[Porcupine]

2016 Porsche Panamera Edition Diesel

Signature Porsche face – a timeless and classic design reminiscent of the original 1963 911 Carrera - not likely to change anytime soon. Every new Porsche model is an evolutionary design that build on the classic Porsche lines. Even the next-gen Panamera has a similar face.

[Porcupine]

What I like

• Handsome front end of the car, especially with the DRL’s running.
• True sports-car like silhouette with the added benefit of rear doors and seats
• Massive road presence, you’d be surprised if you’re out on a drive and people don’t turn to look at you
• The V6 diesel engine is one of the entry level options along with the V6 petrol, but is highly potent and has more than enough pulling power for Mumbai roads
• Very precise gear box, always at the right gear even at slow city speeds, unlike most modern German’s which I find, are always one gear higher than you want them to be even in 'Sports Mode' - especially the Mercs
• On deceleration it holds the revs just that wee-bit longer, and the throttle slightly blips on downshifts to match the revs, makes it quite a bit of fun
• Engine has a nice tone to it even on mild throttle inputs, the exhausts are quite muted though
• Incredible grip levels with wide Michelin Super Sports in a staggered set-up
• Staggered set-up with massive 285/40/R19 at the rear, and 255/45/R19 at the front
• Massive brakes that help reduce any amounts of speed without the slightest shudder
• Solid and sturdy chassis, built to precision instills confidence when pushing the car through corners at speed
• Extremely precise and nicely weighted steering wheel, points the car exactly where you intended, its almost like its reading your mind
• Loaded to the gills with equipment, the options list was nearly all ticked
• Extremely spacious cabin all around, with comfortable seats that grip you in all the right places
• Fit and finish of the interior is immaculate, the leather is one of the highest qualities I’ve seen and is literally everywhere your eyes can see
• Craftsmanship of plastic and metal components in the cabin is absolutely pristine and everything has a premium feel
• 100ltr Diesel fuel tank, makes fuel stops very scarce – even with the not so great fuel effeciency
• Surprisingly good ride quality, I would say under some conditions it is on par with our W222 S350 CDI (which has the best ride quality I’ve ever experienced)
• PASM - Porsche Active Suspension Management gives the car three different adjustable heights - a real boon as you can raises the suspension to help the car negotiate bumps and speed-breakers due to the horribly low ground clearance
• Electronically extending rear spoiler is a nice party-piece, though not much practical application in Mumbai's driving conditions
• All four seats have electronic adjustments; the fronts are 14-way adjustable while the rears are 8-way adjustable
• Acres of leg space for rear passengers; the bulbous roofline leaves enough headroom for even a 7-footer

What I don't like

• Ingress and especially egress is difficult due to the car being extremely low - my mom refuses to even get in!
• The boot is large by floor space, but the low boot lid reduces the vertical load space by a huge margin making it impossible to stack luggage
• OVRM’s are small and triangular, added with the wide rear haunches of the car, visibility is average.
• Rear View Mirror too is small, and the rear windscreen is at an awkward rake, and the angle hinders visibility. The electronically extending spoiler when extended further reduces nearly 25% of the visibility.
• Very poor ground clearance, even small speed-breakers have to be tackled with care, anything bigger than that needs to have the suspension raised to avoid scraping the belly of the car
• Shallow dealer and service network, makes availability of simple spares (even tyres) lead to a long waiting time.
• New generation model has already been launched, although the changes are quite evolutionary as is standard procedure with Porsche
• The spare tyre, even though its extremely undersized; eats into the already frugal boot space
• Strictly a 4-seater, there is a console in between the two rear bucket seats
• Steering feels a bit heavy at slow speeds during city/traffic drives
• Porsche's options list is extensive and very expensive which can really inflate the price of your car; but some options are unavoidable as the base car is quite bare bones even at this price point
• Poor fuel economy even though it is a Diesel

[Porcupine]

The Search

I was driving an ageing 2009 E90 BMW 325i, and truly loved the car. But the age was starting to show, and the car had started to look and feel worn out. Not that that couldn't be taken care of, but usually we don't keep a car in the garage for over 5 years. When it was decided that I would be going in for an upgrade, I had already made up my mind on what criteria I was going for.

• V6 Engine - The power in the S350 has got me hooked, even though I don't personally drive it too often. The diesel V6's are just ferocious, with enough torque that you could tow your entire house and garage on a trailer behind you.

• 4-door Sedan - The car had to be a 4-door sedan. I'm not much into SUVs, as I feel the pothole littered Mumbai roads make a very unsteady ride. Also could not be a sports car as I needed to have 4 doors with proper seats at the rear, as I often take my family or friends when I go out.

• Young and Vibrant Looks - I wanted the car to look something like what a 25 year old like me would drive. The luxo-barges like the S-Class, 7 Series, A8 and XJL are something suitable for a more mature person. Also the latter two are seriously ageing, and with an S-Class already in the garage, the 7 Series was not even given a look.

Mercedes E350d
The new E-Class is actually really awesome, but MB India launching it only in the LWB version was kind of a no go for me. That added with the fact that it is essentially the same as our W222 S350 only in a smaller mold, was nearly the nail in the coffin here. I also don’t like the fact that the design is so similar to the C-Class that it’s very difficult to tell them apart at first glance, it is only when you look carefully or look at it from the side that it becomes clear as to what it really is.

Mercedes C43 AMG
I actually thought of the C63 AMG as one of the very first options, but it is grossly overpriced in India (same price as the S500 Maybach – ex showroom Mumbai), which made me look at the C43 AMG. Even without the V8 of the C63, the C43 is still a mighty ride, a true wolf in sheeps clothing. The power is ferocious and the sound is nearly full-blown AMG. A real special car here. The problem I had with this one was, for the money, its almost exactly like the regular C-Class, aesthetically speaking. The rear seats are small, and this was almost like the 3 series I was currently driving.

BMW 530d
Having a 520d in the family already, I didn’t ever really consider this option at all. I know the new model is still on the way, but I didn’t want to wait that long.

BMW 640d Gran Coupe
I’ve actually always like the 6 series Gran Coupe. I was hoping to pick up a 640d Coupe when they first launched but somehow that never worked out. Soon after, BMW stopped marketing the Coupes and Convertibles here along with the entire 650i line-up, leaving us with only the 640d GC in two variants. But again, after much debate, the 6 GC has a very familiar BMW look and feel to it, and having driven a BMW for a while I really wanted to move away from that.

Audi S5 Sportback
This was a wild card. While on paper the car is good, it is really showing its age. The new model is on the way and the current S5 literaaly drwons and goes unnoticed in the sea of A4’s and A6’s on our roads. The interiors are really dated, and availability of the car in the specification you want is extremely difficult to source.

Maserati Ghibli
The Ghibli was the front-runner to be the next member of our garage. I was in fact so sure that this would be the one, that I had almost announced to my inner circle that I’d be getting a black Ghibli. The reality of the beast though is much different. First of all, getting to the showroom isn’t easy, its in the Taj Santacruz hotel and has near airport level security (as it’s partially connected to the terminal). The ghibli is stunning externally but that’s where the fairytale ends. The interiors are really nothing special, no comparison to the germans. Some of the materials feel cheap, the center screen is big but has a tacky feel to it. The driving position, drivetrain and gearbox are fabulous, but for the money it leaves a lot more to be desired. The gear stick is very finicky and you can easily miss Reverse and slot it in neutral. The rear seats have nearly no space and seem like an afterthought. This was actually one of the most disappointing test drives I’ve had. Maybe the Quattroporte is a whole different story, but I didn’t check that out as it was way over my budget.

Porsche Panamera
Now I must say, the Panamera was never really in contention, as I was always under the impression that if one was to have a decently optioned Porsche, you need to have VERY deep pockets. Along with the fact that the next-gen model was about to be revealed at the time, I wasn’t too keen on getting an outgoing car. This all changed however when I accompanied my friend to have a look at the Porsche Macan which he was interested in booking. And there I saw it, sitting pretty on the showroom floor a heavily optioned Panamera Edition Diesel. Now the beauty of the ‘Edition’ variant is that a lot of the features which are otherwise very expensive options, are standard. This helps make the car a better package overall and makes the high price somewhat justifiable.

After all the test drives it was clear to me that the only two real options that I wanted to consider were the C43 AMG and the Panamera Edition Diesel. The issue with that was, it’s quite a chalk and cheese comparison. The way I broke it down was, the C-Class is way too common, and more importantly its much smaller, less prestigious and simple isn’t a Porsche. Dynamically, I found the Porsche to be a better handling car too, and being much bigger, lower and sleeker has that feel of a proper sports sedan.

Another thing to consider here was the Porsche is nearly twice the price of the C43, and technically I could have considered the C63 if I stretched a little. But we were already stretching for the Porsche and truth be told, after the first drive my heart was truly set on the Panamera.

[Porcupine]

Dealership Experience

'Marsala Red' full leather interior package with Piano Black trim. The leather looks dark brown in photos but is more burgundy/magenta in real life, it's very difficult to capture the true colour in person.

The Porsche Mumbai Dealership is truly great. They have a huge space with easily 10 cars inside the showroom from all over the range. The staff is incredibly friendly! The first time I went, my friend and I were very warmly greeted and offered refreshment. They have plenty of seating available in the showroom as waiting areas, until the Sales Assistant came to welcome us and show us around. After my friend was done with his enquiries for the Macan, I proceeded with my my interest for the Panamera. The person was extremely knowledgable and knew most of the options at the tip of his fingers in that particular car.

I wanted to find out if they had any other petrol variants available. So the SA told me that being the largest Porsche dealer in the country, it gave him access not only to Porsche India's stock, but also to the stock of all the other dealers pan-India! He logged on to the system and the search revealed that there were no other variants currently available, but there was a Panamera 4S on order. The only other ones available were both Edition Diesels, one was a Sapphire Blue Metallic with Red interior; it was optioned exactly the same as the white one that I purchased. The second car was an Agate Grey Metallic with black interior. This one was a looker for sure but quite frugal on the options list! I was pretty set on the white one already, but the SA insisted that we go to their 'customisation room' and cook up a spec that would be tailor made to my liking.

Now this part of the process was very impressive. They have a private set up in the depths of the showroom with a conference table and massive screens, that run the car configurator that's also available on their website that lets you configure their cars to your liking, and at the end generates a unique code for the vehicle you just specced, that can be used in any dealership worldwide and it will open up your specification! Not only that, but they have samples of every paint, interior leather and trim, rims and other options available for you to touch and feel! Creating your own custom car doesn't get anymore special than this. Also this configurator has a lot more options available than the one online, and literally everything imaginable can be made to your specification, from the exterior colour to the the colour of the stitching on the dashboard, to the colour of the AC vents.

While all this is spiffy though, it must be noted that these custom built cars have a lead time of around 6-8 months depending on the complexity of your order - there are some paint to sample colours that only go into production at specific times and this can lead to the 6-8 month period increasing to upwards of 14 months!

At this time however, my heart was set on the white Panamera, with the 'Marsala' interior. I told him that I'd go home and have a chat with my parents, and that he should wait for my call. Parents were pretty happy with my choice over all, my mom was a little concerned over the car being too attention attracting, and while my father and I managed to dismiss her worries, she isn't completely wrong! The car does get a LOT of looks when driving around in daytime.

A couple of days later, I called the SA who had eagerly been expecting my call. I told him we were almost ready, but I'd come down to the showroom again with my parents as they wanted to have a look at the car themselves. He said not to worry, and brought the car down to my residence after which my father and I both took turns with a long test drive of their showroom car. After we returned to our office, we worked out the formalities with him, and since he had the car ready in the showroom, there was no question of a booking amount or anything of that sort, as after receiving the full payment he could get the car registered.

The car was truly brand new, it had been in the showroom only for 4 days, having cleared customs just a couple of days before that. The SA told us that we could take our time with the decision, and in the meantime he could have the discounts/warranties/service packages all worked out for us. He called me the next evening saying he was ready on his end; we were too on ours but didn't tell him anything yet. The next day he visited our office again with all the workings, and finally with a few cups of tea and handshakes we signed and handed over the cheque for our first Porsche! What a feeling!

Almost 12 days passed, and finally I received the call saying our car was prepared and ready for delivery! My father and I left office early that day, got in the car and drove to the Porsche dealership, and they were expecting us! After all the pleasantries and formalities were taken care of and the ceremonial pooja was carried out, I was handed over the keys of my very own Porsche Panamera Edition! The drive home was one of the best drives I've had in my life.

And she's finally home!

[Porcupine]

Car Specs and Options

I'm attaching the specification sheet of this car, with how the car was optioned. I've blanked out the prices for personal reasons; so PM me for more details.

[Porcupine]

Exterior and Safety Features

The car had 35kms on the odometer at the time of delivery. Even though I use this car as my daily drive, my daily commute to work isn’t much as it’s only about a 10km round trip. Apart from that I use the car on night outs and mainly weekend drives. One thing I find is that parking this car in public or on the side of a road makes me very uncomfortable due to the attention it attracts. There are always people running up to it and taking photos with it, due to which I avoid taking it out unless I know there is indoor parking available – like for example inside a friend’s building or in at a 5-star hotel with parking available. This limits some of it’s use. Till date I’ve only managed to do about 2700kms in about 5 months!

Exterior styling & design

Porsche first introduced the radically new Panamera back in 2010. It was the first 4-door luxury sports-sedan produced by the brand following the coupe styling introduced by the Mercedes CLS, a trend which was then followed also by the Audi A7, BMW 6 series Gran Coupe. The Panamera however has always had a bit of an identity all of its on, as it features a little bit of a ‘hatchback’ style more than a four door coupe. The Panamera was designed to blend the performance and excitement one expects out of a Porsche with a dose of comfort for longer journeys.

On launch the Panamera received quite a love it or hate it reaction. Its controversy stems from how different it was from Porsche’s history; but the same was said for the Cayenne when it was introduced. Fast forward to today and the 4-door sedan and the big ol’ SUV of the Porsche stable are the stable’s sales volume leaders.

Porsche claims all of its cars use styling cues taken from the 911 as their basis and the Panamera is no different. When the Panamera launched, it was expected to be Porsche’s rendition of what a ‘4-door 911’ would be like. Now they aren’t very far off with that claim. The shutline of the Panamera’s bonnet for example, and the high-set front wings, are obvious 911 traits, seen from the very first 911 that launched in 1963, as is the falling side window line. The problem arises here, as all the coupes are rear or mid-engined two-door coupes and the lines are easy to match. The difficult part is making the traditional 911-style sloping roofline work with this luxury sedan’s proportions. It’s the way the roofline curves that was generally frowned upon by the automotive community. But as the years went by it has sort of grown on to some in the community, but most would still call the look of the Panamera an ‘acquired taste’.

In 2014 the Panamera got its first ‘mid-cycle refresh’ or facelift in layman terms. The design remains largely unchanged with slight tweaks and softening of a few lines. It features a new front fascia with larger air dams, accented with full LED headlights in a redesigned package and casing. At the back the taillights are sleeker and the controversial rear hatch has been smoothened out with more level glass. This however puts the glass at a very awkward angle from the point of view of the driver, making rearward visibility very poor. I feel that although the changes are subtle, they add a lot more to the character of the car, and make the looks far more palatable. This car is W-I-D-E, and while driving you can actually feel the width, even with the impressive dynamics. It’s very low and squat, with even wider haunches in the rear. The front end is signature Porsche, with the headlight tunnels running all the way up to the windscreen. Behind the front wheels is a massive air vent to cool the brakes that is accentuated by LED turn signal lights riding above it. It’s important to note that while most of the manufacturers are going with blinkers integrated into the OVRM’s, Porsche has stuck to the old-school method with sticking them on the side of the front fenders.

The roofline is long, and sloping, with the windows drooping lower. The big bulky bum of the car still remains the edgiest feature of the car, but is now accentuated with brand new LED tail lights. At the base of the rear windscreen is the spoiler, that can be extended at the touch of a button.

The tailgate has a ‘Powerlift Function’ which is basically an electrically opening and closing, controlled by buttons. Just above the spoiler is the boot release button, one press and the entire rear boot along with the rear glass opens to reveal the massive boot. The automatic opening mechanism and the massive size of the boot panel means one has to be careful opening it in locations with a low ceiling, as it has a very high chance of hitting the ceiling. Even a soft touch stops the motion, but still must be careful. However there is a system which helps you determine how much the tail gate should open automatically. This is done by leaving the tailgate open to the desired position and pressing the lock button. Now everytime you open it, it will only rise up to this level. If a wider opening angle is require, it can always be manually pushed higher.

The rear valence of the car is matte black, and offers a nice contrast on the lighter colours. Two massive exhaust pipes reside here that give the car a sportier look.

The sunroof is just a standard issue sunroof, and not a massive panoramic ones like you see on the luxo-barges these days. It’s funny that the Panamera doesn’t even have the option of a panoramic roof; even the Cayenne and 911 have it. Maybe it has something to do with the massive curve of the roof-line?

This car is has the optional ‘Monochrome Black Exterior Pack’ that removes all the chrome bits (mostly the trim around the windows and few bits here and there) and replaces them with a glossy black trim giving the car a meaner and sportier look. The chrome trim always looks out of place on sporty coupes.

The car features ‘Soft Close Doors’. This actually does away with the infamous “thud” of German doors, as the doors no longer need to be slammed shut. The door can be pulled/pushed gently into the latch, and then and internal electro-magnetic motor pulls it in to secure the door closed. This option is also available on most of the big luxury sedans. It also has ‘Variable Door Stops’. What this means is that it doesn’t have the pre-determined three positions for the open angle like most other cars. It has an integrated magnet mechanism located at the door hinges, door can be left open at any angle, making egress out of tight spots stress free as you don’t have to worry about the door bouncing open into the next pre-determined lock position and end up hitting the wall or curb next to you.

The OVRMs are attached on a single stem directly onto the main door panel, instead of in the corner of the window. They have an ‘automatic folding function’ and can be folded from a button located on the drivers side with the rest of the mirror controls. They automatically fold and unfold when the car is locked/unlocked from outside with the key fob.

The real party piece of this car is the Retractable Rear Spoiler. This can be extended/retracted manually or automatically depending on the conditions. If the car is doing above 127km/h, the spoiler automatically extends and once the speed drops below 112km/h the spoiler retracts. To retract manually, one click of the the spoiler extension button extends it even at low speeds, and then does not retract till you want to do it manually, and speed of the vehicle has no effect on this. It is not a one click retraction however, you must press and keep the button held down till the spoiler has retracted all the way in.

Something that this car surprisingly misses out on is keyless entry and start/stop function! The locking and unlocking has to be done from the key fob instead and the ignition protocol is old school, where you have to insert the key, put your foot on the brakes and turn to ignite! Another option that was missed out on was the rear entertainment system, but this is an option I can live without. It’s there in other cars we own and personally I haven’t used it even once to date. However it is a bit annoying as this means there is no remote to control the main entertainment system and the passenger always has to request the driver for any inputs.

Wheels & Tyres

This car is equipped with 19-inch Panamera Turbo II rims with coloured center caps. Believe it or not, the ‘coloured center caps’ with the coloured Porsche crest are a cost-option. The standard version has a monochrome black Porsche crest logo. The rims are 5-dual spokes and the large gaps make it easy to see the massive brake discs that take cover behind the rims.

The Panamera Edition has a staggered set-up, and the rears are a absolutely massive 285/40/R19, which is just about half an inch shy of being 1-foot wide! This set up give the car a very mean stance especially when viewed from the rear. The fronts come in a 255/45/R19 configuration and are quite wide in their own right. From the showroom it was equipped with Michelin Pilot Super Sports, which while being a fantastic tyre, the unconventional size means it is going to be a pain source, unless you route it directly through Porsche India; which results in an excruciatingly high price and a long waiting time (a friend had to wait 3 weeks for them to import a tyre).

As far as grip is concerned though, even with the wide tyres and all the electronic aids, you can feel a gentle slip at the rear under heavy acceleration but the aids help keep it tidy. But beyond that you’d probably need nothing short of a forklift to take these tyres off the black-top, they are seriously planted to the ground. The handling is perfect, and instills so much confidence in the driver that chucking the car into high-speed corners has become almost something of a reflex when you see one. A dangerous habit as there are other cars in our garage that come nowhere close to this haha! The ride quality is just absolutely impressive, it absorbs every bump and just glides over the road especially in Comfort Mode on the suspension. I'm amazed that they could get this sort of ride quality especially on Indian roads with 19-inch rims. It's almost as good as our W222 with the fancy air suspension - and that's actually the best ride quality I have experienced in any car (including the Bentley Flying Spurs!).

It comes with an 'Inflatable Spare Tyre', which is on a very narrow rim. This doesn't even have a dedicated storage space and just sits in the awkwardly shaped boot, eating into the space.

Safety & related equipment

This car has the upgraded ‘LED headlight system including Porsche Dynamic Lighting System Plus (PDLS+)’ which is Porsche’s version of adaptive lights. They swivel in the direction of the road, judged by the steering inputs so as to clearly illuminate the turn you are about to take. They have a ‘highway function’ that changes the distribution of the low beam lights to increase the field of vision when you’re driving about 135km/h. Next to the main headlights, within the headlight cluster are ‘Static Cornering Lights’. These are also full LEDs and activate in care of a sharp turn (judged again on steering input), or when the turn signal is activated while the car is under 40km/h. Lastly, it has ‘High-Beam Assist Plus’. There is a tiny camera located at the top of the windscreen, near the rear view mirror cluster that detects oncoming vehicles or stationary vehicles you may be approaching and automatically selects between low and high beam when the car is at speeds above 60km/h. Function aside, they also look beautiful, LED main headlights with four-spot daytime running lights that illuminate within a chrome ring, giving the illusion that the entire circular ring are the DRLs.

The brakes have a ‘Hold and Standstill Management System’. The Hold function, as an assistance function, assists the driver when stopping and driving off on upward slopes. The vehicle is automatically prevented from rolling back from the desired direction of travel. It can even be done on level roads while in traffic by giving an extra push to the brake pedal once the car is stationary until the “HOLD” indicator light comes on in the instrument cluster.

It also has the other slew of safety features such as front, side, rear and knee airbags. Traction Control, ABS, and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. These are just like the other cars in the industry and no need to go into detail.

Staring into her face, the traditional Porsche look


Front quarter in my opinion is the best view


Low front profile


The sloping roofline. Note the sticker placed in front of the rear wheel to protect the paint on the protruding fender from flying debris


Rear Quarter showing the spoiler in the extended position


Head on rear view of the car, perhaps the ungliest and the most controversial view of the Panamera


Matte black rear valence with massive exhaust outlets


Full LED PDLS+ headlights are absolutely gorgeous and really improve the look of the car over the standard HID set up. Not to mention the incredible brightness along with the adaptive technology


Redesigned full LED Taillights are much sleeker on this facelifted model


OVRMs rooted directly into the door panel instead of the corner of the window like traditional cars


Large vent on the front fender along with the 'Diesel' badge. The only giveaway that this is a diesel model apart from the rev counter on the dash


Massive 19 inch rims covering the large brakes

[Porcupine]

Interior

Well-crafted Porsche Crest adorns the steering wheel.

My car was equipped with the 'Marsala Leather Interior'. According to the dealership guys this is one of the rarest optioned leather colours, with the most common being Beige, Black and Red/Black. It is a dark magenta/burgundy colour that looks exceedingly purple in certain lighting conditions, and is very, very rich but oh so hard to capture perfectly in photos (ends up looking dark brown). The leather is very soft and every panel that you can see or touch is wrapped in this leather with double stitching in the same colour. It is incredibly luxurious and supple. The trim is polished aluminium and Piano Black Lacquer, that perfectly accentuates the colour of the leather. A wooden trim would have looked a bit pale and bland on a leather this rich in shade. With that said however, the Piano Black trim is extremely glossy and is a magnet for fingerprints and potentially scratches in the future.

As it is, the Panamera doesn’t sit directly alongside its luxo barge rivals, and further stands out by having four bucket seats making it impossible to seat a fifth passenger (unless it’s a child sitting on a passenger’s lap). The car is strictly a four seater with four purpose built bucket seats, all of them with the additional ‘Porsche Crest Embossed Headrests’. The front seats are 14-way adjustable with 3 memory setting functions.

While the seats might look uncomfortable due to the sport bucket seat shape, the reality is miles apart. They are incredibly comfy with ample cushioning all around and great lumbar and under-thigh support. The multitude of seat adjustment options means it is very easy to find the perfect seating position as is comfortable for you, and no individual will be left feeling out of place in this seat. The side bolstering is ample and even this can be adjusted for with, to find just the right balance to hold you into the seat when you’re busy pushing the car. The seating position however is really low, and you really sit nearly on the floor of the car. Initially the driving position is a little intimidating because of how low you sit, along with the width of the car and the high bonnet with the power dams in front of you, but you soon get used to it.

The visibility to be honest, is not the best. The pillars don’t obstruct too much of the view but the OVRMs are incredibly small. They show you enough of what’s going on around you but the wide rear fenders obstruct the view and no matter how you position them, you won’t get a very wide view. This is also owing to the fact that they are very triangular and not convex enough.

The central mirror is decently sized but the rear window is tiny and raked at a very awkward angle, not to mention its very high for the position you sit in. Once the retractable rear spoiler is extended (I usually drive with the spoiler extended), you are giving up a further 20-25% of your rear view. Fortunately it comes equipped with all round parking sensors and a rear parking camera that make parking easy enough.

The center console is very high – for me its at my elbow height, and laden with numerous buttons; and runs all the way through the rear seats, separating all four seats in the car making it strictly a 4-seater. The height makes the console very ergonomic and puts the gear shift lever in a very natural spot for where your hand naturally falls. It is also much wider than you expect it to be, and the driver and passenger sit quite far apart from each other. The buttons are all very high quality plastic accented by chrome and have very little give, with a very firm click with every press, makes them a lot of fun to use. They chrome lining on some of the buttons are inlaid with tiny LEDs to indicate whether that function is presently active or inactive.

The upper portion of either side of the center console deals with the air conditioning and climate control. It has four-zone climate control, which gives each of the four passengers in the car their own set of controls on their side of the center console. There are two small LED screens on either side of the panel that show the set temperature for that zone. Under that are two switches that can be pushed up or down. One controls the temperature setting, while the other controls the fan speed. You can also set a certain temperature and set the system to ‘Auto’, which then controls the fan speed, air distribution and air quantity on its own, overriding the fan settings that were set manually. You can also manually control the air distribution either towards the windscreen, towards you, or in the footwell manually with the buttons located on the console. The “SYNC” button also overrides the manual controls for individual passengers and syncs all the air conditioning systems to the driver’s setting. There is also and A/C MAX button, that does exactly what you expect it to, a great feature when your car is parked out in the sun and you get into it to find a furnace! The air conditioning quality is extremely good and cools the car quickly and has a huge variance in whichever temperature you find suitable. And interesting thing to note here was that during the test drive, the SA explicitly mentioned “Sir, the a/c isn’t very strong in the Panamera and cooling takes time”, but I don’t find this to be the case and is actually excellent and cools very quickly even at low fan speeds - unlike our S-Class which often needs high fan speeds to cool the car initially or in very strong sun. The rest of the console has settings for the Sport Modes and Suspension settings of the PASM, which I will cover a little later on in this review.

The gear lever is also leather wrapped accented with polished aluminium and set in an aluminium panel. It's functionality is very unique, and the stalk has a switch placed on top that must be pushed down to move it, as opposed to in the front of the stalk as is conventionally placed. Each slot has a distinct thud, and the gear lever is reasonably heavy to move into the slots, but feels very nice to use; its very solid and actually feels like your moving something mechanical under there with a lever. It can be pulled towards you and then used to control the transmission manually or through the paddles on the multi-function steering wheel. Though a note here is that the paddles on the steering wheel are very unconventional and unintuitive, as both the left and right paddles are used for both upshifts (by pushing down) and downshifts (by pulling back). It is very confusing at first if you’re used to conventional flappy paddle gear shifters. Even the manual option of the gear lever is in reverse format of what you find usually; push forward to go up a gear and pull back to go down a gear.

The instrument cluster has 5 circular displays in a very clearly set out bold display. From left to right their functions are:

1. Engine oil pressure gauge and engine oil temperature gauge
2. Speedometer
3. Tachometer is the central and largest panel in the cluster, and under the needle is also a tiny gear selection indicator and an LED screen that shows which gear the car currently is in when in Drive.
4. LED Multi-Function Display
5. Coolant temperature and fuel gauge

There are 3 control stalks behind the steering unit, two on the left and one on the right. The one on the top left controls the high-beam and the turn indicators – clearly a USA/EU orientation. The one below it controls the Adaptive Cruise Control settings. And the one on the right controls the wiper settings (intensity and automatic wiper controls). The main headlight controls are through a Euro style rotary knob.

The Park Assist has 10 sensors in total, 6 in the front and 4 at the rear. It has three different tones and colour warnings green/mild sound, yellow/louder sound and red/loud sound to tell the driver how close an object is. The Rear Parking Camera shows the area behind the car and the guidelines turn with the steering inputs, showing where the vehicle would be.

3 Memory Setting Buttons for seat adjustment located on the side panel. Note the central locking buttons inside the door handle, saves on space and very practically located.



Window, OVRM and boot release button located lower on the door panel



Aluminium trim strip above the glove box folds open, revealing two fold out cupholders.



Oddly shaped OVRM; protruding rear fenders - the effect looks even more dramatic in this photo due to the angle.



Very poor rear vision due to tiny window raked at an awkward angle; the rear spoiler is extended in this photo further reducing the rear frame of vision.



Button-laden center console



Spoiler extend/retract button. Red LED indicates the spoiler is currently extended manually.



Temperature toggles along with purposeful LED screen

Driver's view of the cockpit

The steering wheel has two buttons and one rotary button on each side that control the multi-function display located in the instrument cluster.

Steering wheel controls and the very unintuitive 'flappy paddles'

Euro style headlight control knob

[Porcupine]

Multi-Function Display

The instrument panel is laid out with with typical Porsche accuracy. The dials are absolutely clear and crisp; at the center is a large gun-sight rev gauge, but the star of the show is definitely the fourth dial from the left, which is a full colour LED screen.

The multifunction display is the go to screen for the driver, which allows you to view and control all of the vehicle information at the touch of a button. It is controlled by the rotary knob on the right hand side of the steering wheel, scrolling it up or down to go through the various options, pressing it to enter and a dedicated ‘back’ button under it to exit menus.

The display shows all of the current vehicle information from the onboard computer and settings that you might require, from the oil levels, the tyre pressure monitor, music system controls, trip information, time and date settings, and the best of all, a full navigation map so that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to look at the center console screen. The rotary knob on the left hand side controls the volume of the music.

Something sorely missed on the steering wheel controls is a knob to directly change the track/radio stations! Instead, you must scroll onto the music screen, press the button to actually select the menu, and only then can you scroll to change the track/station.

Multi-Function Display showing the map. Very handy feature when you've set a location on the navigation unit, as the GPS route can be viewed here instead of having to look at the center screen.



Multi-Function Display showing the trip information.



Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) display on the Multi-Function Display. Everytime you start up the car it must be driven above 25km/h for about 10 seconds while the TPMS recalibrates giving you an accurate reading.



The most used feature of the Multi-Function Display, displaying what music you're playing.



All the other vehicle settings that can be controlled through the MFD on the menu screen (taken from the Porsche Manual)

[Porcupine]

Rear Seats and Comfort

First and foremost, the rear is s-p-a-c-i-o-u-s! The layout, with its tall centre console running throughout the cabin, was originally designed for the Carrera GT, which was then adopted for the Panamera and then trickled down through the rest of the Porsche line-up. It didn’t cause an adverse effect on its 2-door models, but on the Panamera it means that there are two individual bucket seats in the back rather than a bench. In many ways it’s a bonus, as the seats are be widely adjustable; something that you can’t do with a bench (of course now Mercedes and BMW have found a way to do it).

Two fully leather clad bucket seats do business here but the scalloped roofline offers loads of head space, and the longish wheelbase allows there to be plenty of leg room for rear passengers even if the driving seat is adjusted for a 6+ footer. Even taller or heftier passengers will not have anything to complain about in the rear seats of the Panamera.

With that said however, the ingress/egress is an entirely different story. The seats are incredibly low, and the door is shaped awkwardly. Even though it opens at a wide enough angle, the slope of the roofline and the wheel well means one has to really fold in on themselves to get into the back seat. It is near impossible to climb in; in traditional fashion, one must first seat themselves sideways then carry their legs into the cabin - my girlfriend gives me a lot of grief for this. Egress is even harder. I consider myself to be strong and able bodied, and climbing out of the rear is a proper pain in the backside even for me, and you must hold on to the front seats in order to pull yourself out. I get a lot of flak for this from my mother (who refuses to sit in the back seat due to her back problems).

The seats themselves are almost identical to the front seats. The thigh support is slightly lesser, but is electronically adjustable along with a slight recline available for the back rest and a four way lumbar adjustment. The center console runs all the way to the back, splitting the rear seats making it a strict 4-seater. The rear console has two air vents for the a/c, the climate controls and LED screens which are identical to the front, and also controls that allow you to adjust the front passenger seat from behind! Makes it very convenient for the passenger sat at the back to create a more comfortable environment without having to disturb the driver to move the front seat away. The center console also has a small storage compartment but this is quite narrow.

The pull out armrest has two configurations. The first one is smaller and remains suspended in the air. To be honest it feels a bit flimsy as it has some amount of give due to the design. This has a panel that lifts up to reveal another storage space. Pull down the bigger portion and you get a full sized 'sofa-like' armrest, that is topped by a carpet like material. This is also due to the fact that this panel actually faces into the boot compartment when its folded up, and conversely, pulling down the big armrest gives the rear passengers access into the boot. If you want a sturdy armrest, this is the one to choose.

The Porsche Crest embossed into the leather on the headrests of all four seats, adds a classy touch

Button-laden rear center console just like the front, with air vents and climate controls. Notice the 'Piano Black' trim which is highly glossy and just a magnet for dust and static fibres.



The center console dividing the rear seats, seating a fifth passenger is impossible. Again, note the inescapable dust on the black trim.



Another look at the center console running through the length of the car



Controls to adjust the front passenger seat from the rear

The small floating armrest remains suspended and feels flimsy due to lack of support.



Top hatch opens to reveal a storage compartment



Sturdier and fuller armrest, with carpet like material on top



Two more air vents are located low on each side of the B-Pillar



The windows have electric window blinds that fold up or down at the touch of a button, and are incredibly effective in keeping out the scorching sun

[Porcupine]

Entertainment System and Audio Quality

The car is equipped with the upgraded premium Bose 585-watt 14-speaker surround sound system. The quality is absolutely beautiful. The Bose system is the second tier audio system option, there is a basic option available which is an 11-speaker 235 watt system, and a full blown 16-speaker 1000+ watt Burmester system that I imagine would be like listening to a live performance, just like the one in the new W222 S-Class.

The system is operated through the touch screen 7” ‘Porsche Communication Module (PCM)’ screen in the center console. 7” is a bit tiny by today’s standards and is one of the few things that show the true age of this model.

The system however is very well integrated with the iPhone software, all playlists, songs and even the apple music menu can be accessed through the screen itself without having to use the phone; you can also search for a particular track by either track name, artist or album. The track displays with all its details – album, artist, year along with the album art that the track has on your phone. Makes the display look very nice.

If one chooses not to use the touch screen, most of the main menu functions have dedicated buttons located under the screen that can take you straight to that page without having to fiddle around.

Input sources are common with industry standards, AM/FM, DVD, USB, AUX and a ‘Jukebox’ feature that literally sounds like what it is, and draws songs if they are saved on the cars internad hard drive. The equalizer has the usual treble, bass, balance and fader options that are fully adjustable to suit your needs.

Physical buttons help the driver to get straight to the desired basic menus, save the hassle of fiddling through the menus on the touchscreen.


Input sources


Saved radio stations. You can also set favourites and search for more stations.


Track playing through my iPhone 7, displaying all the information, options and even album art!


Very basic equaliser, but it does its job.


The map is very crisp and clear, updates in real time and can be zoomed in or out.


The map can be viewed in various layouts, and is a very interesting feature.


You can set the point of navigation by simply typing in the address, and the map will find you the route.


Past destinations get stored in the system, saving you the hassle of inputing them again.


You can also search for specific points of interest in the navigation, such as restaurants, banks, petrol pumps, monuments or any other public establishments.


If you are really unsure of any place in specific, you can search for points of interest near you that are sorted by category. Very handy!


The navigation route can be viewed in various formats along with the map in a split screen format. The route shows up either as a line on the map, as visual directions with arrows to aid you in the next turn, or in written directions like a GPS.

[Porcupine]

The Drive

The car has numerous settings and driving modes that can be used depending on the conditions you are driving in. The car has the very expensive optioned 'Adaptive Air Suspension' and ‘Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)’. This give the cars suspension 3 settings, Regular, Sport and raised. Further the engine and gearbox too have 2 settings, regular and sport. The suspension and engine/transmission settings can be used independently of eachother; for example you can leave the suspension in comfort mode and put the engine and transmission in sport mode and vice versa, or go all out with both in sport mode, or cruise comfortably with everything in comfort.

Engine

If I had to put the entire driving experience of this car in word, it would be TORQUE! So this is actually an Audi-sourced turbo-diesel V6 engine that does duty in the Panamera. Now the international version of this car gets 296bhp, but Porsche India decided that the lower state of tune of the diesel V6 was sufficient, and therefore this car gets 247bhp (@ 3800 rpm) with 550 Nm of torque (from 1750 – 2850 rpm)!

Diesel usually means clatter and noise, something perceived to be not as luxurious as the refined petrol engines. The Porsche Diesel engine though is highly refined, there is a negligible diesel clatter if you’re outside the car, but overall the Panamera is as well isolated and quiet as anything intended for a markedly sporting audience. Yes the engine can get noisy, but it’s not the jarring of a diesel; but it does make for a louder idle than an equivalent petrol might have.

The engine, infact, has a lovely noise. It’s not too loud, and quite distant, but lovely nonetheless, especially towards the red-line. It is normal to expect that a big diesel engine is a compromise on mechanical quality, but the European diesel V6’s these days are nothing short of engineering marvels.

Even the throttle feels great, it’s got absolutely no turbo-lag, and although the pedal itself is somewhat heavy, the inputs are just perfect. If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t be able to tell it’s sourced from Audi; it behaves so differently to the Audi engines. It’s something like Masterchef really; they both had the same ingredients but Porsche have managed to cook better food!

The claimed 0-100 time according to Porsche is 6.6 seconds, and seems to be about right in the real world. I’ve never timed it, but its in the right ballpark. It’s funny really, spec-wise the diesel Panamera sold in India, due to its lower state of tune is slightly lower placed than the BMW 530d, and the E350d, but dynamically it makes up for the lack of grunt (which in the practical world is minimal).

The marriage between the transmission and the engine is a match made in heaven as they say. When the Panamera is being driven sedately, 100+ km/h speeds occur in the sub-2000 rpm band and is cruising, or rather wafting over the roads. However, when the need does arise, the acceleration is instantaneous (sometimes I do feel a negligible delay in the regular engine mode) and just absolutely savage. Floor it and you are pushed way back into your seats as you ride the massive wave of torque all the way to the redline!

The engine is surprisingly rev-happy for a diesel, infact its one of the quickest revving engines I’ve seen even when compared to a lot of petrol engines. This makes over-taking a piece of cake; just think about it and the Panamera delivers. Dig a little deeper into the organ style throttle pedal and the gearbox will drop a few notches and off you go. And all this mind you, is in the regular mode!

Sport mode of the car ties in with the PASM. It reduces the ride height by 20mm, stiffens the steering wheel and sharpens the throttle response. The gear holds revs for longer and the shifts become instantaneous with absolutely no lag. It truly feels like a sports car and the acceleration is absolutely ferocious, coupled with the sports car like suspension it swallows the highways and corners without the slightest of doubts. The stiffer suspension helps the Panamera dive into tighter bends with brilliant agility, and confidence.

Transmission

The Diesel variants of the Panamera get Porsche’s 8-speed Tiptronic S transmission, which is a torque converting transmission; as apposed to the 7-speed dual-clutch Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK). What this means is that even in manual mode, the transmission still shifts up or down once certain parameters are reached, which theoretically doesn’t let you reach the absolute max on the redline.

Firstly I want to point out that the transmission is calibrated perfectly. I have often found in European diesels that even when you aren't driving in the Comfort mode, the car always maintains a gear or two higher than you want to be in. Porsche doesn't really care so much about economy, and the gears are always low, and is almost always in the right gear.

The gearshifts are lighting quick, but not the most seamless. In comfort mode they are as smooth as they get really, but the driver does feel the slightest of jerks while they happen. Downshifts are a little less seamless but that's also because on deceleration the engine holds the revs just the slightest bit longer, and on downshifting the engine give the slightest of throttle blips to match the revs which is an amazing experience.

Put the car into sport mode however and it’s a whole different story! The gear shifts even quicker, it happens as quick as a thought but the changes are absolutely violent. Every upshift causes a jerk and the downshifts are louder with louder throttle blips. I just wish the exhaust was tuned better and louder so that you could hear the pops and crackles, but that one of the biggest trade-offs of diesel cars; the sound is sub-par and highly muted.

The gearbox can be used manually in two different ways. One is through the gear lever, pull it towards you to activate manual mode; push it forward for upshifts and back for downshifts.

The second way is through the paddle-shifters on the steering wheel. Now as I’ve mentioned before, they aren’t conventional behind-the-wheel paddles as we are used to, but rather unintuitive “buttons” on the steering wheel itself. Both the left and right paddles can be used for upshifts and downshifts. Push it for up and pull them for down. It is very confusing in the beginning if you are used to normal flappy paddles. Once you’re used to it however, this is the only right way to enjoy the car especially in Sports Mode.

The manual shifts are nearly as quick as the automatic ones, but give you way more control and are leaps and bounds ahead of a regular manual transmission. There is no way a real manual would be able to shift as quick as this.

Suspension

The suspension is fully independent with double wishbones at the front and multi-link rears with air springs and adaptive dampers that are a part of the optional PASM system. This actively adapts each shock absorber for the wheel calibrated according to the driving situation and conditions of the road. It further has a Comfort and Sport Mode. Comfort is a softer damper suspension setting, and it makes the car a perfect cruiser even in Indian conditions. It absorbs most of the bumps with ease and the car just glides over any kind of surface. I was truly impressed by this as I was expecting a very harsh ride but the reality is that it is actually very close to the fancy air suspension in our W222 S-Class which is by far the best ride quality I have ever experienced. I’ve been in Bentley Flying Spurs and the other luxo-barges and the new S-Class beats them by miles, and it is a real accomplishment for Porsche to come so close to it; especially considering that this car is riding on 19-inch rims! Of course with that said it definitely isn’t as ‘pillowy’ or ‘floaty’ as the big barges, but the Panamera is the perfect compromise between that and a sporty drive.

Sports Mode as the name suggests, stiffens up the suspension by a lot, and the air suspension reduces the ride height by 20mm, which within the city isn’t the best proposition given the already offensive ground clearance. Dynamically however, this is the suspension mode you want to be in! There is negligible roll, and the car just becomes a different animal. Then there’s the uncommonly natural and progressive feel of the air-sprung ride in calmer moments and the way the four-wheel drive system adds traction and stability without dampening cornering poise or corrupting the steering.

This makes cornering in the Panamera just superlative; especially considering it is nearly a 2-ton vehicle! The long and wide wheelbase, along with that immaculately calibrated steering column helps you direct it with ultimate accuracy. The steering does feel a bit firm, and this car even has the optional ‘Power Steering Plus’ which is supposed to make it a little lighter at slower speeds and variably weigh up as you pick up speeds. It makes you wonder what a car without that option would feel like. However, the weight feels just perfect at speed, even if a tad bit on the heavier side in the city.

As mentioned above, the ground clearance is very low and speed-breakers have to be negotiated with utmost care. Even the slightest of humps have a chance of scraping the under body if one is not careful. Thankfully, the Air Suspension comes to the rescue as the ‘Raise’ feature raises the ride height by 20mm above and beyond the regular height in Comfort Mode. With this activated I haven’t met a bump that’s scraped. Yet…

Handling

Now handling is where the Panamera breaks most away from the trend of luxury barges. If one were to draw a scale that went from demure and luxurious on one end, ending with hardcore and driver focussed on the other end; most of the competition like the 7 series and S-Class would place themselves somewhere within the first ‘third of that scale. The big Porsche though would happily find a place towards the latter half of that dynamic spectrum.

The steering deserves an accolade of its own. It is an electrically assisted, variable ratio, speed proportional rack and pinion power steering, along with the optional ‘Power Steering Plus’ that further makes it lighter in lower speeds to help better negotiate tight city roads. During proper driving at regular or higher speeds the steering feels nicely weighted and very precise, but incredibly natural. The only better way to feel the road in the words of Mr. Jeremy Clarkson would be “to rub your face on it”. Its weight is expertly rendered, and every change in texture of the road surface can be felt. It might feel a bit on the heavier side at lower speeds.

Now this is a big car as has already been established, but the crisp response of the steering allows wonderfully balanced cornering during a spirited drive and really helps you feel like you are driving a car that is one segment smaller. All this is made that much more sweeter when Sports Mode is engaged, which lets you dive into tighter bends with great agility, even under application of power as the exit of the turn.

Brakes

The brakes are ventilated discs with slotted 14.2 inch rotors with 6 piston fixed calipers up front and 13 inch with 4 piston fixed calipers at the rear. This is the standard set up which can bring the car to a stop within a claimed 109 feet.

The brake discs all around are huge and easily visible through the rims. The brake pedal is light, and has a very instantaneous bite. Braking comes as second nature to the car, and speed can be shed very quickly, which is very impressive given its weight. Initially the sharp bite of the brakes can be a bit startling and a person driving the car for the first time would probably make the passengers quite uncomfortable till you learn to keep a light foot on the pedal. A strange thing I noticed is when you start the car and put it in Drive, release the brakes, it takes about an extra second to actually unclamp and get going. Only happens on start up though, and not while driving if you switch from P to D.

The brakes also have an Auto-Hold and incline Hold mode that was explained earlier. It’s a neat trick where if you stop on an incline, the brakes automatically lock themselves and it is no longer necessary to keep the brake pedal pressed down. This can even be activated on level surface, while in traffic by giving the brake pedal an extra push while the car is stationary. Releasing the auto-hold is as simple as just pressing the throttle as you normally would. However it is not as seamless as one might expect. The brakes release with a jump and the car catapults forward if the acceleration is not properly controlled; the first few times can cause mild panic nut it is a great function once you’re used to it – I have this feature in our other cars as well but the release on acceleration is not as dramatic as the Panamera.

Fuel Efficiency

Firstly and most importantly, the Panamera has a 100ltr fuel tank. Let that sink in for a while.

Now Porsche claims that this car can get 15.4 kpl in regular mode and 7.2 kpl in sports mode. Now I don’t know where they tested this or what they were smoking when they tested this, and while I admit I haven’t done a long distance highway drive yet, the figures I’m getting are more like 6 kpl in the city and about 8-10 kpl on the highway in regular mode. Haven’t tested the sport mode too extensively yet to comment on it.

However, the use of the car so far has been scarce, and that’s a factor to consider. Also with the massive fuel tank the petrol pump visits have been minimal so far. And at the end of the day, even if it is a Diesel; it’s a Porsche. Therefore the age old “kitna deti hai?” doesn’t really concern me one bit!

NVH

The cabin is perfectly insulated and completely closed off from the outside world. You will have absolutely no connection to the sounds of our Mumbai roads, and even horns sound somewhat muffled. The exhaust is very muted and the engine very refined giving zero rattles even though it’s a diesel. It does however have a distinct purr that can be heard in the lower gears, which turns into an amazing roar and burble at higher rpms.

[Porcupine]

Smaller but Significant Things

• This is the first review I have ever written, and I used inspiration from GTO’s mega 530d review. You might see a lot of influence from that review in the template of mine! Having said that I know nothing about photography and apologise for the horrible photos haha!

• Throughout the review you will notice a lot of comparisons with the W222 Mercedes S-Class as we have an S350 in the garage, and it is pretty much the yard stick I measure all other cars by.

• The key fob is in the shape of the car, and you still have to insert it into the ignition cylinder and turn to ignite. It can be had painted in external body colour of your car but is an INR 50,000 option!

• Porsche's options are very expensive and once you start ticking them you can really increase the price of the car considerably. The Marsala full leather interior is and INR 7,00,000+ option! They had a Cayenne S in stock that had a whopping 40+ lacs worth of options!

• The doors can only be locked through the lock buttons and don’t have a traditional locking knob. Pull the door lever once to unlock and pull again to open the door; or it can be unlocked via the button.

• There are plenty of storage compartments all over the car, and it will never be an issue. In all the door pads, front passenger footwell (has a net), back of the front seats, within the front and rear central armrests. Also the central console that runs through the car has two ashtrays, one for the front and one for the rear passengers.

• There are 5 cupholders in the car. 2 fold out over the glove compartment, 1 in the front armrest and 2 in the rear.

• The steering isn’t very meaty and infact is quite thin. It is bolstered very heavily though at 2 and 10 o’clock positions.

• The front and rear seats both have a 3-level seat heating feature but not seat cooling; which would be more useful for Indian weather.

• There are endless tuning and body modification options available. I want to keep the look stock as of now (apart from maybe painting the rims black), but am considering a simple tune that can take it above its intended 300bhp - that is sold in international markets.

• I am thinking of getting the rims painted gloss black, but my girlfriend is quite against that; so still in two minds about it.

• It is still too early to give a verdict on actual fuel efficiency as the car hasn't been driven much.

• When you turn the key in the ignition the seat and steering wheel move into the last defined position, as when the engine is turned off; the steering moves up and away and the seat moves back to allow easy ingress and egress.

• When you lock the car and walk away, the mirrors don't fold in on their own. I'm sure some coding can fix this.

• It is still too early to give a verdict on actual fuel efficiency as the car hasn't been driven much.

• The hornpad is very small and very tight. If someone with smaller hands drives the car, it is impossible to reach with your hands on the wheel, and needs a proper push.

• Engage Reverse gear and the left side OVRM tilts downwards to give you a view of the footing on the far side.

• Mirror visibility is offensively bad. Without the rear parking camera, parking this car would be very difficult.

• Service intervals are very long. The first service is 12 months or 13,600kms whichever happens first.

• Some edited action shots from my instagram.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[Trojan]

Porcupine!

Nice handle there, congratulations on your excellent purchase! This is my dream car, the panamera always manages to carve out that exclusive niche.

Superb, would really appreciate some more pics with some contrasting surroundings, will make it stand out and boy such a gorgeous beauty must definitely deserve it.

Its beautiful!

Cheers!
Trojan

[rangarx]

One of my friends has gotten himself a Cayenne Turbo S and I was awestruck to just sit inside it. Kind of spellbound when was driven around and had a short spin. Man, this is one beautiful machine. The 'cockpit' as it is fondly called is awesome. Every bit the German pedigree shines through.

Congratulations on the excellent possession and enjoy every bit of the ownership!