2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo Lockhart TX

2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo By Brian Alexander, Road Test Editor

2010 Porsche Panamera
Turbo
DriverSide Overview
The engineers at Porsche know a thing or two about cramming hedonistic amounts of power into an already potent package. Take the current 911 range, for example. Power outputs range from a “paltry” 345 horsepower in the base 911 Carrera to an asphalt-churning, get-your-license-suspended 530 hp in the all-conquering 911 GT2. Adhering to this policy of too much never being enough, Porsche has crafted a 188 mph super sedan that defiantly raises its fist in the face of necessity and conventional physics. The list of onboard technologies alone is enough to seriously worry the competition, never mind the fact it wears a Porsche crest on its hood. Direct injection, twin-turbos, dual-clutch gearbox, seven forward gears, active aerodynamics, four-wheel air suspension, engine start/stop, all-wheel drive, active exhaust, 500 hp… the list goes on. In other words, it’s a serious piece of kit. But what does it all add up to? We’ll put aesthetics aside for now – everyone has already formed their own opinion on the exterior – but dynamically speaking, this, the 2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo, is hands down the best super sedan currently on offer. Officially billed as a Gran Turismo – or cosseting long-distance hauler if you don’t speak automotive geek-lish – this is a properly luxurious car with a decadent and thoroughly modern interior. Push a couple of buttons, however, and the ride stiffens significantly, turning the car into a road hugging, M5 destroying demon that can hit 60 mph from a standstill in as little as 3.8 seconds. It seems Porsche has rewritten the rules once more.



2010 Porsche Panamera
Turbo



2010 Porsche Panamera
Turbo



2010 Porsche Panamera
Turbo
What's to Like
While the Panamera is perfectly happy trudging along as a docile executive sedan, it can switch personalities in a second, delivering a feral V-8 induction note, pounding through gears in the blink of an eye and delivering plenty of road feedback through the chassis. Yet the ride remains supple and plush, making quick work of long distance journeys. If V-8 noise is your kick, there is arguably no other sedan that does it quite like this one.

What's Not to Like
Ever taken a gander at a Porsche options list? They have the depressing ability to make your hard earned cash disappear faster than a divorcée with an open line of credit. The Panamera’s other shortcoming is its PDK dual-clutch manual mode, not because there is an issue with the shifting itself – the response of the gearbox is fantastic – but rather the paddles used to activate each shift. Just as in the 911, the rocker switches need to be pushed for upshifts and pulled for downshifts, which isn’t overly logical.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions...

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