Any road, any weather
Mainly, the Panamera proves very gentle and relaxing. Even on a Sunday drive down some the badly-heaved back-roads behind Sudbury, Ontario, the tester floated along like a high-performance sofa. Heck, it didn't even scrape the floor-pan on any of the teeth-grinding bumps.

Even on a Sunday drive down some the badly-heaved back-roads behind Sudbury, Ontario, the tester floated along like a high-performance sofa. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/ Auto123.com)

The long wheelbase and driver-selectable adaptive air suspension deliver nearly flawless luxury-sedan ride quality. It’s almost like driving an Audi A6 or a Lexus GS-- but with sharper reflexes.

A split personality
Of course, comfy and docile are only half of the equation. Various selectable drive modes dial up suspension stiffness, throttle sensitivity and gear-change speed depending on the road-- and the driver's mood-- at any given time.

Should some Ram Jam find its way onto the mighty Bose stereo, drivers can engage the 'Sport Plus' mode and begin clicking off redline gear-changes with the steering-wheel mounted paddles. In doing so, the Panamera glides forward on a linear wave of snorting, near-American sounding V8 thrust. It'll even hang its tail out at full throttle if the roads are wet or sandy.

At full-rip, acceleration draws the rated power output figures into question, and the push-button mechanical aggression makes it easy to forget that the car was in La-Z-Boy mode just seconds earlier.

Maximum involvement and confidence
The Panamera 4S’s AWD system typically pumps most engine output to the rear wheels while reacting almost telepathically when pushed on slippery roads. Steering with the throttle is a joy, the stability control system can be fully defeated, and overall dynamic is lively and predictable.

On board, there’s generous room in every direction for even the largest of occupants. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/ Auto123.com)