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Porsche Panamera V6

You’ll pay £10k less than for a V8 – but is V6 worth it?

Porsche Panamera V6

Text: David Vivian / Photos: Andy Morgan

May 2010

Say hello to the cheapest Panamera so far! This is the Panamera V6, which drops the range’s starting price from the V8’s £72,266 to £61,461. With the better-equipped and much faster 500bhp Jaguar XFR costing only a few pounds more, does the newcomer add up?

Bosses are bullish. They reckon half of all Panameras sold from now on will have the 296bhp 3.6-litre V6. Owners will have something to brag about on the eco front, too: when using the optional seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission, the rear-drive car returns combined economy of 30.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 218g/km.

PDK is fitted as standard on the four-wheel-drive Panamera 4, but the heavier underpinnings drop economy by 1mpg and push the CO2 figure to 225g/km. Even so, this is still impressive for a large, 160mph saloon which can hit 0-62mph in just under six seconds. Porsche hasn’t skimped on the options, either. Our car had 20-inch wheels, air- suspension, adaptive dampers, active anti-roll bars and carbon ceramic brakes. The firm is clearly keen to avoid giving the impression that the V6 is the poor relation of the range – merely the one with the smallest engine.

There are further advantages in addition to economy. The V6 is lighter than the V8 and sits further back, improving the centre of gravity and weight distribution. It’s a fine engine, too, which works well with PDK to deliver smooth and strong acceleration – although not quite the punch of the V8.

We’d be tempted to lose those 20-inch wheels and wide tyres. These introduce an edginess which is at odds with the car’s otherwise fine stability and grippy, flat cornering style. They also spoil the supple ride – one area where the V6 model is notably better than the V8. So, does this entry-level variant add up? It’s a decent addition to the range which costs far less than its V8 brother. For those who covet the Porsche badge, that’ll be reason enough. For others, there’s plenty of competition to choose from.

Rival: Jaguar XFR
The Brit won’t turn as many heads as the Porsche, and while its interior is good, it doesn’t feel as special or as spacious. However, to drive, the supercharged V8 Jaguar has the Panamera beaten on every front. A conspicuous bargain

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4 Comments

Fail to see the point?

Why would anyone want a 4dr Porsche over a 4dr Jaguar, Mercedes or BMW etc...

If you want a Porsche you are going to want a 911 or a Boxster for the WAG... Every other model in Porsches catalogue is utterly surplus to requirements including Cayenne, Cayman and this Panamera... Cayenne is a ugly Porsche (for the Arabs) which will never go off road and if it did, a Range-Rover does it better. Cayman is for people whom aspire to a new 911 but cant afford one and this Panamera is for a Porsche customer whom fancies an ugly box-saloon version of a 911...Why?

Too many models now in Porsches catalogue and though I do admire Porsches contribution to world motorsports, I dont think they really have the cachet of what they had in the 80`s... The owners of which though still believe they have desirability, but its mostly only in their own minds!

Only one Porsche worth considering and thats is (and always will be) a 911 Carrera or GT3. but only really driven by the 50+ sports car fan brigade as this German car caters for the mature sports car drivers creaking bodies and over developed backsides...

By LegioIXHispana on 30 May, 2010, 9:40pm

No No No!

This car is wrong on every level. I don't know whether to burst out crying our laughing every time i see one. Porsche really are striving to produce the ugliest range of cars on sale today.

If you really insist on buying a four door of this ilk go for the Aston four door, at least it looks half decent.

By oliver144 on 3 June, 2010, 12:33pm

Look closely

That V6 looks to me to be set at a 90 degree angle, i.e. the normal angle for a V8 engine. So does this engine suffer from the inherent vibration that 90 degree V6s have? Or have Porsche managed to engineer this out?

Sadly, this suggests the Panamera V6 is simply a cut down version of the 4.8 V8 (4.8 / 8 = 0.6 * 6 = 3.6), which is a shame, because I thought it was only Mercedes who dared using such shameful cost cutting techniques on very expensive cars like this.

Maybe they could have developed a proper V6 with VAG and got VAG to drop that VR6 nonsense!

By Oilburner on 7 June, 2010, 3:51pm

For those that don't know...

A "proper" V6 should be at an 60 degree angle between the banks. That's the ideal for this configuration, at least. Saves an awful lot of bother with balancer shifts and offset cranks, etc.

By Oilburner on 7 June, 2010, 3:53pm

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FIRST OPINION

    A big part of the Panamera’s appeal to date has been the storming performance of its V8s – especially the Turbo – and the ability of the chassis to cope. The V6 feels merely adequate by comparison and, arguably, less engaging than a Porsche should be. There are more rewarding four-door performance cars for the money – although perhaps none which can match the Panamera’s economy and low emissions. And the cabin is still beautifully designed and finished, spacious and a great place to be.

 

AT A GLANCE

    Price: £61,461 (excluding options)
    Engine: 3.6-litre V6 petrol
    Power: 300bhp
    Torque: 400Nm
    Transmission: Seven-speed twin-clutch auto, rear-wheel drive
    Top speed: 160mph
    0-62mph: 5.9 seconds
    Economy: 30.4mpg
    CO2: 218g/km
    Equipment: Leather trim, climate control, air-suspension, adaptive dampers, 20-inch alloy wheels
    On sale: June
     
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