The official launch was on Thursday, but I had a chance to drive it on Friday when I picked up my car from the shop. My initial impression was not too fond as I don't care much for the way it looks (this coming from an ex BMW Z3 M Coupe owner). Its just too big, fat, and tall for my liking. Inside, the seats are a tad firmer than I would expect for this kind of car. One too many buttons on the center console. There is a huge amount of space as far as the dash is concerned (my previous two cars were the M Coupe and a 996 C2, both having short dashes). That is the bad part, well, and the fact that its $140K base price (import duties...).
For the best part, the one that makes everything else obsolete: DRIVE it! Wow! The engine rumble when you first start the engine has an extremely nice rumble to it. Much louder than the Cayenne Turbo I now have. The steering is very light and the turning radius is impressively small. I had the car with the same rims that the Turbo has (one here also, but already sold to a lady that owns a Gallardo Spyder). The ride was smooth over speed bumps and when I decided to gun it a bit on a roundabout, I was very impressed how flat the attitude of the car was. When the "Sport Extra" (or something similar) button was pressed, then it was a tad out of character with the car. Not quite M5, but not as soft as a Quatroporte (driven both also). I liked the cocoon feeling inside the car, but the rear view is a bit small due to the smallish mirror and hatchback. The trunk is also a bit smaller than expected. The 4 seat arrangement sounds cool, until you start thinking how many times you actually use the "third spot" in the rear seat (I do all the time, one of the reasons why I got rid of the 996 and got the CTT).
Overall, an extremely nice car. I think I would go with a Quatroporte for the panache, but for reliability (still to be determined...), I would go Porsche. For all out sports, I would go M5/S6/E65. For the roads here in Panama, I would still stick to my CTT, as the potholes and floods make this extra ordinary car, unordinary.

 

Great review thanks!

 

Just realized what a bad choice of words used on my last sentence. This car (Panamera) is truly extraordinary (nice blend of luxury and sports), but in the terrible roads we have here, well, let's just say that there are better options out there.

 

Excellent review.

 

great review !

 

thanks for taking the time to write this!

 

I just had the opportunity to drive a Panamera 4S for two full days, my Porsche dealer was nice enough to lend it to me with no hassle. Everything you said about the car is true, I would say its almost perfect and the best car I've driven for a long time! It goes and sounds like the thunders, stops amazing! The exhaust button make the note incredibly, the handling was amazing, although I had the sport wheels, I hit some potholes here and there, and there was a little bubble occuring in the left front wheels, but no problems. I loved how the dash looked like the Vertu phones :-) Although it was a gas gussler, if I was gentle on the throttle, its ok mpg wise I guess.
All I could a take a few photos in my garage, some snapshots from my security cams, will post it tonight when I get home :-) It was surely a very nice view! Do buy one with no questions, no hassles! And if you do, come on up here and do a write up :-)

 

Thats interesting that they let you drive it at all. Very cool thanks for the review!

 

I didnt understand what you mean by that? Let me drive at all?

Porsche over here really respects and treats its customers with care. I currently own 2 C2S's and a Cayenne, that is the reason I'm sure why Porsche could lend me a brand new Panamera 4S for two days, and if I was to ask another time, they can lend it again and again even for longer periods of time. I guess its about how you approach to them and how they are to me.

I attach two photos, sorry about the crappy security cam pics but I didnt have time to do a photoshoot, it was all about driving the car. I think it looks good next to my guards red

 

I too thought about the Vertu phone, but at the end of the day all those slim silver buttons were a bit too much for my liking. Make no mistake about it, I loved the car, but for my roads, my truck suits me much better. And driving it? I am guessing that the local dealer here is similar to yours. If they want to move these $140K plus cars, the best way is to let people have a small taste of it.
On another note, the stereo did not impress me too much, but now that you mention it, the brakes were firm and taking into account the weight of the car, braked much better than the CTT I have.

 

Sadly, the retail sales price of the Panamera here is 230,000 Euros, you do the exchange rate ;-)

 

Great review. I'm in that same boat of actually making use of the 4-seat arrangement. The 997 'fits' the entire family, but every time I grab my keys to go somewhere in it, my wife rolls her eyes.

Looking forward to getting behind the wheel in one here in Dallas!!!