The revised 2014 Porsche Panamera looks rather a lot like last year's Panamera and that's hardly good news. Perhaps one of the most controversial notes in the facelift info is the long wheelbase variant, the Panamera Executive. The phrase "more rear legroom" is just never right when combined with the name Porsche.
A few extra inches of length for the Panamera isn't too big of a deal, although it's going to be interesting to see who buys this car since there are large and powerful choices like the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG and the upcoming Jaguar XJR.
The real fun in a new Porsche comes with a look at all of the options in the Porsche Car Configurator. And the Turbo Executive is outrageously expensive and has outrageous options. So. Much. Fun.
The Panamera Turbo Executive kicks off just beyond the $162,000 mark, but for that price Porsche is kind enough to throw in leather seats. You will have to pony up $1,610 if you want "natural" leather, as opposed to the stuff they've just admitted is unnatural leather.
The Interior Leather section of the options list has more choices than any other interior option selection. Some not-outrageous selections include:
- Porsche crest embossed on all 4 seats: $570
- Extended Interior Package in Leather (center console, dashboard top, lower door trims): $2,745
- Sun visors in leather (OK, you touch them a fair bit and they should feel nice for this price): $740
That's it for the stuff you can rationalize, though. Because some of the following items are either just crazy or crazy and crazy expensive. This is a Porsche, after all. They're the kind of things that, when you find this car for cheap in 2023, you'll wonder what kind of moron spent money on this. These options include:
- Fixed luggage compartment cover in leather: $845
- Rear view mirror in leather: $675
- Air vent slats in leather: $2,505
- Personalized floor mats with leather edging: $645
The most you can spend on all of the leather-related options in the Turbo Exec is $24,140, or roughly the price of a loaded Kia Forte that, I might add, also has leather seats and a stitched dashboard top.
Don't get me wrong, the Panamera will no doubt continue to be a downright rapid machine that now has more legroom for exceptionally tall people to also get a ride in what is essentially a rocket-powered hatchback.
And it's the obvious choice for people who want a hyper-sports sedan with lots of leather things.