As you may have noticed, I haven't yet responded to this post. There's a reason for this.
I'm beginning to like the Panamera.
I had to work up the courage to say that. It's not a popular opinion in these parts.
The styling is a little bloated looking, but they kept the Porsche DNA in it. You look at it and immediately know what its a Porsche.
Looking past the styling, though, is the performance. You have a family car that performs like a Porsche. A car for running to get the groceries, that runs to 60 mph in 4 to 5 seconds, depending on trim. Strap the kiddos in their car seats, the wife in her leather-clad throne, and pilot the family to the Grand Canyon in luxury and speed.
Can you get other cars that are just as fast for the same money (or less) and seat the family? Of course. You can make nearly every car in this segment of the market look like an unjustifiable expense. But no other car can do all that and say Porsche on the nameplate.
@engineerd: I'm happy to look past the ugly. I'll put a paper bag over my head when I am walking out to the car. But no stick? No deal. If I want to settle for an automatic (and I don't care what anyone says, a good auto and those horrible flappy paddles are essentially the same thing), there are dozens of interesting/cool cars out there that I'd buy before I bought this (Ben's XJR, for instance).
It I'm spending the extra money for the Porsche badge, it better a) be fast and c) have three pedals. Otherwise it is just a waste.
Besides, the M3 does everything in your description above, has the right number of pedals, saves you something like 30-40 grand, and doesn't have the stigma of saying "Porsche" on the nameplate. With the money left over, you can buy an Elise.
Love the regular ol' stick too, but it strikes me as odd that cars like the Panamera get whacked for not importing it with a stick, yet you can only buy a Ferrari with paddles now. Would you say no to the new 458 based on that sentiment? I wouldn't. bring on the paddles.
So, if I back my plane up to the factory's loading dock, will they fill me up too? You can start loading 'er up, Helmut. I better go check for that purchase oder on the clipboard back in the office. And keep the engines running.
I see the usual boring ugly comments dominate another Panamera thread. I'm wondering how many of these people have actually seen one,as they don't look bad atall close up & at least they offer a better look than the overused rep-mobile look that BMW lexus Audi & Mercedes are going for.
Having seen AND driven them... I agree wholeheartedly. You must SEE to appreciate. Pictures do not do it justice, it's much the same as when the Cayenne launched.
Personally I did find many parts of this car quite unattractive, however seeing in person, from all angles, really changes the perspective.
@pauljones: I was going to make some crack about Airbus finally meeting its match in terms of taking something that should be beautiful and making it ugly, but it looks like that's a Boeing.
Even before its introduction, the Panamera is struggling to find fans, so it has been forced to act in infomercials for Little Giant ladder "systems" to make ends meet.
07/29/09
07/28/09
07/28/09
A: Wood Chipper. You can fit in twice as many that way.
07/28/09
Actually...
They could probably store more on the plane...
If they were put in end on end...
Or just drop them out of a C-130 at about 40,000'
07/29/09
07/28/09
I'm beginning to like the Panamera.
I had to work up the courage to say that. It's not a popular opinion in these parts.
The styling is a little bloated looking, but they kept the Porsche DNA in it. You look at it and immediately know what its a Porsche.
Looking past the styling, though, is the performance. You have a family car that performs like a Porsche. A car for running to get the groceries, that runs to 60 mph in 4 to 5 seconds, depending on trim. Strap the kiddos in their car seats, the wife in her leather-clad throne, and pilot the family to the Grand Canyon in luxury and speed.
Can you get other cars that are just as fast for the same money (or less) and seat the family? Of course. You can make nearly every car in this segment of the market look like an unjustifiable expense. But no other car can do all that and say Porsche on the nameplate.
07/28/09
It I'm spending the extra money for the Porsche badge, it better a) be fast and c) have three pedals. Otherwise it is just a waste.
Besides, the M3 does everything in your description above, has the right number of pedals, saves you something like 30-40 grand, and doesn't have the stigma of saying "Porsche" on the nameplate. With the money left over, you can buy an Elise.
07/28/09
07/28/09
By injecting our own eloquence and sense of inner beauty into the car that we drive, any car can be beautiful.
Brilliant, my friend.
07/28/09
Love the regular ol' stick too, but it strikes me as odd that cars like the Panamera get whacked for not importing it with a stick, yet you can only buy a Ferrari with paddles now. Would you say no to the new 458 based on that sentiment? I wouldn't. bring on the paddles.
07/28/09
07/29/09
You have got to be kidding me by suggesting a propellor badge as an alternative without stigma.
07/28/09
07/28/09
07/28/09
1) Driving a gas guzzling car.
2) Transporting it to the US in the most environmentally damaging method possible.
Infact, I probably could buy one if it I didn't have to pay taxes so other people can buy new cars.
*Sorry, I can't get off my soap box just yet. It makes me sick.
07/28/09
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07/28/09
Having seen AND driven them... I agree wholeheartedly. You must SEE to appreciate. Pictures do not do it justice, it's much the same as when the Cayenne launched.
Personally I did find many parts of this car quite unattractive, however seeing in person, from all angles, really changes the perspective.
07/28/09
07/28/09
07/28/09
The plane departed Stuttgart, connecting in Chicago's "O'Hare".
While on the ground, a passenger said from the seat behind me,
"My God, they're throwing Porsches out there!"
My chums and I exchanged a look, best described as terror
At the action on the tarmac, and knowing whose vehicles these would be
So before I left Chicago, I alerted three employees
Who showed complete indifference towards me
United...
(United...)
You broke my Panamera
United...
(United...)
And you didn't even care-a...
07/28/09
fixed.
07/28/09
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07/28/09
@FormerlyPreferredCustomer: Not since the DeHavilland Comet has there been a good-looking jetliner.
I will admit that the new Boeing 787 is a bit of a looker, though.
07/28/09
07/28/09
They wanted to deliver the ugly faster to all the tanned people in Orange County.
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