If you think about it, the second generation of the Porsche Panamera had only one job to do: to look better than the original one.
And it sure does; gone are the weird proportions of the old one, with the new car looking a lot more like a stretched 911, something that most people will find rather pleasing.
But Porsche didn’t stop there. The whole car is all new, from the chassis to the powertrains and the onboard tech. It’s like Porsche wanting to make the competition feel sorry for itself. Just look at that interior, blending high-res displays and touch-sensitive panels with beautiful materials and a genuine sporty atmosphere.
And then you get under the bonnet, where in the case of the Panamera Turbo lives a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine with 542hp and 567(!) lb-ft (770Nm) of peak torque that’s available from just under 2,000rpm. It’s a monster of an engine and is mated to Porsche’s new eight-speed PDK gearbox that spanks it relentlessly when in Sport Plus mode. 0-62mph (0-100km/h) comes in just 3.6 seconds.
Does it matter that the new Porsche Panamera costs that much? Not if you want the best driver-focused large four-door out there. Auto Express delivers their first driving impressions in the video linked below.