Issue 123
February 2012

• Home
• Current Issue
• Previous Issues
• Magazine Subscription

• Events & Trackdays
• Porsche Motorsport
• Panamera Tech Workshop
• Quick Drives
• Tuners Cars
• New Car Data
• Pure Data
• Buying Guide
• Downloads
• Back Issues
• Videos
• Porsche Museum
• Classifieds
• Contact Details

The Panamera doesn't shy away from its size, at nearly five metres long it's going to struggle anyway. But thanks to its dimensions Porsche's four-seater saloon-coupé provides an incredible level of space and comfort.

From the driver's seat the cockpit wraps around you tighter than a 911's driving position, with the transmission tunnel coming up to meet the bottom of the dashboard. From the passenger seat initially you feel the dash is a little too close, with your knees just a centimetre or two away from making contact with the leather-trimmed surface. It's only when you take a cursory glance over your shoulder that it becomes apparent that the rear seat passenger has acres of leg room which you could happily take advantage of with no one noticing.

Step into the back of the Panamera and the experience is as inspiring as being up front. The individual rear seats enjoy many of the luxuries you would expect in this class with infinite adjustment and active seat climate control for each chair, but with the seat's thin design front and rear the back seat passengers have an unrivalled view out of the front of the car.

As already mentioned leg room isn't an issue, even with a 6' 4" driver up front, and while the swooping roofline would suggest a lack of headroom and the need to contort your frame through the door opening to get in and out, this couldn't be further from the truth. Access is as easy as it is in any car and headroom simply isn't an issue. And if you get the chance to inspect a Panamera closely be sure to have a look at the door hinges, they are a work of engineering art.

Back