PORSCHE PANAMERA: SCIENCE FICTION HANDLING EXPLAINED

EV Channels Review

The third-generation Porsche Panamera, specifically the 4SE Hybrid model, is presented as a deeply niche luxury sport sedan targeting a very affluent demographic. While its starting price and optional extras are substantial, the reviewer highlights its exceptional driving dynamics, particularly the groundbreaking Porsche Active Ride suspension system. This technology, which replaces traditional sway bars with a sophisticated hydraulic system, allows for unparalleled ride comfort and body control, enabling the car to remain flat during acceleration, braking, and cornering, even leaning into turns like a motorcycle. The reviewer praises the car's ability to deliver a sports car feel in a larger sedan package, offering superior handling and driver engagement compared to competitors like the BMW M5. However, significant drawbacks include the high cost of ownership due to rapid depreciation and expensive options, less refined hybrid system integration compared to BMW, and a noticeable deadness in the brake pedal when blending regenerative and friction braking. Despite these criticisms, the Panamera is lauded as potentially the best GT luxury sedan on the market, excelling in various conditions from blizzards to spirited back-road driving.