So I will say at the start that I did not like the Panamera when it was introduced. Maybe it was because the first one I saw was in metallic brown and looked like a big potato to me. I also did not understand why Porsche thought that their 4-door sedan needed to look like a 911. I had not driven one, but it was in many ways an example of contempt prior to investigation.
Then a few weeks ago, while attending The Amelia Concours d’Elegance, I got my first ride in a 2014 Panamera. I was in the car with four other people and was in the back seat. I am 6 feet, 4 inches tall, and sitting beside me was my 6-foot-tall friend Morgan. The driver and front-seat passenger were my friends Alan Galbraith (6-foot-6) and Brian Hengeveld (6-foot-3), who is the owner of the Panamera Turbo S we were in. Unbelievable as it sounds, every one of us was able to sit comfortably in this Panamera ‒ and I don’t just mean the car was comfortable for our short trip back to our hotel, but comfortable enough to be in for hours. That surprised me. It was a nice car, honestly at the level of an Aston for fit and finish.
The second surprise came with the Panamera’s performance. These are not only incredibly well-crafted and luxurious cars; they are also staggeringly fast and handle amazingly well. The ride was an eye-opener. I have since driven another Panamera and can testify these cars are the essence of a 4-door sports car, much in the same way the BMW M5 is.
Also, as time passes, the styling ‒ which I initially did not like ‒ has really grown on me. No, I would not want a brown model, which I still think looks like a potato, but in other colors ‒ gray, blue and red specifically ‒ the Panamera is starting to look better and better to my eye.
My Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a 2013 Porsche Panamera 4S listed for sale on ClassicCars.com with 33.081 miles from new, located at a dealer in St. Charles, Missouri.
The exterior of this Panamera 4S is in Agate Gray Metallic over a Luxor Beige interior. The car has nice options, such as adaptive air suspension including PASM, Lane Change Assist (LCA) with blind-spot detection, Sport Chrono Package Plus, a heated multifunction steering wheel in Tineo wood, an interior Tineo Wood Package, Bose audio and the Premium Package. The price for this 2013 Porsche Panamera 4S when new was $113,900.
The performance of the 2013 Porsche Panamera 4S is quite strong. The 4.6-liter V8 under the hood has 400 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, which gives the 2013 Panamera 4S a 4.6 second 0-60 time and a top speed of 177 mph. Combine that with the amazing grip of the Panamera’s all-wheel-drive system and you have a serious performance car that just happens to have room for four.
This Porsche Panamera 4S looks to be in truly excellent condition with no wear on the exterior or any detectable paint issues. The Agate Gray paint looks great on this car and gives it an elegant look.
The interior is the same, with the Luxor Beige leather showing no wear whatsoever. The wood trim elevates the interior and the options on this car, especially the cool Sport Chrono Package, make the view from the driver’s seat something special.
The underside of the car is somehow as clean as the exterior. I see no signs of any wear or damage and cannot even see any surface rust on fasteners.
I would ask the seller about the service history and see what you can find, as these cars require care and don’t always get the services they need.
Now for the best part. Due to market depreciation, this 2013 Porsche Panamera 4S has an asking price of only $36,995, which is less than one-third of what it cost new. When you take in the fact that the car has covered only 33,000 miles since it was new, this seems like a no-brainer at the price. It would be very difficult to find another model that offers the kind of performance and luxury as this Panamera does for the same price.
I now admit that I was wrong about these cars and have become a bit of a fan, especially at their current prices. My advice is to buy it now before the world wakes up and recognizes just how good the Panamera is.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
