Test drive: Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport Turismo, at Sepang
A common response upon looking at the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo is “That’s a super nice looking wagon”. Yes, it is ‘super nice’ but stop right there. Porsche is quick to remind us that the Sport Turismo is a shooting brake and not a wagon. There is logic to this and the trick to buy into this idea is by looking at the C-pillars. Wagons would have much more glass behind it, unlike the Sport Turismo which has a rear quarter panel that is sized and shaped almost the same as the Panamera's.
In terms of size, the use of similar chassis results in cars that have almost identical dimensions. Both the Panamera 4S and Panamera 4S Sport Turismo have a wheelbase and overall length of 2,950mm and 5,049mm respectively. They also have the same width (1,937mm), but the Sport Turismo is slightly taller at 1,428mm against 1,423mm.
The Panamera 4S Sport Turismo is one of two variants that Sime Darby Auto Performance will make available in the local market, the other being the baseline Sport Turismo. The car we got to drive on the Sepang circuit, however, is the 550hp Turbo variant. And, it’s a left-hook.
Which also means that anything I say here might not be relevant to the two variants officially available. But if anyone offers you a Porsche Insert-Model-Here Turbo test drive at a racing circuit, you say ‘Yes, please’ and sacrifice a Sunday morning to make it happen.
The track marshal stops me at the pit lane exit, very likely evaluating my mental health. Out on track right now are plenty of GT3 and GT2 models plus various other Porsches much more suitable for the venue; on the other hand I am about to introduce this 2,035kg five-door shooting brake to a Grade 1 race circuit.
There’s active all-wheel drive and an 8-speed PDK gearbox, which together with 550hp and 770Nm make two tonnes feel insignificant. It’s not the straights that worry me, Turn 4 is coming up and I am approaching in excess of 150kph with cold tyres. I wouldn’t have been so bold had I remembered that the brake calipers are red in colour. That’s Porsche-speak for cast iron brakes, not the more bitey yellow PCCB units. Still, I make it through. I do feel some of the car’s weight through the steering rim, but nothing that needs too much attention.
Actually, the acceleration does not feel as brutal as the engine output suggests. It’s a very linear build, even with the steering wheel’s PASM rotary knob in Sport. Make no mistake though, throttle too soon at Turn 9 exit and you’ll easily understeer; it’s the adaptive air suspension, I suppose. It masks subtle weight transfers very well.
But if anyone offers you a Porsche Insert-Model-Here Turbo test drive at a racing circuit, you say ‘Yes, please’ and sacrifice a Sunday morning to make it happen.
You don’t really get a true picture of how much pace the Turbo Sport Turismo packs except at the straights, if nothing more from the sound it makes. In a time when engines are getting smaller and exhaust systems are made more shy, this Porsche V8 goes against the establishment and delivers a party.
So just how fast is it? Let’s put it this way, it is capable of ruining the day for a lot of ambitious drivers, certainly some at Sepang during our drive. Admittedly the pace I am talking about comes from its engine: it pushes the car to do 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds and 0-200kph in just 12.9 seconds. The latter number is more important because the Sport Turismo is probably best suited for high-speed highway cruising.
Of course, I could be wrong. The car still needs to be tested outside the controlled environment of the Sepang track. Also, the local-spec car will have a totally different mill underneath the hood. Can’t wait.
| Engine | 3,996cc V8 biturbo, petrol, 550hp (5,750-6,000rpm), 770Nm (1,960-4,500rpm) |
| Price | from RM1.94 million |
| Transmission | 8-speed PDK, AWD |
| Weight | 2,035kg |
| Performance | 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds (with Sport Plus), 304kph |
| Consumption | 9.5-9.4L/100km |
