The latest Porsche Panamera has arrived in Malaysia in base Panamera and Panamera 4S
guises, at RM 890,000 and RM 1,100,000 respectively. A four-year warranty and free maintenance package is
included, which covers parts and labour.
Heading the Panamera’s launch line-up is the 4S,
with its 2.9 litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6 with 440 PS at 5,650 rpm and 550
Nm from 1,750 to 5,500 rpm, transmitted to all four wheels via an eight-speed
dual-clutch automatic. Accompanying the Panamera 4S is the base Panamera with a
3.0 litre turbocharged V6, producing 330 PS at 5,400 rpm and 450 Nm between
1,340 rpm and 4,900 rpm, sent to the rear wheels.
The base Panamera does the 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.5
seconds, while the Panamera 4S does the same benchmark in 4.3 seconds
(acceleration figures are with Sport Plus activated, 0.2 second slower
without). Top speeds for the Panamera and Panamera 4S are 264 km/h and 289
km/h.
In the chassis department, Porsche Active Suspension
Management (PASM) gives control over the three-chamber air suspension units at
each corner, while steering is electromechanical. Rear axle steering is
optional on both the base Panamera and Panamera 4S. Porsche Torque Vectoring
Plus (PTV Plus) and active roll stabilisation also feature here.
The new Panamera features LED
headlamps and daytime running lights in front, with three-dimensional LED tail
lights at the rear. Standard fit on the Panamera are 19-inch wheels, with the
examples pictured here shod in the optional 21-inch wheels with staggered
widths (tyres are 275/35R21 in front, 315/30R21 at the rear).
Inside, the driver is greeted by the now-commonplace
918 Spyder-style steering wheel with the Sport Response mode selector for four
driving modes – Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual (included with the
optional Sport Chrono), with a pair of seven-inch digital
displays flanking the central analogue tachometer in the instrument cluster.
Audio is courtesy of a 3D sound system by Burmester,
and the front seats are 14-way adjustable with massage function. The PCM (Porsche
Communication Management) suite is controlled by a 12.3-inch touchscreen
display, while smartphone integration is via Apple CarPlay along with voice
control.
Touch-sensitive surfaces replace
hard keys along the centre console, and the louvres of the central air vent are
electrically adjusted by touch-sensitive sliders. The boot itself is
electrically operated as standard, and all doors feature a soft-closing assist
function. Further along, the individual rear seats can be folded to increase
boot space from 495 litres to 1,304 litres.