Porsche Panamera S: Versatile sports car for a family offers best of both worlds

The Porsche Panamera S sums up many contradictions in one inclusive four-door luxury sports hatchback with no direct competitors in the market.
Its uniqueness encompasses a sport car performance with luxury of Porsche active suspension management and versatility of hatchback with four seats and plenty of luggage space.
It is said that a four-door GT was the dream of company founder Ferdinand Porsche, and he would be proud of this Panamera.
Testing a 2014 Panamera S in the UK for a week revealed a big-size sports car disguised in GT four-door coupe clothing.
The twin-turbo, three liter V6 engine offers 420HP on tap with a torque of 520 N/m. Top speed is 178 miles per hours and acceleration gets to 62mph in 5.1 seconds.
Yet, combined fuel consumption is 32 mpg and emission is no more than 204 grams per kilometer.
It has start/stop technology which helps in lowering fuel consumption.
The low emission level lowers tax liability in the UK, which is an added bonus.
The design clues of the exterior combines hints of the 911, prominent wheel arches and power bulge on the bonnet.
Air intakes at the front are wide and front headlights add to the aerodynamic appearance.
The back window is large and clear making rear vision one of the best in a sporty coupe-like design.
The Panamera S comes to its own in interior design, especially of the center piece between the two front seats which resembles control panels of private jets.
Quality exudes from the fine material and attention to details in interior design.
Rear legroom is adequate even without need for the long-wheel based version addressing the needs of the Chinese market where Panamera is mostly sold.
Standard equipment in the $105,000 Panamera S include bi-xenon headlights; front and rear park-assist; Porsche communication management 3.0 with navigation, jukebox function and digital radio; heated front seats; powerlift tailgate; and Bluetooth phone module.
Added options
The test car carried about $15,000 worth of options including 20 inch turbo wheels; adaptive sports seats with memory; sports exhaust system; sports chrono package; universal audio interface and online services.
The steering wheel is a SportDesign with paddleshift.
All models are equipped with the seven-speed PDK transmission which is essentially a dual-system that can be used in manual or automatic modes. Stop/start technology is included to save fuel but the driver can opt out of this feature.
Despite the significant size and weight of the Panamera S, it actually sounds and moves like a Porsche. Suspension is firm and even firmer in Sport and Sport Plus modes. On top of the dashboard there is a stop watch that is constantly running to help in timing laps on the track. This feature is lacking in most sports cars.
The car is poised at motorway speeds and gives drivers confidence in overtaking. It is not as comfortable in town especially when road surfaces are not level and badly maintained as is the case in some English villages. Yet, the car feels nimble on country roads despite its width of almost two meters.
At high speeds, one appreciates the precision of steering typical of all Porsche cars.
This, coupled with the Porsche Active Suspension, makes for a quality sport ride unmatched in other luxury saloons.
The V6, three-liter engine provides enough power and torque with the twin-turbo to resemble that of a V8 of an older Panamera version.
The list of standard equipment is quite generous but going for the optional extras can pump the price up substantially.
The Panamera S deserves more praise for its qualities which combines sports performance and practical size with good design. After testing the car for more than a week, one can say it ranks among the favorite Porsches driven in the past year.
GCC drivers would be pleased to know that this is essentially a driver’s car. It offers sports performance with room for a family and luggage; the best of both worlds.
Dubai features as one the world cities with highest demand for Panamera with sales in 2012 totaling 285 cars ahead of Tokyo, Moscow and Berlin.
For the Middle East Porsche has revealed the Panamera 4S, said to be exclusive for the region and limited to a production run of 66 units.
It is customized by Porsche Design with white metallic exterior and Carrera red interior.