2017 Porsche Panamera 4 - Magic Number 4

 

 

The new Porsche Panamera has been chosen as a finalist for the upcoming WesBank South African Car of the Year awards, and while this may not seem like a big deal, it means quite a lot to Porsche - winning it again will give them a total of four SA COTY victories

We tested the Porsche Panamera 4, powered by a 243kW and 450Nm 3.0-litre turbocharged V6. It plumbs this power through an 8-speed dual-clutch PDK gearbox with steering-mounted paddle shifters. This drive is distributed to all four wheels in the Panamera 4 through an active AWD system that constantly monitors the road conditions and signals from wheel sensors, to ensure that you always have the most grip possible.

While the interior is extremely well-pieced together, we couldn’t help feel that the tech is somewhat lacking. While there is a healthy amount of functional tech, it’s the omission of autonomous assistance that lead us to believe that the Porsche appeals to a slightly different consumer. The atypical BMW 7 Series or S-class owner will appreciate the build quality, but may not enjoy the driver-orientated approach in the Panamera. 

The redesign for 2017 sees new dimensions and treatments to areas like the lights and C-pillars, drawing closer to a traditional Porsche 911 silhouette and creating the impression of speed and performance. We particularly like the 4-LED clusters that make up the DRLs and brake lights.