Luxury cars - page 132

Given how crossovers and SUVs are all the rage these days, it is no surprise that only a handful of wagons on sale in 2024. This is strange because most wagons are more practical than sedans and pack better driving dynamics than SUVs. In the EV world, Porsche’s Taycan Cross Turismo is a great alternative to some of the gas-powered or hybrid wagons like the Audi RS6 Avant and the newly debuted BMW M5 Touring.

Despite Porsche being one of the most iconic sports car manufacturers of all time, most of the company’s offerings these days are geared towards luxury and daily usability. What was once a company focusing on high-performance models and motorsports, now has one of the most versatile lineups in the industry, made up of sedans, SUVs, and also wagons. This includes the likes of four-door sedans like the Panamera and Taycan. Both share plenty of traits and with the next-generation Panamera going full EV, this begs the question, which one should you choose?

Porsche cars are widely considered as some of the best sports cars that are also suitable for daily drivers. While there are a few exceptions, those being the more track-focused GT variants of the 911 and 718 models, the level of engineering and fine-tuning that goes into a Porsche is matched only by a few other companies in the industry. And even then, they would charge you a lot more. But that doesn’t mean Porsche sports cars are affordable.

The Porsche Panamera has always been a bit of a unicorn in the luxury sedan world. It’s a proper driver’s car that just happens to have four doors. And when it comes to engines, the Panamera offers something for everyone. Fancy a smooth V6? They’ve got it. Craving a rumbling V8? Step right up. But if you’re looking to save some fuel without sacrificing performance, the E-Hybrid models are where it’s at. And if you really want to blow your socks off, there’s the Turbo S E-Hybrid with a whopping 771 horsepower.

Some might scoff at the idea of a Porsche with four doors and an engine up front. But drive the 2025 Panamera, and you’ll quickly realize it shares more than a few genes with its legendary 911 cousin. First unveiled at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show, the original Panamera raised eyebrows with its distinctive sloping roofline and – dare I say it – bulbous rear end. Yet, it was undeniably a Porsche, with a luxurious interior and a bunch of powerful engine options that made it a proper driver’s car.

The Porsche 911 is widely regarded as the ultimate high-performance daily sports car. Porsche people certainly believe this and for a good reason. The German automaker has seemingly perfected the formula of the rear-engine layout, creating one of the most versatile platforms in the business. It’s no wonder, that there is a 911 for every taste, need, and (almost every) budget. Between the different body styles, engines, and drivetrain options, there are over 30 variants of the 992-generation Porsche 911 that you can choose from.

The Porsche Panamera, on sale since 2009 is now in its third generation, and is one of two four-door sedans, that Porsche currently sells (the other being the Taycan EV). Now, Despite a slowdown in the sale of sedans, Porsche it seems will not back off from this format, anytime soon. The fact, that the German automaker announced the third generation Panamera as recently as 2023 with some much-needed updates and a lot more power throughout the range, shows that it is committed to this body style. 771 horsepower from the V8 hybrid Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid sounds wild, isn’t it?

The Porsche 911 Turbo S is, by no means, an affordable car.... or is it? It all depends on the context and when that includes hypercars from the likes of Bugatti and Koenigsegg, the perception of value can drastically change. While the build process of most exotics typically employs the best and most exotic materials, this doesn’t always guarantee a million-dollar, 1,000-plus-horsepower hypercar’s position at the top of the automotive food chain. Then you have other cars that despite the lack of these sci-fi materials, are still built to be overachievers and the Porsche 992 Turbo S is certainly a great example of that.

The Panamera is the Porsche brand’s first production four-door sedan. It came out back in April 2009 and frankly, its design was more controversial at the time, than the fact it was a four-door Porsche sedan. The looks were purely function over form since the back-then CEO, Wendelin Wiedeking’s priority above all else, was for the car to seat four tall adults comfortably. Fast-forward to 2024 and the Panamera is now in its third generation and thankfully, I can say that it’s a lot better looking than before. However, with the introduction of the all-electric four-door Porsche Taycan – the brand’s first EV, along with subsequent decline in the sale of sedans in favor of SUVs – the Panamera seemingly doesn’t make sense. But, despite those plummeting sales numbers, Porsche has decided to, not just keep the Panamera around, but also give it cutting-edge tech like the new, high-end, Active Ride suspension and other innovative technologies. Now my argument is that Porsche doesn’t do things for no reason, so here’s what this could mean for the Panamera’s future.

About 20 years ago, Porsche raised a few eyebrows by introducing its first SUV – the Cayenne. This exercise paid off big time since this high-riding Porsche is widely viewed as the model responsible for saving the German automaker from bankruptcy. Fast-forward to 2024 and the two best-selling Porsche models are still SUVs, i.e. the Cayenne and its smaller sibling, the Macan. The Cayenne was recently updated, but its range-topping Turbo E Hybrid model seems a bit puzzling to me.

For many, the 997-generation 911 is the last old-school Porsche. Essentially, an evolution of the controversial 996, the 997 (eventually) fixed all of the 996’s problems while exploiting the chassis to its full potential. It is the 997 generation that spawned some of the most iconic Porsche 911 variants. While the example featured here is one of the more mainstream versions of the rear-engine sports car, it has been tastefully modified. Now I know that adding forced induction to a naturally aspirated Carrera is not that uncommon, and many owners are opting for it, especially with tuners like RUF offering specially developed kits that enhance performance.

Only one car can give you the feel of a Porsche 911 and that’s a 911. Altering any aspect of this iconic sports car can dramatically change the driving experience, but that hasn’t stopped people from taking out the boxer engine and replacing it with something that at first glance, doesn’t belong there. The rear-engine Porsche sports car is considered one of the most refined and usable high-performance cars, that you can daily-drive. At least, in most of its iterations. Despite much praise, however, the 911 is not a perfect car, and certain generations are known to suffer from a few major issues.