10 Things You Need To Know About The 2015 Porsche Panamera

The 2015 Porsche Panamera is the latest edition of one of Porsche's most profitable models.  Although the concept of a four-door Porsche might be scandalous to some  - well, to those who didn't keel over when the Cayenne SUV was introduced in 2002 - there's no denying that the Porsche Panamera has found a strong following amongst the luxury set.  The Panamera's mix of luxury and performance has elevated it to elite status alongside vehicles like the Maserati Quattroporte and the Aston Martin Rapide, and its strong sales have helped to keep Porsche in the black.

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2015 Porsche Panamera.

01. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Is A Four-Door Coupe

The 2015 Porsche Panamera has unusual proportions, to say the least, and a lot of that has to do with the vehicle's 'four-door coupe' design palette.  Intended to mimic the sloping roofline of the Porsche 911 Carrera coupe, with which it also shares its front end styling, the Porsche Panamera's deep hatch glass and 'bubble butt' stretch out traditional coupe cues across a design that is more 'striking' than 'pretty.'  The Panamera's looks are distinctive while still holding fast to the Porsche family requisites, and while the car might not be as graceful as several of its competitors it's carved out a niche amongst wealthy buyers.

02. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Comes In A Bewildering Array Of Editions

Porsche is notorious for overwhelming its buyers with choices at ordering time, and the 2015 Porsche Panamera is no different.  There are 11 - 11! - trim levels offered with the Porsche Panamera, starting out with the base model before moving to the Panamera 4 (denoting the presence of all-wheel drive) and then the Panamera S.  Past that point, you've got the requisite combinations (Panamera 4S) along with the standalone GTS trim and the range-topping Turbo and Executive models.  Put it this way: it's unlikely that you'll walk into a Porsche dealership seeking a combination of features and equipment that Porsche hasn’t already pre-packaged for you.

03. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Offers Four Distinct Engine Options

The 2015 Porsche Panamera can be had with one of four specific engine options under its long, plunging hood.  The entry-level Porsche Panamera delivers a 3.6-liter V-6 that produces 310 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, while the Panamera S and 4S step up to a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 good for a more robust 420 horses and 384 lb-ft of twist.  The aggressively-tuned Porsche Panamera GTS brings a 440 horsepower, 4.4-liter V-8 to the party (that is also good for 384 lb-ft of torque), while the Panamera Turbo adds twin-turbochargers to that same V-8 in order to enjoy 520 horsepower and up to 568 lb-ft of torque (with the Sport Chrono package installed).

04. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Can Be Had As A Hybrid

The 2015 Porsche Panamera can also be ordered with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, although it's one that has been tuned more with performance in mind than with reducing the impact of your monthly fuel bill.  The Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid is equipped with a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 that works together with a single battery-powered electric motor to produce 416 horsepower and 435 lb-ft of torque.  If those numbers seem crushingly huge for a hybrid, that's because they are: the Panamera S E-Hybrid is so mighty that it can hit 60-mph in just 5.2 seconds.  This is on top of its 20 miles of electric-only operation, a feat that can be accomplished even when traveling as quickly as 84-mph.  The vehicle features a combined fuel mileage rating of 50-MPGe.

05. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Debuts The Panamera Turbo S

The 2015 Porsche Panamera Turbo S is back for the new model year, and it builds on the fire-breathing Turbo's 4.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 to create the ultimate performance package for the four-door car.  The Porsche Panamera Turbo S benefits from a 570 horsepower version of this motor, can reach 60-mph from a standing start in a scant 3.6 seconds, and features a top speed of 192-mph.  An active suspension system, carbon-ceramic brakes, and a 'dynamic chassis control' system are all included with the vehicle, and if you're looking for additional room out back you can even get it in the Executive model, which adds just under six inches to the car's wheelbase.

06. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Features A PDK Transmission

All versions of the 2015 Porsche Panamera come equipped with a PDK transmission.  This dual-clutch automated manual gearbox is designed to offer the precision and control of a traditional manual transmission paired with the lightning-fast reflexes and shifting capabilities that only a computer can offer.  Drivers can leave the Porsche Panamera's PDK gearbox in 'Drive' and allow it to shift for itself, or instead select ratios themselves using paddle shifters mounted just behind the car's steering wheel.  Either way, the transmission is capable of handling the tremendous power of the Panamera Turbo S without complaint, and is in fact offered across the entire Porsche lineup.

07. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Is Luxury Personified

You get more than just speed and unique looks with the 2015 Porsche Panamera.  Even the base model Porsche Panamera is dripping with luxury gear, as it includes features such as HID headlights, a refrigerated glove compartment, a navigation system, dual automatic climate control, LEDs on the front and rear fascias, a sunroof, power partial leather seats, and Bluetooth connectivity.  At its most opulent, you'll find the Executive editions of the Panamera adding equipment like an adaptive air suspension system, heated and ventilated leather seats front and rear, four zones of automatic climate control, and a surround sound audio system.

08. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Delivers Extensive Optional Equipment

The 2015 Porsche Panamera can be heavily customized at almost every trim level.  When configuring your Porsche Panamera you can choose from individual options such as a heated steering wheel, the previously-mentioned surround sound stereo system, voice recognition for the entertainment, communications, and navigation systems, a rear-seat entertainment system, adaptive cruise control, and track-ready carbon-composite brakes.  You can also add groups of options like the Sport Design package (essentially a body kit) or the Sport Chrono package (stopwatches, launch control, Sport Plus driving mode).  It's very easy to quickly drive the MSRP of the Panamera through the roof if one does not exercise restraint at ordering time.

09. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Scores Average On Advanced Safety Tech

The 2015 Porsche Panamera features the kind of safety gear you'd expect with a modern car, including side impact airbags both front and rear, dual forward airbags, side curtain airbags that deploy along the entire length of the passenger compartment, and knee airbags for front riders.  Where the Porsche Panamera comes up a bit short is in the advanced safety department.  If you ordered adaptive cruise control, the Panamera does deliver a collision mitigation system that can automatically brake the car should an impact be detected, and there's also the option of a 'lane keeping' system that functions much like a blind spot monitoring system.  Aside from that, however, there's not much else on offer, which is surprising for such an expensive luxury automobile.

10. The 2015 Porsche Panamera Features An Incredible Price Spread

Did we mention that the 2015 Porsche Panamera was expensive?  It's to be expected that you’d pay a premium to pilot the Porsche Panamera give its status in the world of European luxury cars, and in fact, its entry-level MSRP of $78,100 isn't out of line with those of some of its rivals.  Much more shocking is the realization that, if you wanted to, you could easily spend well over $200,000 on the Panamera simply by selecting the top-tier Panamera Turbo S Executive, which starts at $200,500 before any options are added.  That's a whopping spread of $122,400 between the base Panamera and the most expensive edition - or enough to sneak in a Cayenne Turbo and have some change left over for gas.