German automobiles are known for their luxury, dependability, design and immense power. The German brand Porsche has the added benefit of being the one automobile marque from Germany that only makes performance-based cars. The Porsche car is built for racing, for reaching higher speeds and looking good while doing it. Sure, there are luxury aspects here and there, but nothing too serious. As such, the Stuttgart based auto marque rarely makes any four-door sedan style cars. A high percentage of their cars are coupes and roadsters, meant for speed and acceleration. However, it is hard to survive in an ever-changing market. Porsche has had to adapt over the years to stay relevant and to make inroads into sedan and SUV production. They made the Porsche Cayenne and the Porsche Panamera, as a result.
The Panamera is a sedan for Porsche lovers that want a touch of luxury with the same racing ability that Porsche cars are known for. The Porsche Panamera comes in a hybrid variant, diesel variant, and a turbo variant. I had the chance to drive the Porsche Panamera Turbo S over the weekend and to state the obvious; the car was an absolute delight to drive around.
Looks That Could Kill
The Porsche Panamera Turbo S has an appearance that is pleasing to the eye. From the front, it looks like any other Porsche with those huge headlights and lip-style grille. However, things start to change once you start tracing the subtle lines on the sides to the rear end of the car. The rear of the car is sleek and bulky at the same time. The taillights are like slits that sit well with the curving down the roof. I was impressed by the quad exhausts on this car. The throaty exhaust help brings out the true sound of the engine. Yes, quad exhausts are a must nowadays and it is no surprise that Porsche is following suit like the others. I must say that the Porsche Panamera Turbo S was a sight for sore eyes in the early morning Doha sun. If it wasn’t the Panamera, I wouldn’t have ever gotten out of bed.
The Beautiful Interior
The leather seats in the interior cabin were soft and comfortable, something you would expect out of a luxury sports car. The words turbo emblazoned on the headrest were a nice touch. The entire cabin, on first glance, seemed to be bathed inexpensive materials. I could see leather almost everywhere from the dash to the center console. The wide rectangular infotainment system stood out in the dash but it matched well with the rest of the dashboard making it look like a part of it. The center console had several useful functions that can come handy in daily driving. That's a good thing since sedans are expected to be driven around in the city daily. The gear shifter was ergonomic and smooth. I could shift gears quite easily with it.
The Doha day heat can get excruciating at times but as a plus point, you get to test the air conditioning system of any car. Needless to say, the Porsche Panamera A/C worked pretty well. The car has a climate control option that can adjust the cabin temperature based on the temperature outside.
The gauge cluster is pretty basic but the addition of an extra informative screen is a plus where the driver can see their position on a map. This is a handy option for those of you who are not that good when it comes to navigation. I loved it since I am not that great with directions.
Performance Dynamics
The naturally aspirated Porsche Panamera is quite speedy so you can imagine what would happen if a turbocharger is applied to an already fast car. It would get fast beyond imagination and that is exactly what the Panamera Turbo is all about. However, Porsche didn’t stop there, instead they made an even faster variant and called it the Panamera Turbo S. The Turbo S shares the 4.8-liter V8 twin-turbo engine with the Turbo variant; however, the Turbo S makes a whopping 542 hp and 750 Nm of torque. I could feel the difference in power from my experience of driving the Panamera Turbo earlier. The extra 50 hp in the Panamera Turbo S makes a difference. You jump from 0-100 km/h in a matter of seconds, 3.8 seconds to be exact. And that is all thanks to larger turbochargers, high-pressure fuel injection, aluminum alloy pistons, and a better launch control system.
The car felt responsive to acceleration and sudden braking. It felt pretty solid in the corners with minimum effects of body roll. I was able to manage high-speed turns without fear of rolling over and the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission was as smooth as silk giving me the liberty to drive at any speed I wanted.
Verdict
There are not many sedans out there that can excite a motorhead. However, it is safe to say that the Porsche Panamera Turbo S is one sedan that you should at least drive once in your lifetime. The entire experience I had was worth waking up in the morning and braving the heat. You should try it out yourself.