2011 Porsche Panamera

The 2011 Porsche Panamera is available in five trim levels and starts at an MSRP of $74,000. The Base trim gets 18-inch wheels, adaptive suspension dampers, 8-way power front seats, driver memory functions, cooled glovebox, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an 11-speaker sound system. 

The 4 trim gets the same set of features with an all-wheel-drive drivetrain. The S trim also resembles the same features from the Base trim and gets a more powerful V8 engine instead of the V6 that powers the Base. The 4S gets an AWD drivetrain. The Turbo gets a new set of features with an even powerful V8 engine, but in a very expensive option starting at $135,300.

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All the trims get a very generous set of features with the 2011 Porsche Panamera. The standard engine is also powerful enough for daily drives. We recommend going for the 4S trim, as it allows you to churn out more from this capable chassis. The 4S gets a powerful V8 engine with an AWD drivetrain, which turns out to be a great package for driving enthusiasts. If you want to enjoy the best of the Panamera and can spend over $135,000, then go for the Turbo model.

The standard engine that powers the 2011 Porsche Panamera is a 3.6L V6 engine. The engine produces a healthy 300 horses of power and a peak torque of 295 lb-ft. The S trim is powered by a 4.8L V8 engine that produces a peak power of 400 hp and the torque output is measured at 369 lb-ft. The Turbo model gets a twin-turbo variant of the 4.8L V8 that is capable of producing 500 hp of peak power and 516 pound-feet of peak torque.

All the engines are mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission. The engine sends power to the rear-wheels or all-wheels, depending on the variant you select. The transmission handles the power very well and always keeps the car in the right gear. The acceleration of the base engine is also very impressive as it takes only 6 seconds to reach from 0 to 60 mph while the quarter-mile run takes an even more impressive 13.8 seconds.

The Jaguar XJ is the fastest car in the competition and also comes with the most powerful engine on offer. It takes an impressive 5.4 seconds to reach from 0 to 60 mph. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class comes with the biggest engine in the competition and comes in the second position, completing the 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 5.7 seconds. The Bimmer is also not very far as it takes 5.8 seconds for the same, while the Porsche Panamera takes 6 seconds with its base engine to reach from 0 to 60 mph. 

No one buying a sedan of this segment would worry much about the mph figures. All the cars in the segment are more focused on providing a sporty drive or a luxurious driving experience and in some cases a mix of both. However, the 2021 Porsche Panamera performs pretty well in this regard against the rivals with its base engine. 

The Panamera delivers 18 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg of combined fuel economy. The Panamera S and 4S offer 16 mpg and 24 mpg in city and highway respectively. The Turbo variant offers 15 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. The fact that the Porsche Panamera comes with the largest fuel tank in the competition, makes it a great companion for long journeys.

The Porsche Panamera offers the best fuel economy compared to its rivals. The Jaguar XJ comes at the second position with 16 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highway, and 19 mpg of combined fuel economy. The Merc is also very close with 14 mpg in the city, 23 mpg on the highway, 18 mpg of combined fuel economy. The Bimmer offers less fuel economy in the city than the Merc and Jaguar, but it outruns the two on the highway. The largest fuel tank capacity of the Porsche Panamera combined with the best-in-class fuel economy results in more than 712 miles of highway range with a full tank.

The 2011 Porsche Panamera offers good space in both rows for the passengers. The front row is spacious with very similar space compared to the rivals. The driver gets a very sporty driving position and the dashboard resembles the Porsche 911 a lot. It makes the dashboard very sporty and the controls are also more like a sports car. There are tons of buttons on the dashboard for the cabin controls which feels a bit outdated in 2011 but once you get used to it, it becomes very easy to operate. 

All the controls are within the reach of the driver. The second row offers very decent space, but when compared to the other rivals in the segment, it feels a bit cramped. The legroom, in particular, is very less than some of its rivals. However, the cargo area is very generous at 15.7 cubic feet. The cabin feels very rich with the use of high-quality materials inside the cabin. 

The BMW 7 Series offers the best space for second-row passengers. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Jaguar XJ are also not far behind and offer very similar space inside the cabin. The Porsche Panamera however, offers the least legroom for the rear-seat passengers which is a complete 10 inches less than the 7 Series. All the sedans except for the Porsche claims to be a 5-seater on the paper, but are best for four passengers only. Standout interior features in the 2011 Porsche Panamera include:

• 8 -Way Power Driver Seat
• 8 -Way Power Passenger Seat
• Dual Zone Front Climate Control
• Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel
• Leather Steering Wheel
• Cruise Control

The infotainment system of the 2011 Porsche Panamera

The Porsche Panamera comes with different infotainment options with different trim levels. The base trim gets a hard-drive-based navigation system and a CD player as standard. It also gets an eleven-speaker audio system for the audio. The audio system is upgraded to a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system with the Turbo trim. The optional infotainment features include Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, a rear-seat entertainment system, satellite radio, an iPod interface, a six-disc CD/DVD changer, and a 16-speaker Burmester surround-sound audio system. The infotainment features include:

• Navigation system
• 11-speaker audio system
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Voice control
• Rear-seat entertainment system
• 6-disc CD/DVD changer
• 16-speaker Burmester surround-sound audio system

The Porsche Panamera looks very different from the other rivals in the segment. It’s more on the sportier side and looks very sleek in its overall appearance. The design is very subjective and while some people love the design, the people who prefer a more subtle design will be happy with something like an S-class. The astonishing design of the Panamera stands out from the crowd and turns many heads out on the road towards it. 

The Panamera rides on 18-inch wheels as standard, which gets a bigger 19-inch with the Turbo models. It also comes with optional 20-inch wheel size. The front gets a bulky bonnet design while the rear is also very proportionate with Porsche branding on the top, a chrome line in the middle, and the Panamera badge in the bottom of the tailgate. 

The 2011 Porsche Panamera has the shortest length of all the other cars in the competition. It also has the shortest wheelbase which results in less room in the rear seats. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the longest sedan in the competition while the BMW 7 Series has the longest wheelbase. The Jaguar XJ stays in the middle in every dimension and is neither too long nor too short in its overall dimensions. Standout exterior features in the 2011 Porsche Panamera include:

• 18”/19”/20” alloy wheels
• Adaptive bi-xenon headlights
• Keyless entry
• 16 exterior colors
• Slide/Tilt Moonroof
• Rear wiper

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have not crash-tested the Porsche Panamera or any other Porsche cars so far for safety. Still, the Porsche Panamera need not be questioned about the safety of the car. Porsche is known for following some of the best safety guidelines for their cars. The Panamera is no exception and is a very safe sedan. It gets a very generous safety tech and driver assistance features as standard. The safety features include:

• Adaptive Headlights
• Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
• Emergency Braking Preparation
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• Emergency Braking Assist
• Stability Control

The Porsche Panamera is a strong choice in the segment considering what it offers. It perfectly manages to offer a great combination of luxury and sportiness in the same packages. The impeccable handling and mind-boggling performance make it a better choice in the segment. The competition offers more practical options but if you are the one who lives to drive, then the Porsche Panamera becomes the obvious choice.