2010 PORSCHE PANAMERA Review

Overview

The 2010 Porsche Panamera is Porsche's fifth model series joining the 911, Boxster and Cayman sports cars as well as the Cayenne SUV. This all new model is available in three versions, the rear-wheel drive S, the all-wheel drive 4S, and the all-wheel drive Turbo. The Panamera takes on the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class and Audi S8 in the market.

Powertrain And Performance

The newest member of the Porsche family, the Panamera, a four-door performance luxury sedan, is powered by a direct injection 4.8-liter V-8 making 400 hp in S and 4S models, while the Turbo is driven by a twin-turbocharging good for 500 hp. The Panamera is a front engined and rear wheel drive sports car sedan. The standard 7-speed Porsche Doppelkuppulung (PDK) allows fast shifting without significant interruption in traction and transfers the power to the standard active all-wheel drive Porsche Traction Management (PTM). The luggage compartment volume is 15.7 cubic feet. With rear seats folded, it increases to 44.6 cubic feet.

Build And Styling

The Panamera is a highly sophisticated brand new Porsche which follows the design philosophy refined over decades on the 911 and successfully implemented on the Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne. The Panamera S' standard exterior features include 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, adaptive suspension dampers, rear parking sensors, and a power rear hatch. The interior is well equipped with a dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats, a tilt-telescoping steering column, driver memory functions, heated front seats, leather upholstery, a 60/40-split rear seatback and rear bucket seats. A hard-drive-based navigation system and an 11-speaker CD audio system are also standard. The Panamera 4S is an all-wheel drive model. The top end model Panamera Turbo features 19-inch wheels, front parking sensors, adaptive air suspension with load-leveling and adjustable ride height and keyless ignition/entry. Inside, 10-way power front seats and adjustable lumbar support, expanded driver memory functions, a power-adjustable steering column, heated rear seats, a full leather interior, an Alcantara headliner and a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system are the key features. All of the Turbo's extra features, except the turbo engine, are available on the S and 4S. A very long list of options including Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (adaptive antiroll bars and a limited-slip rear differential), 20-inch wheels, "ruffled" leather upholstery, four-zone climate control, a rear-seat refrigerator, Bluetooth, a rear-seat entertainment system, satellite radio, an iPod interface, a six-CD/DVD changer and a 16-speaker Burmester high-end surround-sound system allows buyers to customize their cars easily.

Safety Features

The 2010 Porsche Panamera comes with a long list of standard safety features including antilock brakes (with brake assist), stability and traction control, front-seat and rear-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and front knee airbags. Ceramic composite brakes and a rearview camera are available.