RE: Driven: Porsche Panamera GTS

[Mosdef]

kambites said:

Beyond Rational said:

kambites said:

anything fast said:

LOUDEST COUGH IN THE WORLD... BMW M5.. END OF.

It's a different class of car - the M5 is a lot smaller and less luxurious than the Panamera.

Despite being 'a lot smaller' by a whole 4cm width and 6cm long, the BMW has more passenger space.

Are you sure? Impressive what Porsche have done if they can generate a more comfortable car than a RR Phantom with less passenger space than a 5-series.

Porsche were quite clear on marketing it as a 7-series competitor, although I did always wonder how ambitious that was until Garlick's comment earlier in this thread.

Amazing that anyone can compare the M5 with a Panamera. Sitting in the M5, it was cramped and indistinguishable from a 520d other than the higher rated speedo. I'm coming out of bi turbo E63 and I'm slightly bored of the torque fest, hence going back to a higher revving naturally aspirated engine. The E63 and M5 don't feel many degrees apart from basic donor cars whereas even a basic Panamera feels like a £60k+ car. I tested all the usual high oerformance saloons and Maseratis and other than the Maserati's fantastic noise, I couldn't get excited about any of the usual suspects. The Panamera GTS just felt right.

[Devil2575]

MrQuick said:

If it were a 50hp differential I'd say the it is irrelevant, but 130hp more power is utterly massive in any car.

They're Luxo barges, I'd prefer a more power and 95% of the 'feel' over the ability to take the car to track days.

Surely in luxo barge 430 bhp is more than enough? It's certainly not lacking.

Although this is PH and as it hasn't got over 500 bhp it's probably not classed as a fast car

[Wills2]

Mosdef said:

Amazing that anyone can compare the M5 with a Panamera.

But they do, just remember that when you're sat in your car trying to feel superior and an M5 blasts past you.....

[RichB]

Wills2 said:

Mosdef said:

Amazing that anyone can compare the M5 with a Panamera.

But they do, just remember that when you're sat in your car trying to feel superior and an M5 blasts past you.....

I don't get this, big saloons are for covering distance and both cars are capable of cruising at 85 on a motorway. I was going to ask why would an M5 "blast" past but then I thought about the typical BMW driver and answered my own question

[Mosdef]

RichB said:

Wills2 said:

Mosdef said:

Amazing that anyone can compare the M5 with a Panamera.

But they do, just remember that when you're sat in your car trying to feel superior and an M5 blasts past you.....

I don't get this, big saloons are for covering distance and both cars are capable of cruising at 85 on a motorway. I was going to ask why would an M5 "blast" past but then I thought about the typical BMW driver and answered my own question

I tend to think it's a case of people judging cars based on the cars Nurburgring lap time rather than how interactive and enjoyable they are to drive in the real world. I'm ditching my E63 and happily dropping around 130bhp because I feel that overall the GTS is a far superior car. I'm not so bothered about who's quickest at a traffic light GP, although if you've ever tried it, launching an M5 well is not particularly easy.

The M5 is a great car but using it to anything like its potential in the real world is difficult and at sane speeds it's a bit dull. It also feels rather cheap.

If it was all about raw speed, we'd only buy Nissan GTRs and Audi RS6s.

Edited by Mosdef on Sunday 17th May 13:56

[sealtt]

WOAH, hang on a sec.. an SUV manufacturer making sports saloon cars!??!

What a world we live in!