are waiting for ours to arrive from the factory. Exactly the colors she loved that first night. Platinum Grey/Luxor Beige. I have grown to like it. That ****pit is outstanding.

 

Be honest, folks: If there was no Porsche emblem on the hood, and it handled like a Camry.....would you still think it is a nice looking car from every angle?

I understand that things can 'grow on people' with familiarity.......but to me, the Panamera hasn't become any "less-ugly" over time just because I've seen a few more on the road. It is certainly unique, and styling is in a class of its own....but, I feel that many people in here make excuses for the Frau Farbissima styling b/c of the emblem on the hood or the performance numbers. It is really okay to not love the aesthetics for every product that rolls out of Stuttgart...

The only view I liked in the Panamera was the one from the drivers seat. (It was a thrilling test drive... I just wished they finished the design work on the back end.)

 

I loved the car the first time I saw it.... Had they been available when I purchased the 911 it would have been a toss up as to which one came home with me..

 

i saw car at the dealership while i sat there waiting on service for my car, i liked it a lot inside, outside it is also good, but i think it is probably $30K or so at least overpriced to be truly competitive with comparable offers.

 

I test drove one and imho it is not camry at all. what do you mean? it handles great.

 

Just to be clear, for me the Panamera would always be an "and" proposition, rather than an "or" proposition with respect to my 997. But it would fill a handy gap in the car choices in my household - which includes a significant other and either 0, 2 or 4 kids, depending on the day of the week and the week of the month. Often 2 of the kids get crammed in the back of the 997 just because I don't want to drive the family truckster. And, to be honest, the kids...particularly the males of the species...dig the ride in the 997.

And as for the comment about an alarming trend by car designers to include a little too much (or a lot too much) junk in the trunk, what about the Mercedes SLS AMG? It's as though the designers worked really hard on the front two-thirds and then just grafted the poorly designed rear-end of a 2001 Acura CL on the back. It's nothing short of terrible.

 

+1

My feelings exactly.

 

saw a few and the TURBO by far looks da best!

 

Ugly…sitting next to anything nice, Uglier.

 

Porsche could have done a better job on the styling. The back is indeed ugly, but don't forget that many people think 911's are ugly, too. Too each his own.


IMHO, if you like the car, then buy it. You don't need anyone elses validation. Don't worry if it is "growing on you or not". There is something beautiful in the uniqueness and imperfection....even if it is a kind of Sarah Jessica Parker hotness.

Regarding the threads, some comments...


He didn't say it handled like a Camry. (Re-read the post.)
I think it should be priced a little closer to the Cayenne, but market pricing seems to be working for Porsche....
The Pacer wasn't ugly...it was just missunderstood!
Agree on the flexibility & filling a void, and SLS AMG styling.....but I think the Panamera only seats 4 people total.

By comparison, that new Masserati is much prettier. No comment on the reliability. I anticipate it falling apart. I think even a Porsche built buy a drunk assembly worker will be more reliable than any Masserati.

 

1) It's not a "Camry" . Even to equate it with a Camry implies that the person has not spent time in both cars to see how huge the gap is in the comparison .

2) The Maserati is pretty (spelled with one s and t BTW) and sounds great witha Tubi exhaust but it is otherwise I piece of junk that looks nice. The Panmera will beat it in every single comparison from reliability, to performance, to cost to own, to resale. to safety .

I strongly urge those who have any doubts about the car to at least test drive the car . It really is nothing short of incredible. Some have mentioned the new Cayenne . It's also a great vehicle but there is no comparison . if someone needs an SUV then the Cayenne is a great car. If the car has to be parked outside or in public lots it will attract less negative attention too.
But if someone is trying to save a few bucks over the Panamera to have space --no deal. The Panamera blows away the Cayenne.

Some have pounded the pavement that the only Panamera worth discussing is the Turbo . At 150+K I am so glad to hear that so many are willing to step up top the flagship and reject all others .. so lets see those pictures of your Turbo. congrats in advance !!!

Personally --I feel that every model in the Panamera series has its worthy traits and whether it's a 70K base car or a 160K Turbo they all have a lot to offer.

 

It's definitely the ugly duckling of the family, but after numerous hot laps around a race track being driven by instructors from the Porsche Driving School, I find myself in absolute awe, and I can't wait to get one as a DD. Even the V-6 in stock trim is quite impressive and damn those brakes are massive. Suspension sway is significant, but nothing the aftermarket can't cure quite easily.

 

Hated in pics, just OK in person initially. My wife loved them right away and said when the kids grow up she wants the turbo to replace her mini-van, I have no problem with that!
Recently I have been seeing several on the streets and I am starting to really love the look, front and back. The drive is amazing, but only a little better then the cayenne.