![Porsche has produced a superb second edition of the Panamera.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170620170615/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/w/q/o/0/l/image.related.afrWideArticleLead.940x529.gwn233.png/1497958411956.jpg)
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There were two things about the last Porsche Panamera that bugged many of us: the exterior and the interior.
The tail-heavy body proportions were ungainly, to say the least. And when you opened the front doors of the Hunchback of Zuffenhausen, you found an interior that looked cramped and ludicrously busy. There was a profusion of chromed switches and dials. On some variants the massive centre console was host to more than 30 buttons.
It drove pretty well, considering its size and weight. It was a Porsche after all, and was packed with brilliant engineering. But it was hard to love.
![The changes to the Porsche Panamera are more than cosmetic, it is an all-new car, with a longer wheelbase and heavily ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170620170615/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/w/q/o/0/m/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1497604913561.jpg)
With the new Panamera, Porsche has produced the best second draft since Agatha Christie reworked Assault with Intent to do Bodily Harm on the Orient Express.
Changes to the roof and windows have made the car's profile much more like the iconic 911, which it was always supposed to mimic (never mind that the muse is rear engined, and the Panamera has its donk in the nose). It looks sportier, more dynamic, lighter and smaller than its predecessor.
This year I spoke to Peter Varga, Porsche's director of exterior design, about the changes and he said: "The key factors are proportions and stance. The width-height ratio has improved … the flowing roofline has its share as well, but also larger wheels and tyres which let the car itself look smaller.
"The body side, with its strong rear fender theme and the sharpened rear end, give the new Panamera a very athletic look, and there's the new side glass graphic, which changes the car's character maybe more than any other single feature."
Not every angle is perfect but even those who won't pick the exact detail changes will immediately see an improvement. It's not just cosmetic, it's an all-new car, with a longer wheelbase and heavily revised mechanicals.
![The changes inside represent a new approach by Porsche, giving its buyers what might be the cleanest, smoothest interior ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170620170615/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/w/q/o/0/t/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1497604920471.jpg)
Old-new juggle
The changes inside are even more dramatic, as they represent a totally new approach by Porsche. The company that has in many ways embraced old-school tech – buttons and dials, mechanical gauges – has given its buyers what might be the cleanest, smoothest interior on the market. Only Tesla is in the same ballpark, but it uses a massive central touchscreen as its hub. The Porsche's screens and displays are largely hidden within shiny black surfaces and only make themselves known when needed.
The exception is the central tacho, an old-school dial to remind you that this is a performance car and not a smartphone. The big central touch screen is more like a tablet, enabling you to pinch and drag and scroll. There's a similar screen in the rear, too.
It takes some getting used to, but if it is the future of Porsche interiors, I'm in. That said, maybe the purest versions of the company's sports cars should retain a little more tradition.
![The latest Porsche Panamera looks lighter and more sporty than its predecessor.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170620170615/http://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/w/q/o/0/v/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1497604903962.jpg)
Our test car was the 4-litre Turbo all-wheel drive, which at $376,900 (plus on road costs and options) is third from the top. The equivalent version with the new wagon body (also very attractive) is $391,000 and the Turbo S E Hybrid sedan is $460,000.
A Turbo S will inevitably follow. In the meantime, the Turbo already provides more power and torque than any driver could reasonably need for road use in this country, with 404kW and 770Nm at hand. The maximum power is found close to the 6800rpm redline, but the torque kicks in from under 2000rpm and stays there until 4500rpm. In normal driving the engine seems to be hardly working.
When you do hammer the loud pedal, the turbo V8 reacts immediately, snapping through the gears with no detectable lag. When fitted with the optional Sports Chrono pack (as was our test car), the big bulky sedan will reach 100km/h in 3.6 seconds and keep accelerating to 306km/h. The power goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed PDK automated dual clutch gearbox.
The official combined city-country fuel figure of 9.4L/100km is impressive but it is lab-derived and unlikely to be matched in the real world. Nonetheless, the car is more efficient than before because it can run on four cylinders at cruising speeds.
Plush hour
Despite the bulk, the car is exceedingly composed on the road, taking almost anything in its stride and always ready to pounce if you want to have a go.
The adaptive air suspension works well. On the default setting it offers a supple ride with quite remarkable cornering abilities. Because every Porsche – even a limousine or SUV – is designed to impress on a track, it is also possible to wind everything up, trading that supple ride for a much firmer sporting set-up and working through the more extreme driving modes (Sport, Sport Plus and the tailorable Individual).
The Panamera feels dauntingly broad in many inner city streets. The overall width is only a little under two metres (1937mm).
The interior is not just cleaner to look at, it is plusher. Our car, with two-tone Black and Bordeaux Red leather was stunning. Sure, it was an extra cost option ($1740) but this is a Porsche and many things tend to be. The individual bucket-style seats in the rear were as beautifully shaped as the front ones, and headroom proved good, though leg room was somewhat less than you'd expect in a car that weighs two tonnes and is more than five metres long.
The one place the previous model was a huge success was in China, because the people there who could afford it wanted the brand-name, but also wanted to sit in the back, no easy thing with a 911. A long-wheelbase version is offered there, with an extra 150mm.
In summary, the Panamera now has a great deal more to commend it, though I still struggle with the concept. If I wanted a Porsche, I'd want it to be a sports car, and if I wanted a five-metre-plus limousine, I'd want it to be roomy.
Then again, if the market was rational, most of us would be driving mid-priced, 2-litre white station wagons.
PORSCHE PANAMERA TURBO
Price $376,900 (excluding on-road costs); $412,730 as tested
Engine 4-litre turbo V8 (petrol)
Power/torque 404kW/770Nm
Fuel economy 9.4L/100km (combined cycle)
C0₂ 214g/km
AFR Contributor