Get moving and what was a menacing brute in the parking lot becomes a playful puppy. The Panamera belies its size, and how! That’s the most evident aspect of this car. Porsche DNA and heritage and want for four of everything aside, the Panamera, even with the V6 diesel, can scoot the moment it senses any movement from your foot. The car shrinks around you the moment you put your foot down and the surroundings, which seem like your evening study, are all heaved along like you wouldn’t believe.
The Panamera Diesel continues to be offered with the 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel making 250 PS and 550 Nm of torque, but this time around, it is equipped with that sweetly tuned eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox, funnelling the force to the rear wheels. There is, however, a new and more powerful version with 300 PS and 650 Nm incoming. That said, the performance, for a diesel, is simply beyond anything which could be described using the word ‘adequate’.
Acceleration is brisk and effortless, with 100 km/h coming up in a quick 6.7 seconds with Porsche claiming a top speed of 244 km/h. Moving through traffic is no problem at all with the Panamera Diesel taking all of three seconds to sprint from 40 to 80 km/h, and then on past whatever moving roadblocks that may come your way. One issue is rear visibility. The wing mirrors are small for a car of its size, and while Porsche have worked on bettering the view out of the rear window, the inside mirror doesn’t really offer much of a view of the goings-on behind the car either.
The steering feels a bit firm the first time you take a spin, but as you drive along, it becomes perfectly clear how well it has been tuned. The response is truly fantastic for a near two-tonne car and there is no intrusive feedback whatsoever. The absence of any buttons and controls is a welcome change, and the tall shift paddles can let you take over shifting responsibilities. With eight ratios to play around with, the engine braking effect is noticeable but not pronounced, shifting up or down a ratio only brings about a corresponding drop or rise of 500 revs. Either way, it is quick, no doubt about that.
Being quick is one thing for a grand tourer, but another key element is fuel economy. Just how efficient is it? Our tests revealed a city figure of 8 km/l and 12 on the highway. An overall nine paired to the big 80-litre tank translates into a range of 720 kilometres before the tank runs dry. The new engine is expected to be just as efficient, but until it arrives, Porsche have chosen not to deny diesel-seekers the new Panamera. Porsche India have stated that the new diesel engine will be available later, so for those who get their cheque-books out now, you’re set to receive 50 more horses and 100 more twists.
The Panamera, then, makes a strong case for itself. At Rs 1.21 crore (ex-showroom, Maharashtra), it makes a lot of sense for those who seek the performance of a sports luxury car without sacrificing on the essential luxury bits, and who want to be up front where all the action is. The Panamera has no equal there, at least, not in this price range. Then there’s the badge. Is it a diesel 911 with twice as many doors and twice as many seats? Maybe. Is it a proper Porsche? You bet!
