Speccing a Hybrid Panamera?
Discussion
A mate of mine is speccing up a hybrid Panamera and has asked me to help him decide what he needs.
He's not a "driver" as such, likes his techy stuff and comfort.
Having looked on the car builder, it seems everything is possible but what would you recommend? Anything essential and what can we leave off the options?
Cheers
He's not a "driver" as such, likes his techy stuff and comfort.
Having looked on the car builder, it seems everything is possible but what would you recommend? Anything essential and what can we leave off the options?
Cheers
I found this topic via a Google News alert, and since I purchased a Panamera S e Hybrid last year and struggled with the options, I figured what the heck, I'd put my two cents in.
Options are highly individual. You'll find people who swear up and down that you absolutely must have the sports exhaust, an option I think of as having no value at all, since all it does is add noise. No performance benefit at all.
I think there are only really two must-haves for everyone. The Panamera's rear visibility is poor, so I think it's absolutely vital to get Lane Change Assist and the reversing camera, or better yet the surround view camera. I rely far more on my side mirrors than in any previous car I've owned, and LCA assist gives extra warning that there's someone in my blind spot. I can usually see the driver's side warning light in my peripheral vision even if I'm looking straight ahead.
The reversing camera takes all the guesswork out of maneuvering a long car in tight spaces. It's been invaluable in a couple of parking garages where I edging back and forth repeatedly to exit the space. The overhead view hasn't been quite as vital, but it's very good at showing precisely where I am compared to parking slot markers, both sides and rear.
One thing that may not be clear is that if you want the ability to control heat and air-conditioning remotely, that requires the Auxiliary Cabin Conditioning option. I thought I was getting the remote A/C with Porsche Car Connect, which comes standard with the S e Hybrid, but it didn't. Bear in mind though that the remote climate control involves an annual subscription. You get 6 months of Vehicle Tracking, 6 months of Remote, and 5 years of eMobility with the car.
Personally, one option I wished I'd ordered but did not was the Adaptive Cruise Control. I didn't realize quite how sophisticated that was until I saw some YouTube videos on the subject after I'd ordered.
The 2015's now have an option for a 7.2 kW charger, which wasn't available when I ordered. This is helpful mainly if you expect to do a lot of rapid charges at public stations. 2 hours to charge vs. 1 hour isn't a big deal if the car is at home overnight, but can be much more significant when it's a short stop away from home.
Beyond that, it's a matter of taste. He really needs to sit in cars with and without leather interiors, for example, to compare how they look. I thought I didn't care, but after receiving the car I sat in a car which had leather, and I found I wished I'd ordered that.
Options are highly individual. You'll find people who swear up and down that you absolutely must have the sports exhaust, an option I think of as having no value at all, since all it does is add noise. No performance benefit at all.
I think there are only really two must-haves for everyone. The Panamera's rear visibility is poor, so I think it's absolutely vital to get Lane Change Assist and the reversing camera, or better yet the surround view camera. I rely far more on my side mirrors than in any previous car I've owned, and LCA assist gives extra warning that there's someone in my blind spot. I can usually see the driver's side warning light in my peripheral vision even if I'm looking straight ahead.
The reversing camera takes all the guesswork out of maneuvering a long car in tight spaces. It's been invaluable in a couple of parking garages where I edging back and forth repeatedly to exit the space. The overhead view hasn't been quite as vital, but it's very good at showing precisely where I am compared to parking slot markers, both sides and rear.
One thing that may not be clear is that if you want the ability to control heat and air-conditioning remotely, that requires the Auxiliary Cabin Conditioning option. I thought I was getting the remote A/C with Porsche Car Connect, which comes standard with the S e Hybrid, but it didn't. Bear in mind though that the remote climate control involves an annual subscription. You get 6 months of Vehicle Tracking, 6 months of Remote, and 5 years of eMobility with the car.
Personally, one option I wished I'd ordered but did not was the Adaptive Cruise Control. I didn't realize quite how sophisticated that was until I saw some YouTube videos on the subject after I'd ordered.
The 2015's now have an option for a 7.2 kW charger, which wasn't available when I ordered. This is helpful mainly if you expect to do a lot of rapid charges at public stations. 2 hours to charge vs. 1 hour isn't a big deal if the car is at home overnight, but can be much more significant when it's a short stop away from home.
Beyond that, it's a matter of taste. He really needs to sit in cars with and without leather interiors, for example, to compare how they look. I thought I didn't care, but after receiving the car I sat in a car which had leather, and I found I wished I'd ordered that.
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