ADias:
I drove the Panamera in the event Porsche set up this week at the Quail Lodge in Carmel, CA. I was initially critical of the car but over time its design grew on me. After this test drive I consider it the most important sports sedan ever designed. It's far superior to any Audi, S-class or 7-series out there. It is definetely a driver's car.
Note to RC: yesterday in Laguna Seca I spoke with Porsche people re the Panamera and in particular the dash/windshield refelections of the burmester speakers' trim. They are aware that the aluminum tgrim does cause that issue, but he pointed out that other non-reflective trims are available.
ADias,
I also drove a Panamera S at the "Porsche Zentrum" by the Quail Lodge on Saturday afternoon. Great fun!
We got a pretty good work out going up and down that windy mountain (big hill?) road east of the event grounds (something or other "grade"). Our Porsche "minder" was pretty laid back and we got going well over double, but not triple, the posted limit in the curvy bits. My wife only complained once (she's a sometimes track driver), so we didn't really risk the hardware, but gave it a good go.
My impression is that the Panamera S sits half way between a 750 and a 911 in feel and personality. Perhaps its technical performance is closer to a 750 than 911, but the feeling of driving on challenging roads puts it in a place not occupied by other 4 seat cars.
Part of the sports feeling must be influenced by the low seating position. One's body does not feel the tipping-over sensation that a higher seating position would generate, irrespective of body roll. If one's head is lower to the pavement, there is a shorter pendulum arm to wag it about, even if one were riding on rails.
The suspension seems very well behaved over irregular elevation changes combined with fairly tight curves -- as long as the Panamera S had the Sport suspension setting twisted all they way to firm. If the damper control was turned to all the way toward comfort, there was less vertical control over the bums and dips where the car wanted to be light on its feet. This caused a slight "Porpoising" feeling coming down the bumpy slalom portions of the hills. I assume this was because the rear suspension unloaded pretty far on shock rebound and was extended more when it came time to compress again. With the Sport setting going full guns, it was a pure pleasure to drive those roads.
I was skeptical about how the Panamera would be to drive until I tried it myself. I am now very impressed -- impressed enough to want to purchase one. And, it looks in person so much better than in photos. The only disappointment of the day was the lack of a Turbo to drive.
Here's a question lead-in: I attended the Bentley Mulsanne pre-introduction party in conjunction with a whole bunch of media types. My wife and I were being chatted up by some press guy and we mentioned the Panamera test drive. He then said that the Turbo was a big let down for him, that it had too much power to easily control, and that the normally aspirated cars were much better to drive. He then lost a certain amount of credibility with me when he said that the Jaguar XF-R was better to his way of thinking. Who knows?
So, what about the Panamera Turbo being too hard to modulate on the throttle to be a good canyon carver? Inquiring minds want to know.
--
Mike
2005 Carrera GT - Signal Yellow
2008 Tesla Roadster - Thunder Gray
1972 BMW 3.0 CSi - Nachtblau
2009 Bentley Arnage T - Black Saphire