Porsche Panamera: 2018 Motor Trend Car of the Year Finalist

We Like: Sports car performance and handling, limousine room, and luxury inside

We Don’t Like: Tire noise on some surfaces; radar cruise control and keyless entry are optional

Porsche’s Panamera looks like a four-door sports car. It drives like one, too. But the real genius of the Panamera is it’s also a practical limousine when you need it to be. With the choice of rear- or all-wheel drive on the base model, three body styles (regular, the wagonlike Panamera Sport Turismo, and the Executive, which features a longer wheelbase) and five powertrains (including two hybrids), Porsche offers an impressive 15 Panamera models ranging in price from $86,050 to $195,850. Bandwidth? This Porsche has it.

Michael Mauer’s redesign has removed the hunchback look of the original model. With tighter proportions, a better stance, and, as Tom Gale noted, surfaces and graphics that are “all Porsche,” this Panamera is a looker. The interior is contemporary, elegant, and finished with great materials, and the infotainment system has the best, clearest display in the business (although the center console haptic buttons wash out in direct sunlight). “High-tech and luxurious, perfect for Porsche,” Ed Loh said.

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The Panamera marks the debut of VW Group’s MSB architecture, and Porsche’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 and eight-speed PDK transmission. The Panamera’s fast, and it handles. “The V-8 sounds epic for a turbocharged engine and has near endless thrust,” Christian Seabaugh said. “It really shrinks around you on a good country road.”

Unfortunately, those high-performance tires that provide so much poise and grip are noisy, too. And there are some odd equipment omissions. Said Frank Markus: “I find it inexcusable you’re charged extra for keyless entry in $100,000-plus car.”

	2017 Porsche Panamera 4S	2017 Porsche Panamera Turbo
DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT	Front-engine, AWD	Front-engine, AWD
ENGINE TYPE	Twin-turbo 60-deg V-6, alum block/heads	Twin-turbo 90-deg V-8, alum block/heads
VALVETRAIN	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT	176.6 cu in/2,894 cc	243.6 cu in/3,996 cc
COMPRESSION RATIO	10.5:1	10.1:1
POWER (SAE NET)	440 hp @ 5,650 rpm	550 hp @ 5,750 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET)	405 lb-ft @ 1,750 rpm	567 lb-ft @ 1,960 rpm
REDLINE	6,800 rpm	6,800 rpm
WEIGHT TO POWER	10.2 lb/hp	8.5 lb/hp
TRANSMISSION	8-speed twin-clutch auto	8-speed twin-clutch auto
AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO	3.36:1/1.78:1	3.36:1/1.78:1
SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR	Control arms, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar	Control arms, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, air springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar
STEERING RATIO	9.3-14.2:1	9.3-14.2:1
TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK	2.5	2.5
BRAKES, F; R	16.5-in vented, drilled carbon-cermaic disc; 15.4-in vented, drilled carbon-cermaic disc, ABS	16.5-in vented, drilled carbon-cermaic disc; 15.4-in vented, drilled carbon-cermaic disc, ABS
WHEELS, F;R	9.5 x 21-in; 11.5 x 21-in forged aluminum	9.5 x 21-in; 11.5 x 21-in forged aluminum
TIRES, F;R	275/35ZR21 103Y; 315/30ZR21 105Y Continental ContiSport Contact 5P	275/35ZR21 103Y; 315/30ZR21 105Y Continental ContiSport Contact 5P
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE	116.1 in	116.1 in
TRACK, F/R	65.2/64.4 in	65.2/64.4 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	198.8 x 76.3 x 56.2 in	198.8 x 76.3 x 56.2 in
TURNING CIRCLE	37.4 ft	37.4 ft
CURB WEIGHT	4,498 lb	4,662 lb
WEIGHT DIST, F/R	52/48%	53/47%
SEATING CAPACITY	4	4
HEADROOM, F/R	38.0/38.7 in	38.0/38.7 in
LEGROOM, F/R	41.9/35.4 in	41.9/35.4 in
SHOULDER ROOM, F/R	58.1/54.3 in	58.1/54.3 in
CARGO VOLUME	47.3/17.6 cu ft	47.3/17.6 cu ft
TEST DATA
ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30	1.3 sec	1.1 sec
0-40	1.9	1.7
0-50	2.8	2.3
0-60	3.8	3.0
0-70	5.0	4.0
0-80	6.4	5.0
0-90	8.0	6.3
0-100	9.9	7.7
PASSING, 45-65 MPH	2.0	1.5
QUARTER MILE	12.3 sec @ 111.3 mph	11.4 sec @ 121.2 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	101 ft	104 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	1.01 g (avg)	1.01 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	24.0 sec @ 0.84 g (avg)	23.9 sec @ 0.86 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH	1,250 rpm	1,150 rpm
CONSUMER INFO
BASE PRICE	$100,950	$147,950
PRICE AS TESTED	$126,705	$172,495
STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL	Yes/Yes	Yes/Yes
AIRBAGS	8: Dual front, f/r side, f/r curtain, front knee	8: Dual front, f/r side, f/r curtain, front knee
BASIC WARRANTY	4 yrs/50,000 miles	4 yrs/50,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY	4 yrs/50,000 miles	4 yrs/50,000 miles
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE	4 yrs/50,000 miles	4 yrs/50,000 miles
FUEL CAPACITY	19.8 gal	23.8 gal
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB	14.2/29.5/18.5 mpg	Not Tested
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON	21/28/23 mpg	18/25/21 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	160/120 kW-hrs/100 miles	187/135 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.82 lb/mile	0.94 lb/mile
RECOMMENDED FUEL	Unleaded premium	Unleaded premium

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