m4ever:

Hi RC thank you for the review. Very very interesting to read it from someone who is highly experienced and knowledgeable about high performance cars .

I have a question:  after your first drives with the Panamera Turbo how do you compare it with the Cayenne Turbo on highspeed autobahn driving? Thank you.

Thank you. The Cayenne Turbo feels safe at Vmax (I remember I did 289 kph or so on the speedo) but the Panamera is different, it feels like on rails at 320 on the speedo, very impressive. Very safe feel but like I said, the steering could be a bit too light for beginners at that speed. The Panamera Turbo is somewhere between the  997 Turbo and the Cayenne Turbo but closer to the 997 Turbo because of the fantastic chassis and AWD setup. At higher speeds, the Panamera Turbo feels even better (safer) than the 997 Turbo, the car just  sits on the road as if it is glued to it, very safe drive feel. My wife and kids did not feel the speed, my wife was actually shocked how fast I was because she was talking to me and at one point, I told her that we are going 320 kph. Smiley The loaner I have has the noise insulating glass, so maybe this is another reason why this car is so quiet at that speed but I ordered my Turbo S without it because I want to enjoy the exhaust/engine sound.

I was always and still are a "fan" of the Cayenne Turbo but the difference in performance from 0-200 kph between it and the Panamera Turbo S is 3-4 seconds according to various reviews and I cannot ignore that. Also in tight curves and turns, the Panamera really feels and handles like a 911, while the additional 200 kg of the Cayenne are felt always. Also my wife wanted to try something new after the two Cayenne (Turbo Powerkit and Turbo S) we owned but the latest Cayenne Turbo is really a very nice SUV. Only real downside of both, the Cayenne and the Panamera Turbo: The turbo lag is almost always noticeable, Sport Chrono package is a must have option (it improves throttle response, thus reducing the turbo lag feel under most circumstances).


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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S (at Porsche right now), BMW X5M, Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe PP/DP, Mini Cooper S Countryman All4