Prestige Porsche

by Jonny Lieberman (RSS feed) on Dec 10th 2009 at 2:29PM

Normally when a vehicle wins a car of the year award, its merit is so obvious that all you have to do to justify the selection is say, "just drive one." However, with the Porsche Panamera, the excitement surrounding Porsche's first ever four-door sports sedan/car is so palpable all you must say is, "Just talk to someone that's driven one." The Panamera's that good. Our man Michael Harley's still heaping praise upon the Turbo in his sleep. In case you missed it - the Porsche Panamera rules.

Then it comes as no surprise that Bloomberg News has selected the different looking Panamera as its inaugural Car of the Year. Says Bloomberg's auto-guy Jason H. Harper, "Like a lot of people I wasn't entirely sure what to expect of the Panamera, but sometime between having a six-foot eight-inch buddy in the back seat and hauling into deep corners around the track, it became clear. It's still a Porsche -- just a really versatile one." You will also no doubt remember that our colleagues over at Inside Line recently stuck the Panamera at the tippity top of their "Most Wanted" list. That's a lot of praise, particularly for a vehicle that has been so divisive aesthetically.

Bloomberg also selected several other winners including Best Green Car (Ford Fusion Hybrid), Best Sports Car (Audi R8 5.2), Best Economy Car (Mazda3), Best Executive Sedan (Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG), Best People Mover and Family Car (Lincoln MKT EcoBoost) and Best All-Around Sports Utility Vehicle (Land Rover LR4). All good choices by the way, though this author might have swapped the E63 AMG for the Porsche and figured a way to sneak in the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500. Just sayin'. Press release after the jump.

First Drives: Porsche Panamera
Posted: Jun. 22, 2009 11:06 a.m.


The idea of a four-door, front-engine Porsche may be blasphemy to the brand's legion of fans, but those who've driven the car seem to agree on one thing: Porsche has pulled it off. The brand known for little rear-engine sports cars has built a luxurious four-door grand tourer worthy of its name.

"Let's cut to the chase: The 2010 Porsche Panamera is big, fast, and comfortable; a genuine four passenger Gran Turismo capable of loafing across continents in giant 130 mph bounds, leaving you relaxed and refreshed at the end of the day at the wheel," writes Motor Trend. "Press a few buttons, stiffening the suspension, quickening the seven speed PDK transmission's responses, allowing the deep-throated dual exhaust to breathe easier, and the Panamera is ready to tackle a snaking mountain pass with the panache of...well, a Porsche."

Car and Driver has even warmed to the controversial shape of the car. "We think it looks better on the road than in photos," they write - which will be a comfort to those who were appalled by its bulbous fastback sheetmetal.

Winding Road is impressed with what the designers have done inside as well. "Once opening the driver's door, sitting in the cockpit, touching everything, and driving over all kinds of road surfaces at all speeds, we cannot lament the substance of the Panamera nor the incredible build quality," they write.

But any Porsche has to prove itself on the road - especially the largest, heaviest car Porsche has built. Car and Driver notes, "With its 400-hp engine, the Panamera S boasts impressive performance claims: 0 to 60 mph is reached in 4.8 seconds, and 0 to 100 takes 11.5. Top speed is 175 mph." The standard Panamera, C&D says, "doesn't feel that quick...The Panamera's heft means that you have to keep the pedal firmly to the floor." However, the Turbo model is a different matter. "The acceleration is almost surreal. According to Porsche, 0 to 60 mph takes 4.0 seconds, the sprint to 100 mph takes just 9.0 seconds, and top speed is a lofty 188 mph. Running full tilt in this car is an exquisite experience."

Motor Trend, however, thinks the non-turbo model is "the pick of the litter." They write, "There's more clarity, more delicacy in the steering," they write. "In the other cars it's cloaked by the all-wheel drive apparatus."

Winding Road adds, "Our highest speed reached was just over 180 mph for a long stretch of no-limit autobahn and the stability was pretty terrific."

Porsche is already accepting pre-orders for the car. The AP reports, "German car maker Porsche SE said Tuesday that it is pleased with orders for its new Panamera sedan and aims to sell about 20,000 of the vehicles annually," despite an asking price that starts above $88,000.

If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.