Porsche is one of the most iconic performance brands in the World and until recently the main vehicle associated with their global status was the legendary 911 two-seat sports cars that is regularly featured here. A lot has changed since that car was introduced over 50 years ago as Porsche launched an SUV in 2004 then six years later launched their first sedan, the Panamera.
The Panamera has been a huge financial success for Porsche accountants but its introduction while met with great fan fare here in the US had quite the number of detractors around the globe. The build quality rivaled any of its German luxury competitors and it delivered performance and a driving experience that was second to none. So what is the issue? Many of the so called “auto journalists” around the world thought the car was butt ugly!
I’ve always been a fan of the car and what it represented but I must admit I never thought the car was pretty. The Panamera has an unquestionable presence when you are standing in front of it or as many have experienced when it zips past you while you are motoring along on some street or highway but it doesn’t always photograph well. While it certainly won’t be mistaken for some Italian supermodel it’s got a distinctive look. Some of you guys might be wondering if that’s akin to describing a girl by first stating she’s got a great personality. It’s not like we are talking Pontiac Aztek looking. It delivers on the current trendy look of the four-door sports car. Auto manufacturers ranging from the ultra luxury Aston Martin Rapide to it’s Audi cousin the A7 all have similar silhouettes and lets not forget the Mercedes CLS and it’s lesser cousin the VW Passat CC.
Here’s the good news. Just like that “Plain Jane” girl you use to date, when she gets dressed up she can be really nice to look at and even more fun to play with! The Panamera has many variants ranging from the base model six cylinder all the way up to the mighty Turbo S and the news keeps getting better. This car has seen six model years in the US from 2010 to 2016 so there are plenty of these cars sitting on used car lots. There also have not been any major mechanical issues to be aware of and these cars were built to be daily drivers. These are fun to drive cars that offer practical use as they are called five door sedans. All that means is that these cars are fancy hatchbacks. There is no traditional trunk.
In summary I’ll circle back to their appearance, as some would argue that they look like a stretched out 911. I certainly see that argument and quite frankly don’t know if that’s a compliment because it depends on which 911 we are talking about. Which generation of the 911 gene pool are we stretching? Is it the 996, 997 or 991? I just Porsche geeked out on you so my apologies but check the links to each version of the 911 and you decide.
Around August of this year Porsche confirmed that the next generation Panamera would go on sale in January 2017.
The concept has proven its worth. It’s a sports car with four seats with all the comfort you could imagine from a sedan. The Panamera continues to be the driver's choice among flagship luxury vehicles whether it’s a car or SUV.
