If ever there was a car I really did not want to like, it was the Porsche Panamera. Firstly, you only have to look at it to see that something went horribly wrong with the design of the rear. Secondly, who needs a four-seater, four-door, limo-like Porsche in the first place? Isn’t that what the Cayenne was for?

Admittedly, I’ve never been a big fan of Porsches, and what’s even more shocking is that the Panamera, of all Porsches ever made and even with its odd looks, has changed my perception of the brand. I still won’t describe the Panamera as gorgeous or even just beautiful, but spend 400km behind one and that backside gets much prettier, especially once that trick spoiler comes out and, in the case of the Turbo, splits to provide even more downforce.

However, calling the Panamera a limousine comparable to the likes of AMG S-classes or big 7’s, or even Quattroportes and S8’s is just plain stupid to me. The Panamera might have four doors and four seats, but it’s a sportscar at its core and those who go for S-classes and 7’s usually prefer wafting along.

I won’t go as far as my driving partner by calling it a stretched 911, but its entire personality, its abundance of power, razor-sharp dynamics, superbly finished interior, sporty seating position – everything – puts this in a league of its own. You’ll have to be geriatric to want to waft along in a Panamera. If what Russell said about the Panamera is true, that this is a Porsche to its very core, then I’d like a second helping!

My co-driver and I worked our way up the line-up, starting with the “base model” Panamera S for the bulk of the day. Calling it a thrilling and super-satisfying drive would be an understatement, for even as the entry model into the Panamera range, it’s thrilling. The Panamera 4S makes things even more intense with its all-wheel drive, with the Panamera Turbo simply magnificent in its unperturbed manic.

Yes, some may feel that Porsche shouldn’t be venturing into all these different segments, but hey, I’m not a Porsche purist, so I have no qualms with the brand diversifying into more segments – as long as each model retains the DNA that makes it a Porsche. And If this is what they can do with a “four-door limo”, imagine what else they could come up with!

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