What would be considered the essential options on a Panamera 4 to make it functionally comfortable and esthetically pleasing ?

 

I would recommend the following:

Seat ventilation if you live in a hot climate. Heated seats if required in colder climates.

Bose Surround is a best buy!

Stock rims and tires are the most comfortable on the road!! Don't spend money on expensive wheels. Also they can be swapped on the dealer lot between cars to save money.

That's It, JohnnyB

 

The standard suspension is decent, but the Air Suspension is amazing...

As for the wheels, I'm typically prefer the OEM look, so went with the 20 TurboII wheels and couldn't be happier. The 19in Panamera Turbo wheels as well as the 20 Spyder wheels are also a good look for the car. I've seen the SportDesign wheels coming available as an option, but haven't seen that pop up on 2011 models yet.

The thing with the Panamera is that it has massive wheel wells, so you need a 20in or greater wheel to fill up the space. Also, because of the offsets, you can't put real aggressive wheel spacers on the car. I was able to take the 7mm from the front of my 997 and use them in the rear of the Panamera. That really helped with the look. I've thought about 5mm for the front, but haven't moved on that yet. Simple, inexpensive way to improve the overall look & stance of the car.

 

order the rear camera for ease of parking, and rear and side sunscreens for passengers comfort. Also 4 seats heater for winter comfort.

if you plan on carrying long objects such as hockey sticks while carrying 4 people in the car, then you will need the ski bag option (which allow the middle part of rear seat back to come down independently).

 

These were a must for me.

Air Suspension
20"inch Turbo II Wheels
Rear camera and park assist.


The Burmester stereo is awesome, but the Bose works great too.

 

For resale I think you need the SportChrono package.

Also, on the opposite end of the spectrum, I have the rear wiper and it's not only unneccesary, but it takes up some of the very limited rear window real estate.

 

If you love music I strongly suggest opting for the Burmester if it's available on the V6. In fact the Burmester audio has turned out to be my favorite option on the car.
Also, do at least 20" wheels if you don't plan to swap them immediately. No offense to other owners, but (IMO) these big cars look like crap with anything less than a 20" setup.
Sport Chrono is also a must, if only for resale. I would also advise the air suspension just because it looks damn good in the Sports Plus setting. I have no plans for aftermarket lowering on my car because the way it sits in Sports+ mode looks good enough for my tastes. I've already had people ask me if I lowered it.
I also strongly suggest the park assist and camera.

 

sport chrono plus is absolute must have

personally i would blow the stereo and get the adaptive seats. i had a 4s for 3 days and it was fitted with those - amazing comfort and grip when you need it

if you want Nav or XM you cannot get it after the fact at this time

the ski bag as mentioned is the best way to get the 40/20/40 seats - only way to use the pass through & still carry 4 people

rear park assist w/o camera imo is better than the camera - either way you need one or the other