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our test drives or view them all

Porsche Panamera 4.8 4S

THERE was thunder in the glens last week – a glorious sound produced, as only it can be, from a sports-turned V8.

The acoustics were just a small part of a ground-breaking car that took me the length and breadth of Scotland from the Borders to Moray and, more satisfyingly, to the Western Highlands and my favourite alpine-style climb from Kishorn through the Bealach na Ba and into Applecross.

The car? It was a Porsche. Its significance? It was the Panamera. Four doors, a V8 mounted up front, and a level of interior comfort and space that makes it feel like a limousine.

I’ll be frank. I didn’t like the concept when I saw it on paper. For me Porsche should be rear engined, have two doors and be designed for the driver and perhaps a passenger who knows to keep his or her mouth shut!

In other words – a performance supercar designed to delight its pilot.

But the Panamera nudges five metres, weighs 1.86 tonnes at the kerb, and has four huge, wide-opening doors and enough space in the back to allow rear passengers to lounge in comfort. Is this what Porsche should be doing?

Well, why not? It’s a four-door marketing opportunity that was started a few years ago by Maserati with its pretty Quattroporte, and followed more recently and very dramatically by Aston Martin with the aesthetically-pleasing Rapide.

But guess what? The Panamera works best of all and wipes the deck with the others when you consider space, handling, build quality, performance and, surprisingly, value for money.

Believe me, no-one is more astonished by that conclusion than me. I initially thought of the Panamera as a Porsche too far – ugly, even.

But while it wins few prizes for beauty and looks a little brutish from some angles, the hard truth is that the Panamera is built, sounds and feels like a Porsche and is one of the most satisfying four-door supercars I have ever driven.

A few weeks ago I had the new Rapide. Its impact was dramatic and its appearance sublime – but at the end of the day I would rather spend £85,000 on the 4S Panamera I had on test than shell out nearly £140,000 on a Rapide.

Why? It feels better built. Both cars are top drawer, but the doors on the Leipzig-assembled Porsche close softly with a muted thump whereas the Rapide’s carry more of a bang.

The Panamera’s interior is sober, but immaculately crafted with double-stitched soft leather and cosseting seats front and back.

In comparison I found the Rapide, beautiful though it is, lacking in the finesse only the Germans seem able to turn out again and again.

It’s hard to describe the feeling of satisfaction I got from the Panamera. And I was not alone.

Many of my friends are used to being driven in top end cars, but universally they praised this five-door Teuton for comfort and space.

I have a personal issue with the four-wheel-drive. I don’t like it on well-balanced cars such as the Panamera or its smaller sibling, the 911.

Having said that, on some of the most demanding roads the West Highlands can throw at a driver the 4S tucked in securely on hard corners, delivered incredible grip, and managed to feel more like a rear drive Porsche than I expected.

But I’d prefer a rear drive version – like the new 300bhp 3.6-litre V6 that costs a lot less at £61,461 than my £78,938 400bhp V8 4S.

It looks and feels the same but weighs 30kgs less and delivers just a hint of classic Porsche rear drive bias compared to the 4S.

Since the Panamera was launched last year, more than 10,000 have been sold worldwide. I’m not surprised.

When it comes to value, quality, driver and passenger satisfaction, the Panamera is a remarkable package.

The boot will swallow 445 litres of luggage. Drop the large rear seats and it takes on near-estate dimensions with an incredible 1,263 litres of space.

Whether it’s toting multiple golf sets or sailing gear, the Panamera can cope. Rear passengers told me they felt secure, safe, comfortable and were reluctant to emerge.

Even those who had initially been unconvinced about the big Porsche’s appearance confessed to seeing the car in a different, more positive, styling light. Praise indeed!

First impressions are rarely good reasons to fall in love with a car. This machine is a case in point.

It does look “chunky” and “heavy”. But the driver and passenger experience will change the opinion of even the biggest doubting Thomas.

Climbing behind the wheel with its seven-speed PDK paddle-shift wheel presents the driver with a huge rev counter in the straight ahead position.

Speedo is covered by a smaller instrument or a large digital readout. It’s a classic presentation and lovely to behold.

But I was left with some doubt about the large number of switches flanking the PDK main gear selector on the bulky transmission tunnel.

Initially they look intimidating, but after more than a week with this leviathan their functionality and superb precision feel became second nature.

The 400bhp water-cooled V8 is a masterpiece. Its efficiency is fantastic and you might be surprised to hear that I averaged 29mpg overall after 400 miles of A9 motoring between Moray and Peebles.

Porsche has done a lot of work on making its cars as good as you can get and as efficient as possible – it not only shows, but also works!

But one “efficiency” feature irritated me: a stop/start system. What’s the point of one in a Porsche, unless you want to be politically correct?

The reality is that stop/start systems save infinitesimal amounts of fuel and only come close to making sense if you live in the heart of a city. And if that’s the case, why have a wonderful car like this?

The test car had £6,000 worth of options to let me see what you could get. Some I liked, others I could live without.

But while I would decline the small but pricey £967 electric sunroof, walk away from a £436 powered tailgate, and avoid the 19-inch Turbo alloy wheels with their 45 section Michelin Sport Pilot tyres, I would shell out for £516 worth of dark birch anthracite interior trim, metallic paint at £761, and the £1,736 sports exhaust.

That latter option transforms the car. You could argue that the exhaust should be standard because it maximises the deep V8 beat of an outstanding 4.8-litre engine, but I would happily complement my Panamera with the acoustic delights this option delivers.

From its standard three-position Porsche Active Suspension Management system to its limousine-like interior, this high performing five-door continent crosser is a king among fine cars.

Rating: 9.5/10

FINAL THOUGHT: It has competition from the Aston Martin Rapide and Maserati Quattroporte, but the Panamera sits head and shoulders above both when it comes to overall integrity and space. I’m not a fan of the 4S and would prefer pure rear drive, but the new Porsche all-wheel-drive system virtually eliminates front wheel tug on tight bends with power. The Panamera may not push everyone’s button on aesthetics – but it hits the bullseye in every other respect.

Porsche Panamera 4.8 4S

• Price: £78,938 (£85,150 as tested)
• Capacity: 4806cc
• Power: 400bhp
• 0-62mph: 5.0 seconds
• Maximum speed: 175mph
• Economy: Combined 25.4mpg; Urban 17.2mpg
• CO2 emissions: 260g/km
• ESP: Standard PSM
• Insurance: Group 49 (new 1-50 rating)