I saw a Panamera yesterday~

[Normy]

Well, I meant to post this last night, but I was so busy I didn't get to it.

Fort Lauderdale, about 1100, Davie boulevard. I was in my 928, first at the light, and I watched the light change and then 10th car or so was a Panamera! I saw the shape ["what's that?], and then when recognition kicked in....I had about 3 or 4 seconds to survey it from about 100 feet.

Hmm.

Well...it is kind of like the Cayenne. It isn't ugly, but it doesn't look nice either. This car is going to sold because of the gold-plated symbol on the hood. That is the only reason, because it isn't any different in person than from the pictures.

++LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WILL NOW RENDER MY JUDGEMENT++

On this particular design: I DON'T like it.

AGAIN: This is based upon magazine pictures and one 5 second view out of my windshield. It appears strange at the rear end- there was a Mazda 626 in the late 1980's that had a hatch-back, and this car reminds me of this. Mazda has one of the worst design groups in the industry, in my opinion, and aping them isn't a good idea!

Well, it was ONE 5 second look-

N!

[tchanson]

I saw one this week at my train station.

Base model, in black. Quite odd, especially aft of the rear doors where the body seems to bulge comically, making the greenhouse/goofy rear hatch look narrower than it is. Too many labored 997 styling cues that really don't translate well at all.

I'm still not sure who the target market for the car is, when there are so many other capable, less expensive (and far more attractive) uber sedan options. I'm sure West Coast Customs can search their client database for pimpin' Panny prosects, though.

I would guess that another upside of the failed Wiedeking putsch is that the Panamera will only have one life cycle on Piech's watch.





Tim

[aigel]

Originally Posted by tchanson

I'm still not sure who the target market for the car is, when there are so many other capable, less expensive (and far more attractive) uber sedan options. I'm sure West Coast Customs can search their client database for pimpin' Panny prosects, though.

My wife says it is for pussy whipped well off middle aged guys whose wife doesn't allow them to buy a sports car (911). She claims there is a large population of such guys. I think she's right. I have experienced this several times - guys had to buy a 4 door just because they may have to take the kids some where. In reality it was the wife worrying that they may look too good / unmarried in their ride.

George

[island911]

It's not about the look ...

it's the engineering (surprise!)

For the same reason the Cayenne is a success, the Panamera will be as well.

It's a civilized daily driver, that, when needed, will go into total, no excuses, psychopath mode.

PDK, Ceramic disks, outrageous go power... all wrapped up with daily niceties. --Yeah, it will sell.

[livi]

Surprisingly enough, I saw a Panamera twice the same day (same car of course), here in rural Sweden, the other day. I was pleasantly surprised. As compared to two dimensional photos, the design suddenly makes much more sense in the metal. It actually looked good. Big and powerful, yet slim and compact. Wide and low.

[dewolf]

Originally Posted by island911

It's not about the look ...

it's the engineering (surprise!)

For the same reason the Cayenne is a success, the Panamera will be as well.

It's a civilized daily driver, that, when needed, will go into total, no excuses, psychopath mode.

PDK, Ceramic disks, outrageous go power... all wrapped up with daily niceties. --Yeah, it will sell.

Totally agree. Didn't think much of the Cayenne's till I went in a turbo version. Holy snappin ducksh$t those things go...and friggin handle.

[Fishman7]

I've seen two so far, I'd buy one for the wife if they weren't so dang $$$$$.

[Dave L]

I have seen a Panamera and didnt really thing too much of it, I would rather have a M5.

As for the Cayenne, I do see the possibility. My wife likes them and the pricing on the '03's and '04's are really low. My wife doesnt drive too much and I could see how having the extra space of an SUV would help us when we go to the ski hill.

[Joe Bob]

I saw one...my brain said Lexus...

[Noah930]

Saw one a couple weeks ago. People are right when they say it looks better in person than via pictures. Doesn't make it aesthetically attractive, though. I'm sure it's a ridiculously competent performance sedan. I can see a huge market for that here in SoCal. "New" and "Porsche" go a long way around here, performance and aesthetics aside.

To a certain degree, I'm with the head scratchers. If I was in the market for a $100K car, I'd certainly want it to look good, too. I don't see why Porsche couldn't have built a pretty car. Shouldn't cost much more than the semi-ugly thing they've designed.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Not as ugly in person, but still ugly. In the last magazine comparison I read they preferred the S63 AMG over the Pana Turbo because the Benz was more fun and involving. The Pana numbers were staggering (0-60 in 3.5!) but they compared it to a GT-R in that it was too automated and easy. Can a car be too good to be fun?

Personally, if I wanted a silly fast sedan I'm pretty sure an M5, XFR, E65, etc would suffice and I'd have $50k or so left over. Plus they're all much better to look at.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Personally, if I wanted a silly fast sedan I'm pretty sure an M5, XFR, E65, etc would suffice and I'd have $50k or so left over. Plus they're all much better to look at.

That's my opinion, too. There are so many good-looking performance sedan choices. It's a tough market niche. But best of luck to Stuttgart.

[bivenator]

The PORSCHE lettering on the back was my favorite detail. An homage to the early 911.
The folks buying the 7 series BMW will give this car a look. It did have strange proportions (rear to front) but it was not hideous.

[HardDrive]

Its really not that bad, its just that back door/roofline/rear wheel interface area. Its just......'funny lookin'".

I noticed the rear on the base models looks much stranger because the wheels are sunk deeper into the wheel wells. The S and Turbo models look much better. 1cm spacers for the back wheels would help the base models.

[Normy]

HardDrive....I don't know. I just think it is wrong. I think they should have done a "flying buttress" design for the rear of that car along the lines of the Jaguar XJS and the Volkswagen Phaeton. The rear of the car is indeed far more functional, but if you are buying a $100k car, then it occurs to me that it needs to look GREAT from any angle. The volk in Stuttgart wanted the car to LOOK like a Porsche from every angle, and well...they got what they wanted. Only....not every type of car should look like a Porsche! Can you imagine if Porsche built a pickup truck? How would that be handled successfully? I don't think it is possible.

Porsche is now a part of VAG, something that probably should have happened about 30 years ago. As long as VAG doesn't run Porsche like a car company from Detroit, it simply means that we won't see products such as SUV's and sedans in the future, which I think is probably a good thing.

N!

[Laneco]

If only they had made all that performance in a body something like the Aston Martin Rapide.... Oh heart be still - that would be the absolute top of the four door food chain!

angela

[onewhippedpuppy]

Pure sex, but also more than even the Pana.



Personally for the same money this would be a no-brainer. 4 door Ferrari? Yes please!

[DanielDudley]

I can't even use all the speed in my air cooled, much less a Panamera Turbo, but I hear in Germany you can, and they are Ga Ga over Autobahn cruisers like this. A recent editorial in Excellence suggests that it is a far superior high speed machine to a Carrera 4.

As a guy who has a SAAB 9 3 Aero station wagon with a turbo V6 and six speed, I can see the appeal. I may never get used to the looks of that either, but I sure do like it when I am driving across the country. It will hustle a back road as well, or take the wife out for a Sunday drive in comfort.

When she goes to visit her mother a thousand miles away, I never have a worry.


It's really a case of horses for courses. For those who find it ugly or somehow inferior, I don't really think it was made with you in mind. FWIW, I don't think the average owner cares what we think either, and if you parked your classic next to it, he might ask you to be careful not to scratch it.

[daepp]

It's no uglier than a 928... I'm just sayin'

[JeremyD]

From the front it looks great - even a 1/4 view - but get around the back and it's like catching a glimpse of Carnie Wilson's thong as she's bending over to pick up a dropped snickers bar.