It’s been 10 years since Porsche started fielding Panamera, a four-seat lift back that, in this writer’s opinion, received an unfair amount of criticism during its first-generation run. Oddly, the first point of contention pertained to its looks - probably because there wasn’t much to knock about the way it drove.
With the second-generation car now coming up on have 3 years elapsed since its launch, one that improved on its predecessor in every respect, Porsche looks back on their journey to make the best performance saloon (a liftback, technically) with wonder and pride. More tangibly, it has result in the aptly named Panamera 10 Years Edition.
Available in both saloon and Sport Turismo body styles across the standard Panamera, the all-wheel driven Panamera 4, and the plug-in Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, these special editions introduce some unique cosmetic additions never previously offered as well as a more generous list of standard equipment.
The first major identifier are the 21-inch Sport Design alloys in a satin-gloss White Gold Metallic finish. No mention was made, however, about this shade of black being exclusive to the 10 Year Edition, leading us to suspect most other exterior colours are available.
The second-most unique bit about the car is the anniversary logo on front passenger trim panel on the door entry guards. Stepping inside, the dark leather is contrasted by White Gold stitching to match those wheels.
No matter the variant chosen, each Panamera 10 Years Edition is endowed with more equipment than would otherwise be offered as standard. These include LED matrix headlights, Lane Change Assist, Lane Keep Assist, a panoramic glass roof, privacy glass, 14-way heated and ventilated comfort seats, soft-close doors, and a premium BOSE surround stereo.
Mechanically, the special edition is unaltered from whichever variant they happen to be based on, retaining the same engine, drivetrain and performance as their standard equivalents. However, the 10 Years Edition does receive a bit of a leg up in dynamics thanks to Porsche bundling in their Active Suspension Management (PASM) system with Power Steering Plus adaptive steer.
Under the bonnet, the entry-level Panamera and Panamera 4 continues to be powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol generating 246kW while the 4 E-Hybrid utilises a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 aided by an electric motor for a combined output of 340kW.
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