2011 Porsche Panamera V6 [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Porsche, New Car Reviews, Luxury

Meeting Stuttgart's Most Unlikely Ambassador

Full Disclosure: Until just recently, I'd never driven a Porsche. It wasn't as if I'd earned some black mark from the German sportscar maker - I've spent the better part my a career pontificating on the virtues of the plucky 914 and more than a few synapses thinking about scoring seat time in cars like the Boxster Spyder, Cayman R and, if I were feeling really indulgent, the 911 GT2 RS. Hell, after learning of the automaker's prowess in the Transsyberia Rally, I even became a stout defender of the Cayenne SUV's right to exist.

At some point, I began wearing the fact that I'd never saddled up with any of Porsche's products as a badge of absurd honor. It was simply impressive that I'd managed to survive nearly half a decade as an auto-scribe without so much as a brush with Stuttgart's finest.

Those days are officially over.

I've wrapped up a week with the 2011 Porsche Panamera - the newest model to rankle the chains of the brand's purists. As it turns out, the sprawling five-door is the perfect ambassador for an automaker that values handling and driver engagement above all else.

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2011 Porsche Panamera V6 [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera conceals a V6 but gives up little else in the transplant

Michael Harley — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Hatchback, Porsche, First Drives, Luxury

2011 Porsche Panamera V6 - Click above for high-res image gallery

We're the lone vehicle in the far left lane of the Autobahn outside of Köln, Germany. The traffic has lightened, so we mash the accelerator to the floor. While we pull strongly up to about 200 km/h (about 125 mph), the speedometer counts much more slowly as it spins around the right side of the dial. Moments later, the digital indicator on the cluster passes 250 km/hr (155 mph). The late-model BMW 5 Series trailing in our wake has met its electronic speed limiter, so it slowly falls away in our rearview mirror. It takes another ten seconds for the display to stop counting and hover at 261 km/hr (160 mph). Bringing our fun to an end, traffic on the horizon forces us to drop back down to more reasonable speeds just a few seconds later.

Northern Europe is the ideal venue to drive Porsche's latest Panamera models, each fitted with new 300 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 powerplants. We spent time driving both the rear- and all-wheel drive models in crowded cities, the open countryside and unrestricted highways. Where did the new V6 come from and what makes it unique? Where does the powerplant position the Panamera in relation to its competition and what is its new price point? These answers and full driving impressions after the jump...

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera V6

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera conceals a V6 but gives up little else in the transplant

First Drive: 2011 Porsche Panamera conceals a V6 but gives up little else in the transplant originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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