There’s no fuss in the steering; it just goes in where you point it: instant, solid

For a moment, just for a brief moment, let’s forget about the controversial looks. The Panamera might look a bit like a concoction of Cayenne and 911 that’s been squashed by a giant’s foot and then slightly inflated, but hey, that’s what we’ve got.

So let’s move on and consider this instead: in the hands of Walter Röhrl, the Panamera, in this Turbo guise, is ‘over 20 seconds faster’ around The ‘Ring than an Audi RS6. No one from Porsche is willing to divulge on the exact time, and the fact that we have to assume Röhrl wasn’t hanging around in the RS6, but even so, twenty seconds is still a long time. Taking into account the 72bhp disadvantage, it’s doubly impressive.

Even more of an eyebrow-raiser though, is a certain word mentioned in the technical briefing of the Panamera’s launch in south Germany’s Bavarian mountains. Powersliding. Thanks to the car’s chassis control systems, the assembled media pack was told, the Panamera can be easily managed in a slide. Quite how many of the 4,000 or so customers that Porsche thinks it’ll find in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region in the next year will ever consider dipping their toe in consistently breaching the car’s limits I don’t know. But let’s ignore that for a second too, because the area of being driven features as highly in the Panamera’s raison d’etre as driving itself. And this grand tourer theme puts it head on with the Mercedes CLS63 and the Quattroporte Sport GTS. The Maserati is, despite its foibles, a car that’s hard not to like. Having explored all its aspects only a few days earlier, and having enjoyed every minute of it, it was hard to see – aesthetically, at least – how you could love the lower and wider Porsche. Nevermind, needs must.

Stepping into the Panamera Turbo, the first thing that grabs you is the instant feel of quality. You sit low in the airy cabin, flanked by the Carrera GT-inspired centre console and high transmission tunnel. There’s a multitude of clearly labelled buttons and the familiar five rings of dials through the steering wheel. The second one from the right this time houses a digital display of the on-board computer. Parts of the interior also feature tastefully done polished aluminium detailing that give the whole car a touch of class not far off an Audi A8. It’s a design you quickly learn to love – in contrast to the exterior.

A quick glance to the right of the PDK lever (all Middle East cars will be equipped with the seven-speed transmission) reveals the Sport Plus function of the Sport Chrono Pack, and to the right, the button for the optional sports exhaust. Press the latter and the rough 911 Turbo-like roar from the pipes becomes louder, boomier and pops on the overrun. It’s a pointless exercise though, because Porsche has worked hard on sound insulation and the difference from the inside is minimal. Unless that is, you choose to stand behind your car and watch someone else cover 0-100kph in 4sec. The former is more useful, increasing throttle sensitivity and upping the gearbox’s response significantly. With the air suspension also set to its firmest setting, the combination makes the Panamera go into 911 mode. And the closer you get to its limits, the more impressive it becomes. It’s completely planted on flat German tarmac and roll is limited to an absolute minimum; you can hardly feel the shift in weight. For a car weighing close to two tonnes, it’s mightily impressive. It easily trounces the CLS63 and Quattroporte Sport GTS. Introduce some imperfections, like those on the narrow roads of the Wetterstein Mountains, and despite the firmness of the chassis and 20-inch wheels, it settles quickly. There’s no fuss in the steering, either; it just goes in where you point it: instant, solid. The steering, despite feeling light off centre, becomes sharper with speed and doesn’t have the kind of variation that preoccupies your mind. As for the understeer you might expect, it only creeps in on the tightest of corners. It’s mighty everywhere else.

Be in no doubt, in Turbo form the Panamera is quick. With the double-clutch auto it doesn’t take much effort to catapult you into the distance and there’s an endless surge of power from the reworked Cayenne V8. It matters little what the road conditions are either, because even at the 280kph that I managed to top on a drenched Autobahn, it’s completed planted. Part of the downforce comes from the new four-way spoiler, which adjusts its angle (as with the Carrera), but an extra two-piece upper section also moves outwards, extending the spoiler’s width on the Panamera’s bulbous hatch. To haul in the Turbo’s performance, the $ 7,688 optional carbon ceramic stoppers fitted to this car make light work of slowing you down, though perhaps they’re a little too responsive on the initial pedal travel.

As for being a passenger in the Panamera, well… it’s a surprisingly pleasant experience. I made the switch to the rear with a plan to get back behind the wheel after a short while, but ended up being chauffeured for longer. With the air suspension in its comfort setting and Sport mode disengaged, you’d never complain about the ride comfort. It’s not quite the standard of an S-Class, but it’s not far off. Certainly better than a 7-Series. You also sit higher than the front row and there’s an air of ambience despite the narrowed windows at the C-pillar. What’s more, road and wind noise is minimal, adding to the feel of quality.

If you have no quibbles with the looks, then the Panamera does have its main bases covered: it’s the comfortable, passenger-friendly saloon on the one side, the sports car with unquestionable pace on the other. Perhaps surprisingly though, the Turbo isn’t the one to go for where striking a balance between driving and comfort is concerned. It dominates the driving experience with its power, four wheel drive system and torque (an overboost option in the Sport Chrono Pack lifts the figure from 516lb ft to 567). Yet even on perfectly level German lanes the ride is on the stiff side and a little too busy with the standard 20-inch Michelins. The Panamera S, on the 19s, is far more compliant but has the same brilliant chassis and the same direct and level ride with the Sports Plus Mode engaged in the Chrono Pack. The steering is clearer as well, and the Panamera feels lighter on its feet with two less driven wheels.

No, it doesn’t have the kick of the Turbo, but there’s enough thrust to reaffirm you’re wielding a Porsche and not a Peugeot. More importantly, when it comes to covering three-figure distances, you’ll appreciate the more compliant ride. Not to mention, when the other three seats aren’t in use, there’s always the possibility of those powerslides Porsche was talking about. If anything, it’ll at least keep your mind off the Panamera’s looks.