I have a Platinum Edition V6 Paamera and feel more than satisfied with the power of this car. I drove the GTS and would have purchased it but since my wife doesn't drive in a sporty manner, I thought it would be a waste of money. She drove them both and suggested the Platinum V6 as she couldn't tell the difference based on HER DRIVING style.
I was happy with her decision as I could keep the extra $40K for something else. Since I have a 997.2, I am happy that I can drive that for the higher performance if I desire and have the Porsche performance in the Panamera.

 

There is no question that a GTS is the Panamera performance car, and the Turbo or Turbo S is fantastic uber-fast car.... However, a well equipped V-6 with 20" wheels is one heck of a nice car at a nice price... You might not blow off cars with higher HP and torque in a sprint, but take it on a twisty road and put it in Sport Mode and it becomes a very satisfying driver's car...

By the way, on an unrelated note, I can also say that the 20" Michelins feel much nicer and are quieter than the Pirellis....

 

totally agree

 

yup!!

 

By the way, on an unrelated note, I can also say that the 20" Michelins feel much nicer and are quieter than the Pirellis....[/QUOTE]


GREAT to hear, and not surprising...I have always liked the Michelin's on my prior M cars and P variants, but never had in a 20" size. the pirlli's just feel too squirrely, and I am psyched that once I scrub through the initial set, that this awesome car will handle even better than it already does (which is just oh so hard to believe)!!

 

I still have the V6 loaner and drove it quite extensively yesterday. In addition to the engine straining to do what I consider normal, slightly aggressive acceleration, I was shocked how bad the suspension was. It felt like a cheap car, noisy and jarring over rough roads -- completely unacceptable. I guess that's the difference between it not having PASM and/or PDCC like my GTS. It makes a world of difference.

I could live with the engine, but definitely not without the better suspension.

 

If you are used to the GTS and are driving around aggressively in San Francisco its obviously not enough power for you... I get it.

However the suspension gripes might indicate that there were problems with the car or it's tire pressure.. Compared to the GTS's suspension I believe that the V-6 should have felt relatively insulated and not so problematic..

By the way, I had some suspension issues with the rear end of my Panamera S last year..It was noisy and was creaking over every deep bump or sway.. It seems that the rear body/suspension bushings are prone to cracking and get very noisy. The dealer told me its not uncommon and they replaced the bushings which took care of the issue... Maybe your loaner was driven hard and suffered this same issue

 

The car only has about 5K miles on it and I doubt it has been driven hard, but anything's possible. Air pressure was at the recommended numbers. So I figured it was due to only having the base suspension.

I know my other cars would feel like the V6, but they don't cost anywhere near as much. It's the GTS that glides over rough roads (I assume due to PASM and PDCC) and that just spoils you and makes any other feel unacceptable.

 

respectfully totally disagree. to discribe that car as unacceptable means you need to re-evaluate your comparison point. yes its not a GTS but around town hills or not car is smooth as butter. but where you live may make a big difference from me in tampa

never in my life thought the car felt "cheap, noisy or jarring" but you may be more sensitive then me!

anyway appreciate your insite

 

I think the key to the V-6 is not driving the other cars. My dealer gave me a Panamera Turbo when my 4S was in for service a few years ago - I was doomed and swapped to the Turbo in a few weeks.

 

Just the lack of insulation from the roughness over bad roads makes it feel no better than any other much less expensive car. Of course the overall feel of the car is great.

 

ya doing some off roading out there in CA

 

It's slightly noticeable in town, but some of the roads get pretty rough in wine country and that's where I really felt the difference. And that was before having any wine.

 

GREAT to hear, and not surprising...I have always liked the Michelin's on my prior M cars and P variants, but never had in a 20" size. the pirlli's just feel too squirrely, and I am psyched that once I scrub through the initial set, that this awesome car will handle even better than it already does (which is just oh so hard to believe)!![/QUOTE]

The 20" Pirelli's held the road fairly well, but they seemed louder and the ride was not as smooth as the Pilot Sports. However, I do suspect that the Pirellis may not last as long as the Pirellis...We shall see.

 

The V6 is a nice car overall. The power can't match the S, especially in a straight line or when carrying 4 passengers. As lots of people have mentioned, it's adequate for normal driving, and most of the time one would drive the S the same speed as the V6.

However, in a back-to-back comparison, with the same options, the V6 handles better than the S. The front is lighter. It feels more nimble and changes directions more easily.

Still nowhere close to the GTS, of course.