Well...why should I lie ? I love how the new Cayenne looks and the black Turbo I testdrove looked just amazing. The Panamera design reminds me a lot of the first Cayenne generation. Interesting, different but not really nice. I guess this is actually my problem, the Panamera reminds me too much of an "old" car, the design isn't really modern or inspiring. Yes, the back is very 911-like, I get it but the car just looks massive, the front looks similar to a Corvette and the front sideline is just weird and very massive too. I won't even start mentioning the well known hunchback...
The slightly curved front lights are just stupid, the designer should get a kick in his butt. Hasn't Porsche learned anything from the 996, 986 and the 955, especially fhe first generation ?!
I'm pretty sure that the Panamera facelift, apparently due 2013, will take care of the frontlights (slightly smaller with no "curve"), the backlights (slightly smaller and especially smaller in height). The front and especially the rear bumpers will also get a treatment which makes the car look less massive. This could hugely improve the design of the Panamera but at the same time also make the first Panamera generation look even more massive and outdated. This is a worry I can't get rid of, sorry. I know, I know, car manufacturers always change things but look at BMW and Mercedes how they do it, the Porsche changes are always too obvious. I also can't hide the feeling that Porsche actually creates two versions of a car from the start already, a first generation and the facelift. They always seem to know that the first generation creates some discussion in people, look at the new 991: Many think that the frontlights are a little bit too big, now guess how the frontlights on the facelift will look alike... Wanna bet ?!
The bottom line is: I ordered the Panamera Turbo S for the performance/handling (there is no Porsche with four real seats with a better performance/handling), the exhaust/engine sound (I wish they would use the same sound for the Cayenne Turbo) and because I wanted to try something new.
My wife also seems to like my decision a lot, apparently the Panamera is a Porsche model which is surprisingly well liked by women (I don't get it though... 
) , which has been confirmed by many of my wife's friends, including one which is currently looking for buying a used 997 Turbo (no kidding, she is single) but I kind of have a strange feeling regarding the Panamera. Every time I see a Cayenne Turbo, my heart starts beating faster, I just can't help it. For me, the performance SUV is the Cayenne and the performance sportscar is the 911. The Panamera just doesn't seem to fit anywhere in my car world, as strange as this may sound. I always had a sportscar and a family car, not both at the same time.
Did I get second thoughts about the Panamera ? Well...I always had them but my wife doesn't want me to get a Cayenne, my son loves the Panamera and once I sit in the Panamera, I forget all my doubts. This car is so nice from the inside and the drive feel is amazingly close to a 911, it makes me forget driving a Panamera.
Tough decision for me, especially since I have to keep the car for 4 years. It would have been easier on me, if the facelift would have come now...
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S (May 2012 delivery), Porsche 997 Carrera GTS Cabriolet PDK, BMW X5M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S Countryman All4
RC:
According to our other sources, the Panamera facelift is due for MY 2014. Which would be summer 2013. This doesn't mean it can't be announced much earlier, for example in Paris (autumn) but I rather think that the Panamera is very important for the Chinese and US markets rather than the Europe market. 
