No way, you are looking at adjusted times in American magazines. They dont tell the whole truth, S8 wont touch PTTS. Now the RS7 will be a different stroy,


Just to put your comment into perspective (tuned S8 vs PTT w/powerkit):

Stock Panamera turbo w/powerkit (540bhp)




[/IMG]



Tuned over 640 bhp S8 (ABT)

 

Just to add some fuel to the fire.....

I am trying to decide what my next car will be in about a year. I have narrowed it down to 2 possibilities:

Panamera GTS or Audi RS7 (1/2013 debut).

Now....these two will be more similarly priced. While the edge may go to the Panamera 4S over an S7, the RS7 will have Panamera turbo speed at a GTS price point. Also the steering in an RS7 is likely to be superior to an S7. Tougher choice I think. Will the Panamera GTS still provide a more "wired-to-your-nervous system" driving experience, and will that still be more appealing than the outright thrust of the RS7?

 

The RS7 will most likely be as fast (or even faster?) as the fastest current Panamera. It will have the same engine, with cylinder shut off, (99% sure) as future Panamera turbos (Bentley already has it). It has a bigger boot. Torque vectoring is standard. I am not willing to pay for the badge if the product is virtually identical and I have been pretty disappointed with POrsche customer service so far. Now the only problem is it will only have 4 seats like the Panamera and I am pretty sure I dont want an Avant RS6, however fast it may be. The Panamera, however, is a luxury sportscar, and the RS7 is a sporty saloon and I think that wins it for many. For me stealthy is better and I think I might just jump to Audi someday, but if the RS7 has 4 seats, then it actually is very similar to my powerkit Panny and I probably will stick with it. I miss Porsche engines already.

Here is a thread on the subject of competition:
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...6-e63-amg.html

 

There is the optional 3 seat bench in the A7 and I am hoping it will be available for the 2014 S7, so we'll have to wait and see!

 

There is no plan for 5th seat for S7/RS7, got this directly from inside Audi:

See post 20th December 2012 11:46, by Qisha (from Audi)

http://www.rs6.com/showthread.php/24...-14%29/page19?

 

The RS7 will probably look something like this:

 

I'm in that time of life where I'm still brand-conscious and cognizant of other people's vehicles. I hate to admit that I feel like women who've gotten an engagement ring and quietly compare their rings to others -- perhaps as proof of their fiance's love or means. I still find daily pleasure in comparing my Panamera with others and, in my mind at least, coming out on top.

Now that I've gotten into the Porsche brand (and with a "non-entry-level late-model one"), I won't find myself trying so hard to defend Porsches. I notice that I respect models that don't share components with other vehicles, especially brands "lower" in the hierarchy. However, the necessity for manufacturers to share platforms makes this idea somewhat silly, as someday soon I expect VW platforms to shared among the entirety of the VW Group, Porsche included.

My one hope is that certain engines retain exclusivity to given brands. Lacking that, I'll take design and performance. When -- not if -- that day comes, you'll see me looking at Audis and VWs.



And since I'll have "sunk to that low", I'll take a peek at what Hyundai is offering too.

 

That said, I like the S7 design slightly more than the Panamera S, as does my wife. I suspect the performance of the S7 is sufficiently close enough to the Panamera S for my taste. Brand prestige aside, if they were the same price, I would take the S7.

 

Didnt you just contradict everything you said in the previous post, or did you mean that if Audi would be a choice, you would take the s7, but as it isnt, you wont?

S7 beats even the GTS in a Straight line, Panny
s not even close...

To add to my comment, I actually would be willing to pay more for luxury even now when All the engines are shared among the vw group if customer service etc. would be excellent, nyt as an owner of an Audi and a Porsche, customer service at Audi has been superior.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I love my Panny, just fearing Audi/Bently/Porsche Will soon technically be identical. Why does Lamborghini retain the right to Be exclusive, stick a 4.0t engine and an 8 speed aut gearbox in one of those and see if anyone buys them Still.

 

The advantage of the Panny is in its steering, handling, and overall dynamic feel compared to the S7. Straight line performance is similar enough that it doesn't make a real world difference to me. However, when you get to an RS7, which will be at the same price point as a basically equipped GTS, it is a different game.

And if you want to talk exclusivity/prestige, etc., the RS7 is sure to be a rare bird. Moreso than the Panamera GTS even. It is all speculation at this point, I suppose. Will have to see what the road tests of the RS7 actually show.

 

If someone is interested same mag comparison in acceleration (unbelievably similar):

French Sport Auto:
GTS/S7

• 0-100 km/h: 4,7 s/4.8
• 0-160 km/h: 10,7 s/10.7
• 0-200 km/h: 17,7 s/17.4
• 400 m: 13,0 s (176 km/h)/13.1(176)
• 1 km: 23,7 s (223 km/h)/23.7 (223)
  
• 100-140 km/h: 3,8 s (124 m) 3.5 (113)

AMS Testresults:
GTS/S7

• 0-100 km/h: 4,5 s (claim: 4,5 s)/4.5
• 0-130 km/h: 7,1 s/6.9
• 0-160 km/h: 10,7 s (claim: 10,9 s)/10.3
• 0-200 km/h: 17,2 s (claim: 17,9 s)/16.2

Video:

 

I was originally thinking brand-wise, i.e. Porsches are more exclusive than Audis. But it's likely going to be true that from a model perspective, the RS7 may be more rare than the Panamera GTS.

I'm surprised how many people have no idea what a Panamera is, but they ooh and ahh whenever I tell them it's a Porsche. I could be driving an Audi R8, and they would be less impressed because it was "just an Audi" (until they saw me drive up in it). That's just how much weight the Porsche brand carries to non-enthusiasts.

But I digress. If Audi made both the S7 and the Panamera GTS and decided to sell them at the same price point, the S7 does it for me.

 

Wow, those times are indeed close! Good to see research being done in non-US media. Thanks to Google Alerts, I've pretty much read everything in English that has the word "Panamera" in it.

 

if you are waiting a year, i presume you mean a used GTS as i understand they are stopping production in Q2 of 2013.

 

Regarding my S7 vs Panamera dilemma, I've now had the chance to extensively drive both (actually drove an S6 as I couldn't find an S7).

Styling is subjective, but I like both cars. The Panamera GTS looks more exotic, but I also like the understated style of the S7. Both interiors are gorgeous. I love the sport seats in the S7.

In the practicality department, I think the S7 wins out. It's got more trunk space, and I think Audi's AWD system is superior to the Porsche AWD system in the rain and snow (someone correct me if I'm wrong).

They're both quick as hell.

The GTS does handle better, but not by a huge margin in my opinion. The S6 doesn't turn in as well, but I'm assuming I'd just have to adjust my driving style to account for the perceived tendency of the S6 to oversteer.

In my mind, the S7 gets me 90% of the performance of the Pani GTS at 70% of the cost. If they were the same price, I'd probably get the Porsche. Even if the GTS was only another $10k over the S7, I'd probably choose the GTS. But I can't justify the premium the GTS commands over the S7 for the marginal improvement in performance. This is especially true given I'm going to use the car as my daily driver.

So unless I happen to find a lightly used GTS <$100k in the next 2 months, I'm going to scoop my ordered Quartz Grey S7. And I'll keep my Cayman S for the weekends when I want something light to toss around.

Thanks for all of the input!

Merry Christmas all!