The most amazing thing about this car is that it has really been designed with everything Porsche in mind. This is so true that when you are sitting in the driver’s seat, you will have the same vantage point and driving position as you would in a 911 Carrera. Once on the road, the incredible power and handling let you know without a doubt that you are sitting behind the wheel of a Porsche.

The Panamera has 432 litres (1,250 with seats folded) of space for cargo.

All trim levels are powered with a 4.8-litre V8 engine and are matched to a seven speed, PDK transmission. The base S (available with a 6-speed manual gearbox) will get you to 100km from a standing start in 5.4 seconds with the PDK and this Turbo will do it in 4.2! I found an empty parking lot and had a chance to use the launch-control system... WOW! Now I am really upset that I couldn’t get this beast on the track.

The S has 400hp and a top speed of 283km. The Turbo has 500 and will get up to 303. Driving in the city was nice, but I find that I can’t say it was amazing, because all this car wants is to go fast and you just can’t let it go in the city. It manoeuvres very well in and out of traffic and despite its size, is easy to park. Thank goodness for the back-up camera.

Taking this on the highway is incredible; as the hammer goes down and the gears shift seamlessly, passing all the slow pokes is child's play. The interior is quiet enough to really enjoy the ride, yet when you mash the throttle you will have a smile on your face at the sound of the growl.

As expected with Porsche, safety and overall driving stability is an important feature. With standard Porsche Stability Management System (PSM) on all Panamera models, it helps provide traction on wet or low grip road surfaces. The PSM also has a pre-charge braking system (it primes the brakes as soon as a sudden release in the throttle is detected) and brake assist helps ensure the correct amount of brake pressure for emergency and high speed stopping.

All trim levels are powered with a 4.8-litre V8 engine and are matched to a seven speed, PDK transmission.