2021 Porsche Panamera GTS Review: The Driver's Choice

The Porsche Panamera represents the German auto maker’s first executive sedan offering – albeit a hatchback with a rounded rear-end instead of the traditional trunk design favoured by many of its rivals. The Panamera debuted as a 2010 model to much fanfare, and a revised second-generation model took flight for model year 2017 sporting a host of styling cues borrowed from the iconic 911. This new car was a little larger and included a more progressive interior and greater levels of luxury and safety.

For 2021 the evolution continues as the car has been given a subtle facelift which includes the company’s SportDesign front fascia as standard equipment as well as a striking LED strip that bisects the tail. Enhancing the car’s sporty nature is the addition of a fully functional rear diffuser as well as revisions to the car’s chassis to improve both ride and handling. Minor updates to the interior include a redesigned steering-wheel and paddle-control set-up.

A visit to the Porsche website reveals that there are no less than 21 models of the Panamera available, including a combination of regular and extended wheelbase sedans, a shooting brake (Panamera Sport Turismo), and a wide array of power-trains ranging from a turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 to a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 partnered with a hybrid electric motor.

Our test unit was the car that Porsche has designed to appeal to those individuals who really enjoy driving, the Panamera GTS, cloaked in stunning Carmine Red paint with black multi-spoke wheels, the latter which fall in line with the black trim and styling elements characteristic of Porsche’s GTS badged offerings.

2021 Porsche Panamera GTS Interior

The Panamera usually offers seating for four, but our tester featured the 2+1 option which replaces the rear centre storage armrest with a narrow third seating position increasing the vehicle’s capacity to five. The two outboard rear seating positions feature supportive bucket seats that mimic the design of the front units, and these offer more than enough room for all but the tallest individuals.

I stand 6’2″ tall and found that I had room for a tall hat, but if you need to shuttle even taller individuals around you might have to forego a little performance and consider the longer wheelbase Panamera 4S Executive or a Panamera 4S Sport Turismo.

The car’s cockpit has been designed to place the driver in the optimal setting to become one with the car, and the most vital controls, gauges and switches are easily accessible for the operator. The driving position allows for driving efficiency as well as comfort.

The waterfall console has far fewer buttons than the original car’s design so it looks uncluttered and modern, but I found that I missed some of those buttons as they were more far easier to use when making adjustments to features like the infotainment and HVAC settings than the current setup which requires several layers of operation to do the same job.

Once seated behind the Alcantara-wrapped GT Sport steering wheel the driver can adjust the column both fore and aft. An easy-to-read assemblage of five-gauges comprises the instrument clustre, and you can configure these to your liking using steering-wheel mounted controls. The digital faces proved resistant to glare and were really prominent at night.

The 18-way adjustable body-hugging sports seats feature Alcantara inserts and the material is used throughout the cabin of the GTS, including the headliner. A splash of colour in the form of contrasting stitching and bold headrest embroidery help mark the GTS as something a little different from other models, as does the presence of the Carmine Red seatbelts.

Passenger comfort has to be a big consideration in any vehicle but especially in one that costs as much as this car. I picked up the car on a blistering hot day and immediately looked for a button to cool the seat. It wasn’t there. Porsche gives the GTS front heated seats as standard fare, and adding the Premium Package outfits the rear as well, but ventilated seats are an additional upgrade.

The Premium Package also gives the car a 4-zone climate control system (and rear occupants have access to their own set of controls), soft close doors, customizable ambient cabin lighting, and a Bose surround sound audio system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard equipment.

The car’s 12-inch infotainment sits high on the dash and features touch screen capabilities and very crisp graphics. I found the screen’s capacitive touch controls to be confusing and a little finicky, but if I lived with the car for a little longer maybe operation would become second nature.

Panamera GTS Powertrain

2021 Porsche Panamera GTS engine — 2021 Porsche Panamera GTS. Photo: Russell Purcell

Engine	4.0-Litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with direct fuel-injection
Horsepower	473 @ 6,500 rpm
Torque	457 lb-ft @ 1,800-4,000 rpm
Transmission	8-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK)
Brakes	Six-piston ventilated front disc / four-piston ventilated rear disc

Under the hood resides the same 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that motivates the beastly Panamera Turbo models, although it has been detuned to produce 473-horsepower and 457 foot-pounds of torque. Power is delivered to all four wheels through a new 8-speed variant of Porsche’s ultra-quick, dual clutch Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) auto-manual which comes partnered with paddle shift levers on the steering wheel.

Porsche’s Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel drive system is a proven entity, and having it on board inspires confidence in the driver as it helps give the GTS unbelievable levels of grip; so much so in fact, that you have to be driving way over your head to induce either under-or over-steer in this automobile.

Porsche’s all-wheel-drive system will actively route most of the power to the rear wheels to help preserve the preferred driving experience of most enthusiasts, but should the need arise it will redirect power forward to help maintain traction. This car truly powers through corners like it is on rails.

The Driving Experience

The Panamera GTS has been packaged to appeal to those customers looking to maximize their driving satisfaction without taking it to the extreme that comes with upgrading to one of the ultra-pricey Turbo models. The GTS is slightly longer than its stable mates (4mm) and the car rides10 millimetres lower as it comes with the latest update of Porsche’s Active Suspension Management (PASM) system as standard equipment.

This helps give the car a more aggressive stance, as do the 20-inch, black painted GTS wheels. The GTS also features Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV); two electronic marvels that help the car maintain traction and hopefully, keep you as the driver, out of trouble.

The 2021 Panamera GTS features the latest update of Porsche’s phenomenal air suspension, and ride comfort is impeccable and serene when driving in Normal mode. This system helps the car ride a full 10mm lower than other Panamera models and is partnered with an adaptive suspension system with Normal, Sport and Sport Plus settings.

As you would expect from a Porsche product acceleration is a strong point of this package. Power delivery comes on instantaneously and in a linear manner as the twin-scroll turbochargers spool free of hesitation allowing the engine to deliver peak torque between 1,800 and 4,000 rpm. As a result, this car will launch from a standstill to 100-km/h in 3.9 seconds. To help keep speed in check the GTS is equipped ABS-supported oversized ventilated disc brakes front and rear, but carbon ceramic units are available as an option.

The 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 emits a throaty growl through the standard equipment sport exhaust system, especially when in Sport or Sport Plus mode. I get excited just thinking about the sound this car makes when driven in anger, and found the aggressive engine note to be highly addictive.

Power delivery comes on instantaneously and in a linear manner as the twin-scroll turbochargers spool free of hesitation allowing the engine to deliver peak torque between 1,800 and 4,000 rpm.

The car truly comes alive when you elect to shift the 8-speed transmission manually with the paddles. In fact, shifting through the gears is the best way to really explore the performance capabilities of this car.

This car handles like a much smaller vehicle, probably due to its rear-wheel steering (Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus). The car is quick to settle into the apex of a corner with just gentle inputs from the driver. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires kept the car grounded even during higher speed manoeuvres and emitted very little road noise.

Safety

Additional safety equipment on our GTS tester included the Assistance Package which includes Porsche InnoDrive with Adaptive Cruise Control, Park Assist including Surround View, and a head-up display. The aforementioned Premium Package also adds Lane Change Assist and the LED-Matrix Design headlights which include Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS+).

Cargo Versatility

Hatchback designs are popular because they allow for far more cargo capacity than a traditional trunk design. The power operated hatch on the Panamera GTS opens to reveal a flat floor with 495-litres of space. Fold down the rear seats (manual levers on the seat shoulders) and you have 1,334 litres available.

Takeaway: is the 2021 Porsche Panamera GTS worth it?

Pros:

Offers sports car handling in a luxurious family friendly package.

The 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 engine is incredibly smooth and delivers power with efficiency.

Porsche’s PDK transmission is lightning fast and now has 8-speeds.

Cons:

Some secondary controls take too many steps to access and operate.

The list of standard features for a car in this class seems a little short.

The Panamera is in a tough spot as most of its rivals have copied the concept and put out similar offerings, but it also faces stiff competition from other products in its own showroom. Porsche’s Cayenne offers more utility and is an SUV that delivers a driving experience more akin to a sports sedan, and the all-electric Taycan offers similar ergonomics and performance in a much more environmentally friendly platform.

But if you’re like me, there is no substitute to the visceral sound and feel of piloting a capable car with a high-performance V8 engine, and the Panamera GTS is one of the best. The world is changing and unfortunately gasoline powered V8 engines are an endangered species, so if you have the means to I suggest that you enjoy cars like this while we still have the ability to relish in all that makes them so enjoyable to drive.