I have been waiting for that comment, too busy driving . Will do soon!

 

I second that request...AND feel free to post a video with SOUND too!! Sorry if that's too much of a PITA

 

I third that
Video post please

 

BumperPlugs.com is working on some Carrara White sidemarkers for me, I will post the results when they are complete.

 

Fantastic - if they fit the Panamera, I'm sure they will get a lot of orders, and can sell them for $$'s. Nothing out there right now.

 

It will be nice to have something other than amber in there. Smoking them works great for a black/dark color but white...not my style. ROW bumper without cutouts would be ideal, but totally cost prohibitive.

One email to to them and they got right on it, they ordered a set from the dealer and began testing, they are going to send me the finished product hopefully next week, they really seem to have their stuff together there.

I will post pics after I receive and install for everyone to see.

 

Look forward to hearing more about the GTS deliveries and impressions!

E60 M5 to GTS comparisions are of most interest since that is what I drive daily now.

 

Check Motor Trend, Car & Driver and Automobile magazine; all three have the PTT 0-60 times between 3.4 and 3.5 sec.

 

Here are some more specific PGTS vs E60 M5 thoughts:

1. Exterior: I think it is telling that both designs were controversial at launch based on pictures, but after some time with in person experience have become more appreciated and loved. I actually liked the Bangle styling of the E60, and the aggressive touches of the M5 were a perfect fit for me. The GTS in comparison is a more flowing design, feels more like a sports car than sedan. Side by side to the M5, it is lower, wider and sleeker. The GTS also is longer/larger, but it works with the design. Overall, I think it is stunning, 1000x better in person than any picture I have seen.

2. Interior: I did not have full leather on the M5, so this may impact my assessment. The GTS interior is fantastic, almost every surface covered in leather or alcantara, detailed thread work, top quality fit and finish. It is head and shoulders above the M5 interior. Ergonomics are good, 18 way seats are great - though less plush than the M5 comfort seats. Porsche has a "every function has a button" philosophy, vs the I-drive in the M5. This has taken some getting used to, but not an issue. The PCM touch screen on the GTS works well, menu design is intuitive.

3. Drive: I still need to get more miles in, but a few differences to highlight. The M5 exhaust note is quite spectacular - one of my favorite aspects of the car. One of the reasons I held on to it is that we will never see another 10 cylinder M5 and no amount of tuning or packaging can replace the raw feel of that engine and SMG transmission. The GTS however, is thrilling in its own way. The exhaust note has a kick-back effect which is exhilarating, and it is much more engaging at lower rpm than the M5. The PDK transmission is a dramatic improvement over the SMG in automatic mode, very smooth, though you may miss the brutal, jaw dropping M5 shifts in S6! Handling on the GTS for such a large car is unbelievable (I don't have PDCC). It feels much more planted than the M5, very stable. In the GTS you are also sitting lower to the ground than the M5, so the feel is very sports car like - at times you forget there is even a backseat.

4. Other: The GTS cabin is VERY quiet compared to the M5, especially at speed on the highway. For me, this is a good thing. The Bose sound system for me is comparable to the M5 Premium Sound, no issues. Back seat comfort in the GTS is unbelievably good compared to the M5, more leg room, better seat comfort etc.

Overall, if you are going from an E60 M5 to the GTS, you will not be be disappointed.

 

Quite an interesting purchase! Really like your comparation of the M5 E60 and the Porsche Panamera GTS. A wise decision to keep them both!

 

Great comparison of E60 M5 vs PGTS. It looks like there are a few of us on this Board who are making the switch - very interesting.

A couple other specific questions on the comparison:

1. How would you rate the steering feel? There has been some discussion of the steering feeling 'distant'. After a few miles, how would you rate it vs the M5?

2. Nice to hear the exhaust is more audible at low rpm's. There will never be another sedan with a 8,500 rpm V10, so that sound is just not going to be replicated.

3. How does the ride in comfort compare to the M5 in comfort?

4. Are there any issues with the PDK in auto or manual?

5. What's the recommended 'break-in' miles? I'm assuming you won't really flog the car until you hit that number. Please let us know how the oil consumption is going, since I hear that can be an issue.

Totally unrelated to the M5 - how long was it from the time your was on the ship to the time it arrived in the US?

 

1. I have the servotronic option on the GTS. The steering does feel slightly lighter at low speeds in traffic compared to M Servotronic, but the difference goes away over 20mph. The "connectedness" with the GTS feels slightly less, but not necessarily because of the steering. In the M5 you can hear everything, I would never have to look at the RPM gauge - you just felt it. The GTS by comparison has a more quiet and insulated cabin feel, I actually like this for daily driving.

2. Agreed!!! That is why I kept it, of course the unbelievably poor trade in value made the decision easier.

3. In comfort mode, the GTS and M5 are comparable. The quieter cabin in the GTS is more enjoyable when cruising or talking on the phone etc. In Sport mode you feel more road bumps than in the M5, though perhaps more a function of the 20" wheels. One great feature on the GTS is that suspension settings can be set independently from throttle/shift seetings with the Sport button. My standard is to hit the Sport button when I get in the car to get the throttle response and aggressive shift points, and then set suspension to comfort - perfect. PSE is on, always

4. The PDK to me seems to be designed more for automatic use compared to the SMG. No issues, but some quirks. For example, with SMG in auto mode, if you downshift with a paddle, the transmission switches to manual mode permanently and you need to physically hit the shift **** to get back into auto. With the PDK, if you paddle shift while in auto, you are only temporarily in manual mode, after which the PDK goes back to auto by itself if no manual shifting is detected. You can select a permanent manual mode by moving the PDK lever. Not a big deal, just different.

5. The manual says to keep it under 4,200 rpm for the first 2,000 miles. First recommended oil change is at 10,000 miles! I was told at delivery to watch oil consumption, no changes yet.

I think I got lucky with the production completion date and ship loading timing. Prod completed 1/21, loaded on ship 1/27, arrived port in RI on 2/8 or 2/10 I think. Pretty quick, then just needed to wait until 3/1 for release because it was a 2013.

 

Appreciate the input and comparison.

Once you have more miles under the belt I am interested to hear your impression of the acceleration of the GTS from say 60 - 100 versus the M5 - does it lay down a bit giving up 70 hp - that was my impression of the 4S for sure? I only ask that as I decide GTS or PTT. I have both ordered to spec, GTS comes in first - but I have to decide by early April on GTS or wait a few more weeks for the Turbo.

Thx for the posts

 

Would love to see interior shots of the base black trim ... you didn't mention carbon fiber so I assume the trim is the base trim. Still on the fence about the aesthetic appeal of carbon fiber and wood seems out of place on this car.

 

Yes, I have the base black trim. There is one shot of the interior in the original post, but will try to take more soon. I also went back and forth on trim, the base black looks perfect, very happy - though it does show fingerprints very easily, I imagine CF would be better from that standpoint. Agreed that wood is not a good fit.