RE: Spotted: Porsche Panamera manual

RE: Spotted: Porsche Panamera manual

Tuesday 19th June 2012

Spotted: Porsche Panamera manual

Fancy a stick-shift super-saloon? This Panamera represents a rare opportunity if so...



I don't know whether to take the credit or the blame for this one: but this Panamera exists largely because of a conversation I had with Porsche GB at the back-end of 2009.


Porsche lent me a manual Panamera 2S for a few days while I was shooting two stories.

I thought they were taking the piss at first, but after a few miles it was clear that the stick-shift saloon was actually a complete hoot.

On my return I begged Porsche GB to spec a manual for the press fleet and one duly appeared six months later. It's the connection between these two events that leads me to the conclusion that I had something to do with its arrival. I know - tenuous at best.

It's a rare old beast, but for me it works. It's not as fast as a Turbo, but it makes a much better noise and it's still got 400bhp. Think E39 M5 performance, plus a little bit more, and you'll get the idea.


Moreover, if you're someone who wishes there was a super-saloon that still had a manual gearbox, this is the only car to fit those criteria.

For going to places far away, very fast, the Panamera remains at the top of my list.

 

 

 


PORSCHE PANAMERA S
Engine:
4,806cc V8
Transmission:6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp):400@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft):368@3,500-5,000rpm
MPG:22.6
CO2:293g/km
First registered: 2011
Recorded mileage:10,672
Price new: £78,221
Yours for: £54,990

 

Author
Discussion

OdramaSwimLaden

Original Poster:

1,971 posts

168 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
Well....I like it (but then again I owned a manual Cayenne GTS for 2 years and so i'm used to "weird" cars).

kambites

67,460 posts

220 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
Nice to see that the option is there.

thewheelman

2,194 posts

172 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
Must admit to liking the Panamera, I believe they look far better in the metal than in pictures.

Iamnotkloot

1,395 posts

146 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
I'm with the 'lovers' camp here. An unusual, powerful, RWD saloon with a manual gearbox - should be a favourite but not many like them.

El Shafto

133 posts

144 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
I love it, but I can see why most manufacturers never put manual gearboxes into their super-saloons - It's because they're not designed to be 'driver's' cars and they're targeted at the sort of people that have far too much money and self importance to be expected to change gear themselves...just imagine the indignity of having to change gear like a poor person? wink

sisu

2,576 posts

172 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
so with your endorsement and rave review at EVO and now blessing on the PH site the sales have been doing well? Cause last time i looked the number of manual panameras in the UK you could count on one hand? That includes the press car you drove.

toppstuff

13,698 posts

246 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
I could not agree more.

I love the Panamera. The haters are talking out of their hats.

I love the notion of a manual one, too.

And so you think you were responsible for making Porsche UK decide on their press car spec policy eh? Who are, Lord Harry Metcalfe? You'll be taking credit for the next generation 911 next.. wink

FamilyDub

3,587 posts

164 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
thewheelman said:
Must admit to liking the Panamera, I believe they look far better in the metal than in pictures.
Me too, just not in that ghastly shade white - to my eyes a darker colour is much better.

DutchSi

10 posts

145 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
What's going on with the Escort styled steering wheel?

Cheib

23,110 posts

174 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
Love the idea of this in a world of flappy paddles.....I just find the looks very,very challenging. Maybe driving one helps overcome that ?

Stuart

11,635 posts

250 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
I love them. Thinking about it, why on earth didn't we take one to Le Mans???

RichTBiscuit

430 posts

150 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
It's not the only super saloon - I'd add a VXR8 to that list smile

rob.kellock

2,213 posts

191 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
Cheib said:
Love the idea of this in a world of flappy paddles.....I just find the looks very,very challenging. Maybe driving one helps overcome that ?
It really does, they are fabulous to drive or be driven in.

A quick look on the Porsche website reveals the cheapest approved used Panamera to be a 2010 manual S at £50k with a low 9517 miles. They are very dear secondhand compared to, say the new Jaguar XJ which seem to represent astonishing used value at the moment.

tbc

3,017 posts

174 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
as nice as it is

having a porker devalue £24,000 in little over a year is madness


MrTickle

1,825 posts

238 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
tbc said:
as nice as it is

having a porker devalue £24,000 in little over a year is madness
that's retail to retail - probably nearer £30K retail to trade!

ChrisRich12

4 posts

141 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
I love the Panamera.

car95

413 posts

191 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
yep

sisu

2,576 posts

172 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
Yeah that is the thing Chris, you may like it. There may be the same Pub chat endorsment here of it being the thinking mans Porsche. But then value of it in the real world would be still quite high after a year as the kudos of it being better would hold it afloat, such as your 997 4.0
That is a £24-30k test of faith in the word of the Harris and a true believer will show that they still believe he is the truth and the light by buying this manual Panamera! Amen

M@1975

591 posts

226 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
Panamera, love, manual Panamera, potentially love even more. One of my favourite drives that, was stunned at how good they actually are after having incredibly low expectations.

tomoleeds

770 posts

185 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
quotequote all
as the manual gets older it will be worth more for 2 reasons, 1,there will be buyers wanting a stick, , 2 less to go wrong,a clutch is going be a lot cheaper than a auto box, ie, m3 ,range rover,audi there autos go wrong regularly and your looking at £2-£3k to fix