Porsche Panamera V6

Porsche have added entry level Panamera and Panamera 4 models.  The above video refers to both cars being powered by an all new 3.6 litre V6 engine producing 300BHP, although I suspect this is almost certainly closely related the V6 from the Volkswagen Passat R36. Porsche seem to be quite coy on their website on details about it and the numbers quoted seem to match those of the much cheaper VW.

Of note both the cars in the video sport blacked out window surrounds which to my mind suit the car far better than the chrome surrounds on the more expensive models.

Priced from £61K (£66K for the 4) these entry models are not exactly cheap when you consider that a Jaguar XFR for the same money  sports a full 200 more horsepower, but for the driver who wants a more environmentally friendly luxury sports saloon, these Panameras do duck under the all important 225g/km of CO2 barrier. For my money I would take the Jag, but then all these sports saloons are better brought second hand and I suspect the Porsche's more road tax friendly approach  may mean it will  hold its value a little better.

Porsche Panamera Saloon or a GT coupe with four doors and seats?

The Porsche Panamera is a hard car to pigeonhole, Is is a luxury saloon? Is it a GT coupe that just happens to have four doors?

As a Luxury or sports saloon it doesn't entirely work for me. The interior whilst fantastically laid out is not accomodating enough to tempt plutocrats out of there S Classes or Seven series. It is also far more expensive (and bigger) than the sports saloons such as the Jaguar XFR and the class defining BMW M5. It's only real rival as a four door is the Maserati Quattroporte, which while it has been around for a few years is still probably the best looking four door ever made and has the pedigree and performance to give the non Turbo Panamera's a run for its money.