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You could choose to drive a sporty saloon. Or a sporty MPV. Alternatively, you could choose to drive a four-seater Porsche. Just like the new Panamera S.

It’s undoubtedly a prestigious car. Even though it stands out firmly from the crowd of traditional premium-class vehicles. Or, perhaps, precisely because it does so? It’s a sporty car, too, but you don’t need us to tell you that. It wears a Porsche badge, after all. And an ‘S’. Who would have thought that the luxury class could now offer so much performance?

From the exterior, the new Panamera S is distinguishable by the double slats on the side air intakes in the front apron. These are in black, just like the rear apron diffuser. The round twin tailpipes are also characteristic and, through the 18-inch Panamera S wheels, silver-coloured brake callipers are visible.

In terms of performance, the Panamera S has a 4.8-litre V8 naturally aspirated engine which generates 294 kW (400 hp) and 500 Nm torque. Power is transmitted to the rear axle by a 6-speed manual transmission. A steel-spring suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is fitted as standard.

The interior with its four seats has plenty of space and high-quality features. Heated front seats and climate control are standard. The seat centres, inner side bolsters, door handles, door armrests and armrest section of the centre console are finished in embossed leather, the gear lever or selector and steering wheel rim are in smooth leather. The rev counter has a silver-coloured dial face and the interior trims are finished in high-gloss black. Optional leather and natural leather interiors, in single colour or two-tone combinations, are just one way to personalise your vehicle. Another is with our optional interior packages in carbon, aluminium or woods such as walnut or tineo.

As standard, the new Panamera S is equipped with the CDR-31 audio system with 7-inch colour touchscreen. The BOSE Surround Sound System and the High-End Surround Sound System from Burmester are also available as options.

Whatever kind of journey you are making – short or long, for business or pleasure, or even just routine driving – the Panamera offers something a little bit different.

When you sit inside one of the new Panamera models, four things immediately stand out: first, the elevated centre console; second, the four individual seats; third, the amount of space in the rear where even taller passengers will find plenty of leg and head room; and fourth, the versatility of the luggage compartment thanks to the folding rear seats.

The ignition lock is, of course, located on the left-hand side of the steering wheel, as in all Porsche vehicles. The instrument cluster incorporating the central rev counter with 4.8-inch colour display is clear and quick to read.

The four individual seats are comfortable and offer good lateral support. In conjunction with seat heating, a seat ventilation function is also available as an option. The electrically adjustable 8-way power seats in the rear are another special feature available on request.

Why four individual seats? Because only these satisfy our requirement for high-performance driving. Conventional rear bench seats can not fulfill this requirement and instead made way for a centre console.

If you regularly spend time in the rear, you can customise it with a range of optional equipment and packages. For example: a large centre console, privacy glazing, or the interior lights package for the rear.

The preserve of the premium class: the comprehensive range of personalisation options, with six interior colours and four two-tone combinations and a range of optional packages featuring fine woods, carbon or aluminium.

If you suspected that the new Panamera is more than just a sportscar with four seats, this is confirmed by a glance inside the luggage compartment. Under the large rear lid, there is space to accommodate four suitcases from Porsche Design Driver’s Selection. Enough room, then, for a journey with four occupants. Practicality, but the Porsche way.

As you can see, we didn’t experiment with the car’s design. We stuck with our philosophy that form should follow function. Nothing else would have made sense. Nothing else would have produced a four-seat Porsche.

But how can you tell whether it has the Porsche DNA? From the distinctive proportions and lines on all models. The wings are slightly higher than the bonnet and, at the rear, they are distinctly muscular and form the typical Porsche shoulder line.

The silhouette of the new Panamera models is therefore typically Porsche. It is dynamic without being overbearing, and exudes elegance rather than extravagance. In its class, the total length of less than five metres is to its advantage. The front, shoulders, and rear all have instantly recognisable Porsche traits. Particularly striking are the side air outlets behind the front wheels – paying hommage to the Carrera GT.

The result is a timeless exterior, a spacious interior and excellent aerodynamics: the Panamera S models have a drag coefficient of 0.29, the Panamera Turbo 0.30. A low, wide stance. A sleek roofline. The overall impression leaves you in no doubt that these are true sportscar proportions. Typically Porsche. And yet, when you get in, you’ll wonder how there can possibly be so much room. We’ll come to that later.

Unmistakably Porsche and characteristically Panamera are the Bi-Xenon headlights, which are fitted as standard on all models and supplemented by the adaptive light system on the Panamera Turbo. Position lights and daytime running lights with LED technology on all Panamera models add a special touch.

The wheels are of classic sportscar design: fine-spoked, lightweight, and stylish. Sizes range from 18 inches to an optional 20 inches, and all the wheels provide a good glimpse of the brake system. Just another example of sporty styling.

The rear lid with large glass screen opens to a wide angle. This makes loading easier and improves access to luggage when the vehicle is laden. An automatic rear lid with customisable opening angle is available as an option.

The most striking aspect of the rear is undoubtedly the spoiler which is integrated into the rear lid. From a speed of 56 mph (90 km/h), it deploys automatically, as you may already have suspected. However, on the Panamera Turbo, it doesn’t stop there. The spoiler splits in the middle and extensions deploy to the left and right, making it considerably wider to further reduce lift at the rear axle. And from 127 mph (205 km/h), the spoiler on all models adjusts to increase its steepness to produce even more traction and, as a result, increased driving stability at high speeds. The design of the new Panamera can be customised to your individual taste. The colour palette offers no fewer than 17 exterior colours. In total, there are two solid, ten metallic and five special colours to choose from. In addition, a wide range of personalisation options is available.

So you see, whichever way you look at it, it looks like a Porsche. And, most importantly, it feels like one too.

Click the Autocar logo below for a comprehensive review of the Porsche Panamera.