Does Anyone Like the Panamera?

I've talked to lots of enthusiasts about the Panamera. Most haven't driven it, so the comments are about the design. What is odd is that I haven't found anyone who likes it. I put myself in the "I don't hate it" camp. But does anyone actually like or love the design?
by Tom Martin on Dec. 08, 2009 - 4:22 p.m.
  • Reilly Brennan
    I think it's probably better overall as a sedan than the Cayenne is as a SUV. I think it will take a few years for people to soften up to it, but they will. As an aside, I can't figure out why anyone finds the Maser QP attractive, but plenty of people seem to think it is. If you take all the super sedans in aggregate, I think the Panamera ranks rather high, actually.
  • Jose M
    Porsche made a Ugly car!! Period. As a technological marvel? well their is not another 4wheel,V8 Twin turbo Sport sedan that can match it. But this category is about Speed and Style..
  • Panamera is butt ass ugly - just like the Cayennes. It may haul ass and have a nice interior, but Porsche has to beef up the exterior lines, the rims and fenders so it looks more hunky. The Turbo models are closer to achieving the mark, but the regular and mid models look like a dolled up Camry. Go back to the drawing board and start with the 89 Speedster, the Turbos and the widebody bad boys of the 80s and early 90s. So what if the skinny body has less drag in the wind tunnel. Porsche needs to step up their game and get back to designers who will give their cars the immediate street cool cred.
  • Having spent time with the Panamera up close and personal, I have to admit that while from the pictures I first thought it didn't work, in person it does. No it is not a Maserati, a Jaguar or an Aston, but if it looked like those (and with the exception of the the front clip, they pretty much all look the same) people would complain that it wasn't in line with the Porsche heritage. Sorry it is out of my budget, but it is nice and I could live with one easily.
  • Guest
    Actually went and looked and drove a Panamera4S - in white it is good looking. Pictures do it no justice. Drives great. Comfort is great. I predict people will learn to accept the overall appearance - I was going to buy a 550SL and will now order the Panamera 4S. How many actually saw and drove the car?
  • Seyth Miersma
    Just below the upcoming Aston Martin Rapide in terms of looks alone. Though you'll pay through the nose for the Aston. (Hard to make a Porsche look inexpensive.)
  • It is growing on me. To my eyes, dark colors and big wheels help it. The interior looks fantastic and I understand the driving experience is awesome... so I will wait to drive one until I judge it.
  • 911 Fan
    I saw the car in person, and YES it does look a lot better in person. The hump in back allows 6+footers to be comfortable, not hitting their heads on the roof, If you can get past the hump, the car is fantastic, and I predict a winner for Porsche if VW leaves it alone.
  • Jr
    Hi in my opinnion none of the porsche cars made today are in the same class as ferrari,lamborghini or aston martin ...pinifarina exists for a good reason .
  • "...better overall as a sedan than the Cayenne is as a SUV." Faint praise, Reilly, but it hits the mark. There are far better SUVs than the Cayenne, but the Panamera appears to be well positioned in the over-the-top sedan arena. If I lost my mind one day and decided I needed an overweight, overgadgeted, somewhat unreliable 4-door eyesore in my driveway, I'd have a tough time choosing between the Panamera, Audi S8 and and a BMW 760.
  • SWonder
    I think it look's pretty nice Stevie Wonder Hollywood California
  • Guys, Porsches are about the DRIVING. Anyone who claims to have an opinion who has not driven one should be ignored. The chassis rigidity, the steering, the feel, the suspension tuning, the perfect relationship between the controls, the pedals and the driver are not visible. You have to use them to appreciate them. See Tommy Kendall's Panamera Test Drive on Speed. He could not say enough nice things about the car.
  • Tommy Kendall says nice things about EVERY car on Test Drive. As host of what amounts to an automotive infomercial for the featured marque or vehicle, it's his job to be effusively positive. The boy sure can drive, though. And yes, I have owned a Porsche ('01 996 TT that I bought new). Like every 911 Turbo, it garnered all kinds of praise from the automotive media in the months after its launch. In retrospect, the 996 was not Porsche's crowning achievement, and owning (and tracking) one quickly revealed its shortcomings. Despite absurdly positive reviews from media outlets who rely on manufacturer largesse and advertisers to keep their cog engaged in the marketing machine, every car has its strengths and weaknesses. The Panamera will be no different; once the hype starts to fade, owners will have the final say on the relative merits of the car.
  • I've driven the Panamera Turbo and I own a C4S, 2 Boxster S's and a Cayenne S. The Panamera is a Porsche. Feels like one, drives like one and goes like one. Iit has a odd rear 3/4 view though. Who cares? I sit INSIDE. This might explain why I love Old SAABs and Subarus. It's about the driving!! And... Having said THAT... I've also instructed students with almost everything else out there. For the money I would buy one of those weird sounding V-10 BMW M5's. They are real magic with a decent back seat and some kind of visceral feel that the Panamera just seems to miss. *sigh* So many cars, so little time!
  • Saw the Turbo driven when I was in Austria in September. Very quick! I think it's better than the Cayenne... in fact, it's the car Porsche should have made instead of the Cayenne.
  • Colofrog
    It's a beautiful car...the Maserati looks like a Buick. If I had the dough...........
  • The only Porsche car that comes to mind that I would put the label "pretty" on is the 550 Spyder. And it's still not beautiful. That said I am a Porsche fan, own a '73 911. As an engineer I like the unique Porsche way of doing things, and one of those is "no nonsense" styling. The Panamera is not pretty. Based on looks the upcoming Jaguar XJ blows it out of the water. But having sat in, and been around (but not driven) the Panamera I can say I'd be perfectly happy living with one day-to-day. Very comfortable seats, adequate rear-seat room, nice fit and finish. Were I in the running for a car in this class I'd probably take a long hard look at the Panamera... and then get the Jag. Of course the Panamera is much more expensive than the Jag as well, by the time you get done with options.
  • I have never considered Porsches as "pretty" cars, but I certainly enjoy driving my 993 (1997 Carerra). Porsche puts function ahead of form. The original concept car was indeed much nicer, but, once the engineers (and 6 ft. tall executives) had their way with it, well, now we have the Panamera as shipped. If I was independently wealthy, I would have one. It is unique, and have a look at the new protoype 4-door Buggatti! Look familiar?
  • I think it is unique enough to be successful. One seriously positive consideration - it will definitely look better in person. Pictures can not do this smooth exterior design justice. I think it will look awesome from the rear. And..........four in this car, up the California coast, would be a day of pure joy. And, by the way, the Cayenne truly is an out of proportion ugly verhicle.
  • psimac
    I saw the car at the LA Auto Show. Spent some time inside the car, too. The car is not a pretty car in the same sense as, say, an Aston-Martin. However, up close it's not an ugly car. Certain colors look better than others, yet the car is one of those designs that doesn't photograph well. The Panamera has spectacular fit-and-finish and the interior is terrific. The paint is the best I've seen on a modern production car. Porsche really spent some attention on the details--everything is really solid, fits perfectly and feels terrific. I look forward to driving one of these. Porsche doesn't care if anyone thinks it's ugly, because thousands of orders are in, so someone likes them. Just like the last 7-series was the best 7 of all time, yet it was widely regarded as ugly (even though it's responsible for changing modern car design, but that's another thread).
  • JackSprat
    Ahhh, the Paranormal, yes. Well, I am also aesthetically at the "I don't hate it" point for the exterior. Love the interior a lot (apart from the avalanche of analogue buttons sterilizing me with their glow) and it drives fantastically well for what it is compared to other premium four-doors. And the serious rear hatch is dear to me. I feel the Rapide execusion is much better so far as the exterior, but I just know already that it will be a less satisfying driver and not built as well.
  • jacksprat
    Actually, Jr, Pininfarina has lost its way drastically, sadly, and has been sold to Rossignol for nothing. They are set to make only small electric cars for the near future. The Ferrari California is a dog's dish of design, too. The place just crumbled in the last three years.
  • Vitamin Shop
    Yea, actually I think it looks pretty amazing.
  • porsche 928 fans from the 80''s was waiting for the panamera so long , but many are deceptionated due to ugly 911 limo like car. more sporty and stylish line are needed to inprove panamera and two door car with features like 928 gts will be the best sport car from porsche.
  • tank you admin
  • Karl
    Well, it surely isnt the prettiest car Porsche has ever made, though it is true when said pictures cannot do the car justice. Its got a good stance, low and wide, looks as though its really a machine for the road. Having sat in one, the interior in luxurious and comfortable as any, as well as being rather roomy(I'm 6'3" and still had 5" or so of head room). Everyone should understand WHY this car was built, its a more functional car for a daily driver than a 911 or cayman, and its easier to back the argument of why you went and bought one when your wife asks.
  • No, I really don't like the design - in person or in photos. Then again, I think the Cayenne is ugly too. Porsche lost me after the 911 and Boxster. I'm sure it's fast, and probably even fun, but I can't spend that kind of cash (if I had that kind of cash) on something that I can't love the looks of. Even the 914, while not sleek, had a certain visual appeal.
  • qaz
    First impression was not favorable but now with a few in my neighborhood and I am getting accustomed to the look... I am getting to like it. My wife, who drives a millenium 91, loves the Panamera. Happy spouse...happy house!
  • Jet
    Total Joke. Looks like a 911 went to the limo shop and got stretched. A nich vehicle for insecure people who want to show off.
  • Saracen
    I test drove one a few weeks ago. It is astonishingly good. Possibly the best sedan I've ever driven. Also in person, it looks alot better. Pics don't really do it justice. The model I drove was Carbon Gray, with the 20" RS wheels, probably the best looking combo I've seen.
  • Timkro
    Mercedes (CLS) and Volkswagen (CC) have shown that sedans can be swoopy and sexy. Sure Porsche will do things differently and usually better on dynamics but Porsches are supposed to be sporty, not necessarily pretty and the Panamera is neither. It's ungainly and awkward, a design failure.
  • That is the key. Drive it and that will be it. And honestly, a lot of even our favorite sport cars we`ve grown over the years to like their design. At least for me thats the case. But after driving it, having that one on one experience, that changed everything. To me, The Mercedes SLs look sexier than everything else. And the new Audi R8 just looks mean.........
  • Steve
    These were all over the place in Monterey last August (Factory display and test drives at the Pebble Beach Concours). The look never grew on me in person, I find it ungainly. The interior does indeed look to be a wonderful place to spend some time, but I find the car ugly to look at. Even for a $20k car I want to feel good about how my car looks and for what the Panamera costs it's even a bigger requirement. I think the mistake here was to try to mimick the look of the 911 too much. I think if they had gone in a different direction and somehow tried to imbue the car with a Porsche identity without so obviously trying to tie it into the look of their rear-engined sports GT it would have been more successful. Now it just looks like a 911 on radioactive growth hormones or a squished Cayenne. Ferrari seems to be able to design new cars that are obviously Ferraris but look very different than their predecessors (the 328 to the 348, the 360 to the F430 to the Italia... beautiful... well perhaps not the 348... but all swoopy, sporty, Italian, and clearly Ferrari). With the exception of the Boxster/Cayman, which itself was a crib of the 550 shape, all Porsche have been slowly evolving variations of the 911. Even the Cayenne was basically a VW Touareg with a 911 face on the front. If the Panamera had taken Porsche's engineering and performane reputation and had gone in a different styling direction I think they could have added to their brand portfolio and not upset the "faithful" quite so much.
  • We are professional brand shoes, Gucci Handbags, Gucci Shoes and satisfied customers always come first. We have huge quantity of Gucci Purses, Gucci Belts, Gucci Loafers and Gucci Sneakers for sale! You can find the exact gucci whether Gucci Men's Shoes or Gucci Women's Shoes you want at a price that's right for you.Moreover,we have the best quality Louis Vuitton Shoes on sale including Men's Shoes
  • biber hapı

    denediniz mi
  • Looks like an insect to me. Just because it says "Porsche" on the hood, somebody with too much money to burn will buy it.
  • jdec
    Panamera is a pricing nightmare and ugly. Porsche should stick to what they have been doing well so far. Somehow I don't believe the Panamera would exist if the new owners (VW) had any input. Get the new Audi S8 instead.
  • Porsche will sell Panamera units simply because most 25 to 54 year olds, ie. 'today's performance car buyers' have few sensibilities of design, performance or purpose. They do, however, love the idea of being seen in what they preceive to be an iconic marque. History has proven that Porsche lost its way in the 1990's when family greed took precedent over marque heritage. ANY production Porsche built since 1998 (with the exception of the Carrera GT) was built for a S U C K E R.
  • Reasoning
    If you want to be realistic, every make has lost its way from when it was at the height of its popularity. That's what happens as time goes on and standards change on a world level. Porsche is a business, and enthusiasts/hardcore fans don't keep the lights on. Plenty of people hate the very Porsches that loyalists claim are the best examples. Do you agree with them? The one thing that Porsche has not compromised on is performance relative to anything else at the given time. A true enthusiast (ie. not a shallow person in general) knows that you don't get caught up with how something looks..that doesnt do anything for you when you are driving. The Cayenne is claimed to be ugly, but it doesn't behave that way compared to the competition. Same goes for this and any other model that isn't a 911.
  • -I think Porsche made a beautiful job breaking ground with the Panamera,came out with a no-nonsense sedan completely in the Porsche tradition and most people say they hate it simply because they can't afford it. -And drives wonderfully too. -Way to go Porsche !
  • HWMueller
    It is overkill all the way. The 911 is pure straight and standing tall. The 911 is still king in design and performance. Porsche should go the other way, simple, no gimmicks, styling streamlined and responsive handling with a agile 4 cylinder turbo with great gas milage. Call it the Porche e.
  • Plain and Simple! NO!
  • I think the Panamera is like all the rest (or most) or the Porsche designs of the last decades, boring and uninspired. The front of the car is OK, but the rear and the hatchback is a joke. If the CLS can be stunning it seems funny that Porsche can't even come close. That and it's very small on the inside.
  • BoostGear.com
    Don't judge it until you have saw the car in person and driven it. Once I saw one in person as well drove the car it is fantastic. It's kind of like what you wish Cadillac would do with the CTS-V. The interior is amazing as well.
  • I saw one in the flesh just last week. It looked awesome! Very imposing but it had a beauty as well. I love it.
  • gilhuly
    Just saw this car yesterday in person on the road in dark metallic blue. In person this is not a bad looking car at all. It is bigger than I would have imagined. This car is not to be compared against other Porsches. There are no other Porsches that this competes with. And as a super luxury sport sedan it looks pretty bad ass.
  • I drove it today. First let me say that the interior design seems pretty well done. A little flashy, but at least not boring. Great seats. Good room in back (legroom and headroom). It isn't an S Class in back, but very usable. And the hatch plus fold-down seats give you lots of usable room (you could consider this instead of a wagon for some uses). Now the drive. The suspension is really well dialed-in. You'd expect that, but the Panamera to me completely embarrasses the new 7 Series. Power is strong on the 4S (what I drove), though I wouldn't say a lot greater than a 7 (but PDK makes it seem more responsive). I still don't love the exterior, but in the right color it is okay in person. Like the old 7, it has some presence rather than beauty. But after you drive it, you can take a broader view.