Power was smoothly distributed to all four wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission known as PDK (I’ll spare you the German spelling). The unit’s wonderful flexibility and smoothness made the ride that much more comfortable. Plus, the fun factor brought by the sequential shift mode will satisfy just about any driving enthusiast.
Sadly, with 0-100 accelerations in 4.4 seconds, these people will constantly have to restrain the cavalry in order not to dive into illegal-speed territory. Heck, it would be the same problem with any other Panamera, including the 300-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive base model (I won’t even discuss the 500-horsepower Panamera Turbo).
Also, by the end of the year, a new variant using the hybrid system pioneered by the Cayenne SUV will join the lineup. According to the automaker, drivers can expect fuel consumption figures to be as low as 9 litres per 100 kilometres.
Surprising efficiency
Is that right? A fuel-efficient Porsche? Well, consider this: despite weighing nearly two tons, my tester burned just 11.4 litres of gas per 100 kilometres. I got this number after more than 400 kilometres of city-highway driving. What a pleasant surprise!
Using Transport Canada’s ratings to compare the Panamera 4S to other similar sedans confirms its good environmental performance. With an "official" average of 10.6 L/100 km, this Porsche delivers better fuel economy than the all-aluminum Audi A8 4.2 quattro (10.9), Mercedes-Benz CLS550 (12.3), BMW 750Li xDrive (12.7) and Maserati Quattroporte S (14.9).
It’s a good thing the Panamera 4S proves relatively thrifty because, with a 100-litre tank (instead of 80 like in the base and S models), a full fill-up can eat your wallet in big chunks.
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| My tester relied on the same 400-horsepower V8 engine as the Porsche Cayenne. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
Sadly, with 0-100 accelerations in 4.4 seconds, these people will constantly have to restrain the cavalry in order not to dive into illegal-speed territory. Heck, it would be the same problem with any other Panamera, including the 300-horsepower, rear-wheel-drive base model (I won’t even discuss the 500-horsepower Panamera Turbo).
Also, by the end of the year, a new variant using the hybrid system pioneered by the Cayenne SUV will join the lineup. According to the automaker, drivers can expect fuel consumption figures to be as low as 9 litres per 100 kilometres.
Surprising efficiency
Is that right? A fuel-efficient Porsche? Well, consider this: despite weighing nearly two tons, my tester burned just 11.4 litres of gas per 100 kilometres. I got this number after more than 400 kilometres of city-highway driving. What a pleasant surprise!
Using Transport Canada’s ratings to compare the Panamera 4S to other similar sedans confirms its good environmental performance. With an "official" average of 10.6 L/100 km, this Porsche delivers better fuel economy than the all-aluminum Audi A8 4.2 quattro (10.9), Mercedes-Benz CLS550 (12.3), BMW 750Li xDrive (12.7) and Maserati Quattroporte S (14.9).
It’s a good thing the Panamera 4S proves relatively thrifty because, with a 100-litre tank (instead of 80 like in the base and S models), a full fill-up can eat your wallet in big chunks.
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| My tester burned just 11.4 litres of gas per 100 kilometres. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |