Got to check out the Porsche Panamera

[turboman808]

We are getting closer to buying a Cayman S and wanted to just stop by the porsche dealer to check it out again. I was just screwing around Saturday driving my 914-6 anyways.

The new Panamera caught my girls eye. This really excited the car dealer. I mean selling a 70k car is one thing but pushing us into a car tipping the scale at 120k was another.

If you cannot tell I have no interest in this monstrosity at all. Getting up close and getting to see just what a silly car it is made me really not want it. I will say this thought, Porsche really did make a unique luxury car. I've driven Bentleys and ridden in the Rolls Royce Phantom. The Porsche is nothing like these cars.

Of course thats the problem...

I'm sitting here looking at the interior and trying to figure out who this car is aimed at. Who would buy this thing? It looks like it started life as a luxury car but somewhere along the car became a 2 ton 911. The interior looks like a spruced up 911. Well if I want a 911 I will buy a 911. Why I would want a 2 ton sports car I cannot understand.

About this time the salesman chimed in, well it's great for people with kids. I just gave him this look of confusion. The interior is just covered in the finest leather and walnut. OK pal this is not a kid friendly car. First time my kid scratched the seats I would freak out.

At this point you start to realize there is just no getting around it. This is a case of a solution looking for a problem. This car is aimed at die hard porsche fanatics that will buy anything that porsche puts out. BUT if you had this kind of money you would buy a 911 GT3.

With all that being said amazingly the sales of this car are very good. Here in the NYC area with so many 7 series drivers that can't seem to buy a car for themselves and find something more interesting then a 7 series can now rejoice. The new Panamera is a great opportunity to play "keeping up with the Jone's." With high sales thats just what they are doing.




Few other things I didn't like about the Panamera. The seats were basically race seats. Great for a sporty drive but for relaxing which I thought was the point of a luxury car, they fall flat on there face. The shape of the rear end is just ugly. If oyu like it thats great but to me it looks like a daewoo.

Then finally the interior is so big and with the seats and bolsters you feel very separated from the others in the car. Very annoying if your having a conversation especially with people in the back. It's like they are in another car. I tried explaining this to my girlfriend who just didn't get it. Then later on that night we rode in a friends 1965 lincoln continental. Then she got it. Huge car with lots of space yet somehow it felt more intimate.

As I was typing out this long winded post I found this video that sums up the car pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeRqhlFy-7Q



You want a luxury car you get a XJ or 7 series BMW
You want a sports car get a 911 or corvette
You want a sporty 4 door get a CTS-V or XFR.

[Oakes]

The Panamera is a flop to me, Porsche swung and missed kinda hard on it.

I will disagree with your luxury car choice though. If you want a luxury car, get an S-Class Benz in any trim, the BMW doesn't strike luxury to me and the new 7 series is HIDEOUS. I will agree on the XFR and CTS-V or even an E63.

[Vypurr]

I like the 4-Door Lambo though!

[Oakes]

Aston Martin Rapide > *

[Zillon]

Originally Posted by Oakes

Aston Martin Rapide > *

Best execution of the 4-door sports coupe idea yet.

[ndubz]

I <3 the panamera. it works for what it is supposed to be. and the turbo does 0-60 in 3.4 sec. Id deff take it over anything else in that class, save maybe the Maserati QP.

[CANNIBALOFDOOM]

the op ,you pretty much said everything i thought. i do "like" the car but when you really look at it is def doesn't make any sense.

[turboman808]

Originally Posted by Oakes

The Panamera is a flop to me, Porsche swung and missed kinda hard on it.

I will disagree with your luxury car choice though. If you want a luxury car, get an S-Class Benz in any trim, the BMW doesn't strike luxury to me and the new 7 series is HIDEOUS. I will agree on the XFR and CTS-V or even an E63.

Honestly been in enough 7 series and S Class to last me a life time. Just kinda threw the 7 series in there HAHA

Gonna get some form on XJ fairly soon. Just not sure which one. Kinda like the 2008-09 XJR but like older models as well. See which one I choose when I have the money in hand ready to spend.

[Oakes]

Originally Posted by turboman808

Honestly been in enough 7 series and S Class to last me a life time. Just kinda threw the 7 series in there HAHA

Gonna get some form on XJ fairly soon. Just not sure which one. Kinda like the 2008-09 XJR but like older models as well. See which one I choose when I have the money in hand ready to spend.

Stick to 07+, the older ones are problem whores, the new XJRs are awesome machines and theyre gorgeous. Just make sure you the 20inch 5 spokes to show off those brake calipers haha. (Used to work for Jag/Land Rover/Aston Martin)

[98GSXdude]

I think the car is great, although probably wouldn't buy one myself. I really dislike the BMW's, as my brother used to have an '07 750i but ended up hating it also. It sounds like this may be the fastest 4-door around a track. I think currently the fastest is the Caddy.

[mcperson2k]

Originally Posted by Zillon

Best execution of the 4-door sports coupe idea yet.

I like the new m3 sedan myself. Me want me want. Is that even a sports coupe?

[ndubz]

Originally Posted by mcperson2k

I like the new m3 sedan myself. Me want me want. Is that even a sports coupe?

the M3 sedan is just a sport sedan. not part of the "sedan Coupe" segment. think Merc CLS, Aston Rapide, Porsche Panamera (obvs), VW CC (design wise).

[ImNickjames13]

Not a fan. IMO it is ugly. And when I think Porshe I think off a 911 GT3 or the Carrerra S. A true 2 door sports car. Not a 4 door luxury car. Which is why I am also not a big fan of the Cayenne either

Originally Posted by turboman808

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeRqhlFy-7Q

About 3:30 onto the video he says "You could definitely go a long way in the back of the Panamera"
Pretty sure you can go a long way with of any Porsche

[98GSXdude]

Originally Posted by ImNickjames13

Pretty sure you can go a long way in the back of any Porsche

Oh my, you have never been in the back of one. It was about half the size of my 2g Eclipse at the time. I had to sit in the back of a friend's 03 911 for a little 10 minute ride home and I needed a shoehorn to get out of the thing. I wouldn't have wanted to be in there any longer.

[ndubz]

Originally Posted by ImNickjames13

Not a fan. IMO it is ugly. And when I think Porshe I think off a 911 GT3 or the Carrerra S. A true 2 door sports car. Not a 4 door luxury car. Which is why I am also not a big fan of the Cayenne either



About 3:30 onto the video he says "You could definitely go a long way in the back of the Panamera"
Pretty sure you can go a long way in the back of any Porsche

Yes, but the cayenne's sales figures speak for themselves. The same thing will be true of the panamera. A V6 and hybrid verion are coming out soon to go with the V8s, at which point they will sell many more. Judge the car for what it is, not against the GT3 and whatnot. Judge it against the E63, M5, XFR, CLS63, Audi S6, aston Rapide, etc. There is, by the standards of the performance segment, quite a large market for cars like these. Porsche is very smart to get in on it, cuz nobody really does driving dynamics the way they do. And despite what many of u may say about its looks (personally I love it), but it has yet to get a bad review from anyone and the performance figures speak for themselves. Id have one over any of the competition no question.

[ImNickjames13]

Originally Posted by ndubz

Yes, but the cayenne's sales figures speak for themselves. The same thing will be true of the panamera. A V6 and hybrid verion are coming out soon to go with the V8s, at which point they will sell many more. Judge the car for what it is, not against the GT3 and whatnot. Judge it against the E63, M5, XFR, CLS63, Audi S6, aston Rapide, etc. There is, by the standards of the performance segment, quite a large market for cars like these. Porsche is very smart to get in on it, cuz nobody really does driving dynamics the way they do. And despite what many of u may say about its looks (personally I love it), but it has yet to get a bad review from anyone and the performance figures speak for themselves. Id have one over any of the competition no question.

I'm not saying it's not a smart move by Porsche. Just not what I think a Porsche should be. I still think it's ugly though

Originally Posted by 98GSXdude

Oh my, you have never been in the back of one. It was about half the size of my 2g Eclipse at the time. I had to sit in the back of a friend's 03 911 for a little 10 minute ride home and I needed a shoehorn to get out of the thing. I wouldn't have wanted to be in there any longer.

Not quite what I was thinking when I was watching that video. And I know about tiny backseats. My 3g eclipse doesn't give much room neither does my friends 2g

[itsSTock69]

I've seen a few out on test drives and I'm leaning towards the dislike camp. The rear of the car is awkward, and while I'm sure its a very nice car inside and performs well, I can think of a host of different sports/lux sedans that I would choose over it, especially at $90k to $130k. I do like the front and profile until you get to the rear door handle. If they made the rear more traditional looking or went full out station wagon it would move up on my list, but even then fall short to the Aston(it better with that 200k price tag), Maserati and likely one or two of the others. They sure sound pretty sweet though.

P.S. I love the Cayenne and couldn't care about the Porsche traditionalists complaints that the brand is being diluted. The vehicles are still upper-echelon performance machines and help the bottom line while introducing Porsche to new customer bases. I see it as a win-win situation, I just wish the car was a little easier on my eyes.

[telopyros]

To me the shape is all wrong, but then again I will never be able to afford the car..

[ndubz]

Its supposed to be a porsche. porsche designs every car they have using the basic porsche/VW design theyve had since day one. (arguably witht the exception of they cayenne) They Panamera looks unique, the bmw, benz, jags, etc all have that same basic sedan profile which is not unique.

[jpalamar]

Reminds me of what happens with too much inbreeding.

I'd rather buy a CTS-V and save a crapload of money then buy this.