Test Drive: Porsche Panamera Turbo is truly a four-door sports car

What just happened One second were doing 60 kmh in traffic a couple of blinks later the whole bunch of vehicles are a distant speck in our rearview mirrors and the needle is well into triple digits Looking at the road theres absolutely no way of telling how fast youre going The 14way adjustable ventilated seats have kept us in harmony akin to strolling on grass in a park at 19 kmh Glance sideways and you get clues as to how fast youre actually going The Porsche Panamera Turbo is a seriously incredible car It will devour miles and glide over all kinds of roads with ease The standard threechamber air suspension and plush ventilated perforated leather seats front and rear provide for cabin comfort par excellence So far as dynamics are concerned there was never really anything wrong with the PanameraPorsche Panamera TurboThe grilleless 911inspired design continues as do the big wheelarches with equally big wheels The roofline is new The bulbous stretched look is gone and a swooping new line comes in and its a thing of beauty It has dramatically changed the profile of the Panamera giving it a sleeker sportier less bulky look more in tune with the iconic 911 sports car Another element that elevates the dynamism quotient on the Panamera Turbo is the active split rear wing As the speed climbs over 100 kmh a threepiece creation on the bootlid rises and extends forming a spoiler that provides additional downforceInside all is calm and serene The plush leather interior piano black panels and abundance of digital displays tell youre in a modern grand tourer that values comfort and luxury equally for all four seats However while ergonomics for both front and rear passengers are absolutely brilliant there has been a significant and disturbing departure from convention Electronics are part of the safety net the music system the suspension and dampers but basic controls Most of the controls for the various car functions are available only via the massive touch display For instance controls for simply turning the centre air vents has you navigating through options on the touchscreen which is not something you want to do in a car that goes from 60 to 80 kmh in less than a secondGiving it its get up and go is an allnew twinturbo V8 with an equally new eightspeed Porsche Doppelkupplung PDK twinclutch automatic transmission Its sportier and turned out quick indeed and efficient Its also the first engine from Porsche to feature cylinder deactivation Porsche says The deactivation and reactivation of the cylinders are controlled by VarioCam Plus with a twostage sliding cam system The valve gear of cylinders two three five and eight can be deactivated or reactivated as required The intake and exhaust valves of these cylinders are completely shut down in fourcylinder operation Cylinder deactivation is operational over an engine speed range from 950 to 3500 rpm and up to a torque limit of 250 Nm The claimed top speed of 306 kmh is achieved in sixth That top speed doesnt seem unlikely one bit considering the Panamera Turbo can rocket up to 200 kmh in less than 14 seconds from standstillPorsche claims a 0100 kmh time of 36 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono pack In realworld conditions we managed 454 seconds with a near full tank and two occupants with a bit of luggage in Sport Plus mode Whichever way you look at it the Panamera Turbo is a deceptively quick machine And that holds true even in the bends Rearwheel steering is available as standard on the longwheelbase Executive but being given the miss on this options list didnt really make our experience any less excitingIts a proper everyday car Its immensely comfortable unbelievably quick and even rather efficient We worked out five km to the litre in the city with a very reasonable nine on the highway Thats down to the smart engine management slick new transmission and optimised aerodynamics with a low drag coefficient Cruise at a relaxed pace at around 3000 rpm and youll be coasting on four pots completely oblivious to anyone inside With the 90litre tank and an overall six thats a range of 540 km mdash with 75 per cent city driving Besides rearseat passengers will travel in complete comfort They have everything at their fingertips too The centre console offers a full touch display and a couple of buttons to provide controls for pretty much all of the functions available at the front including the twozone climate control the Bose audio system and the panoramic sunroof It can be a family car or a business saloonWhat really is a gripe is the price The base price for the Porsche Panamera Turbo is R193 crore exshowroom With the optional extras mdash Sport Chrono 20inch wheels with 315sec tyres Panoramic Sunroof sport exhaust seats with massage and ventilation mdash the price goes up to about R218 crore again before tax Stack up on options and it keeps heading north However if you want a GT for four that delivers sportscar shaming performance we dont see anything challenging the secondgeneration Panamera Turbo Its simply a ballistic missile with leather seats and climate controlSpecificationsPorsche Panamera TurboEngine 3996 cc V8 twinturbo directinjection petrolWeight 1950 kgMax Torque 770 Nm 19604500 rpmMax Power 550 PS 57506000 rpmTransmission Eightspeed twinclutch automatic allwheel drivePrice Rs193 crore exshowroomCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news current affairs from Mumbai local news crime news and breaking headlines here