Matt Farah lives a dream life reviewing cars that the rest of the gearhead world can only fantasize they'll ever see, much less actually drive. Farah has taken the opportunity to drive some absolute stunners over the past few weeks, from the Mercedes-AMG GT C to the new 2021 Porsche 911 Targa 4S. Now, his latest video for the One Take series on the YouTube channel The Smoking Tire features a 2021 Porsche Panamera Turbo S Sport Turismo, which is new for the model year as a gasoline-only variant (as opposed to the previous year, which could only be had with a hybrid-electric powertrain for the Turbo S trim).
A Porsche Everyone Loves To Hate
Porsche purists always hate anything new out of Stuttgart, from the original 911 (when it was still called the 901), to the 914, the 928, and even the 992-generation 911's dual fonts on the rear decklid. But the Panamera has borne particular hatred among Porschephiles, who hate its looks, its front-engined layout, and, most likely, the fact that it sells so very well.
Under The Hood
And Porsche has certainly done a good job of making sure that the Panamera keeps up with the times as a sporty semi-wagon with tons of power and room for the whole family. The 2021 model year introduces the aforementioned gasoline-powered Panamera in Turbo S spec, replacing the outgoing hybrid Turbo S with a good-old-fashioned internal combustion engine.
As Farah explains, there's a good chance this twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 shares some internal componentry with the Lamborghini Urus, though Stuttgart won't officially confirm the concept. That powerplant is respectable in its own right regardless, however, producing 620 horsepower and 604 lb-ft of torque.
Fast And Roomy
That beefy powerplant should be plenty for the Panamera's massive heft, though Porsche's real success — as usual — comes in the form of impressive performance that's not limited to a straight line. In fact, despite a curb weight that quicky approaches 5,000 pounds, the 2021 Panamera Turbo S can lap the Nürburgring as fast as the current 911 Carrera S (something that Porsche purists will no doubt lose their minds over).
Matt's Take
After showing off what the Panamera Turbo S can do in some twisties, thanks partially to the new eight-speed PDK gearbox, carbon-ceramic brakes, and new tires from Michelin specifically for this car, Farah is clearly riding high on the model. "So good at maintaining a contact patch" of rubber and "I love the handling of this thing, it's so good. I'm shocked. There is magic here," he exclaims, happily giggling. If that doesn't sell the Panamera Turbo S, nothing will.
Sources: youtube.com and porsche.com.