Except for right now, I'm usually too busy out driving and enjoying my Panamera to sit and brag or complain about it on a chat site.

Since at least half of the posters on the site are complaining about something they don't like or don't understand, it's a good thing that there is less chatter about the Panamera. Also, still being in warranty and being as good as it is stock, there probably aren't that many people talking about modifications.

What's left to say?

 

I am definitely not an expert, but I just had my r8 in for service (I do most of my services through a porsche dealer) and I got a v6 panamera for a loaner...long story short, I LOVE it and this is coming from a guy who thinks the r8 is about 200 hp short of a great time. The panamera just fits around you so well. The seats are supportive, but not too firm, the sound system ( even just the bose) is incredible, the car handles like no other sedan I have had (had a rs6, e60 m5 and audi s8) and even the v6 has enough get up and go for the day to day (ok, so far only two days but still). The car also has some sort of odd appeal that its strange looks kinda make grow on you...I wouldnt mind a slightly louder exhaust...but thats about it.

 

Just look at the lineage of the two cars: The Panamera is a sedan built first and foremost for luxury. The M5 is a luxury sedan tuned for enthusiasts. By their very nature you're going to attract different mindsets.

 

I totally disagree about the Panamera being built for luxury first - it's truly a 4 door sports car. I traded an 08 S65 that was way more luxurious than the PTT and plenty fast but the porsche just feels more connected. Don't get me wrong it's still got the goodies but I don't think that was there primary motivation when building the car.

I would agree with other posts that there just are not alot of these cars out there yet, and pretty much anybody buying one had to spend $90K or more and most of those people are not that concerned with mods.

 

I agree. Funny that last night my girlfriend's 17 year old son and his buddy were telling me that I should put dark tint on my windows, lightly smoke the tailight lenses and "do the exhaust"..... This is not stuff that the average owner of a new Panamera does....certainly not to the extent that young BMW enthusiasts would..

However, I would still think that there will eventually be a more active community online, if only to discuss these cars and share information.

 

I'm sitting here reading what you've written and I have to agree. After parting with 120 large, I've been down the customize route and have very little inclination to do so with my P4S. With roads in bad shape, I'm not inclined to up-size wheels beyond the 19s I currently, have particularly without the comfort of a spare. As for performance mods, having done some homework about the differences between the turbo and non-turbo engines leads me to believe that hopping up the non-turbo is moving into reliability issues I'd rather not face. The engines are significantly different in construction details and even the PDK clutches are different. Tinting windows is for people who have sun 325 days of the year or want to hide from the adoring public. Spoilers beyond those already mounted are for wanna-bees who will probably never go full-bore anyway and are primarily for here-I-come effects.

Now Zebra stripes to attract attention.......NAH.

 

Well, I do have to admit that I probably would tint the windows on my Black Panamera S if I did not have the automatic sun shades.

 

i agree with cvprez. i also moved out of a benz S 63 AMG into a P Turbo because it had a much stronger performance DNA. Benz approaches their designs with luxury first then supes 'em up. Porsche starts with performance first then adds luxury...IMHO

I owned a V10 M5 and i did not like it. the suspension was way to stiff for city driving and I almost needed a kidney belt driving it. I also got comments on that from my passengers. The P Turbo is an enthusiast car for sure with just as much if not more performance than the M5.

 

You spoke what's on my mind... I used to be merz and bimmer owner as well, and because I couldn't stand the F02 and S-class... I decided to move up to my current 970 4S 6 months ago (I would've opt for Turbo if it wasn't that far out of my budget)

Regarding the traffic on the forums, I think 6speedonline is already the most active forum there is where people actually discuss about Panamera ... so if you are looking for more activities on the Panamera sub-forum here, I guess you'd better start typing and as with Renntech's Panamera sub-forum... forget it, that's my opinion... it's dead quiet.... Then again, if you find some more active forums, please kindly PM me the link

 

I need to go to your dealer for service. All I get is a Mazda.

 

An 08 S65 is "more luxurious"? Really, dude? Where? What options does it have that are not offered on a Panny? I've owned a 2009 S600 it had a better ride and a panoramic roof. The Panny's interior is futuristic, MB has to catch up.

 

I like the panamera better as well, that's why I bought one but anybody who says it's more luxurious than an s-class is truly mistaken. My passengers miss the reclining massaging seats, heck so do I, it was nice to get a rubdown while you were driving long distance, it had power retractable sunshades at every window, a power sunroof shield, not to mention an extra 6" of legroom in the rear. All that being said, I wasn't in love with the car, I am in love with the PTT!

 

The looks of a Panamera are at best unusual. A hatch back over $100K. However after reading everything about the turbo version and taking a test drive, I would consider buying one except one Porsche in the garage is expensive enough. It really isn't a sedan like the big Benz, BMW, or Audi, nor does it feel like a big sedan. It's more like a 4 door coupe like a CLS. (I've got a AMG C63 at about half the price which will do almost as much at a Panamera)

 

I think it comes down to age when looking at the interiors. I'm 35 years old and I always viewed the big body sedans as "my old man's car". The interior always felt as if it were designed for some fat guy or a fat guy and his driver, who was probably fat too. I hardly have passengers in the back except the occasional family member. I never rode in the back of my big body 6 or 7 series so I can't relate. Panny has everything I want the downside is it draws to much attention.

 

Clearly there are serious enthusiasts on this site, and who choose the Panamera as their 'four door' ride of choice. I think it's pretty clear to me at this point that the big reason for the difference in forum postings is simply that the Panamera hasn't been around for as long as the 4-door BMW's. There is definitely a fervent following of hardcore BMW enthusiasts. There is an equal following among the Porsche people, but it is concentrated on the 2-door cars, whereas BMW has always been a 4-door car company.

So, if we look at the Panamera and the upcoming F10 M5, which one will attract the more 'hardcore' enthusiasts?