You are in the market for a luxury sedan…but you want ‘power’ and ‘aggression’ when you are on the road. Also, you want to actually be able to drive and enjoy this car. So, we look at three possibilities. Three very fast and exciting options for you to spend you money on this year.
Porsche has a brand new Panamera in a number of variants. To understand where the Panamera 4S sits we need to look first at its immediate competitors.
In Malaysia there is only the one real rival, the Mercedes-Benz E63 S that has 603hp and a maximum torque of 850 Nm. Its power is available over a broad engine speed range of 2,500 to 4,500 rpm and provides an assured feeling of effortless performance in every accelerator pedal position. A sprint from zero to 100km/h takes only 3.4 seconds, and acceleration only ends at the governed top speed of 250km/h. This special E-Class sells for just RM998,888……however it does not carry the brand cache of the Panamera.
Despite the E63’s AMG styling and impressive performance, the street credit is not as high as Porsche’s, especially in Malaysia where the affluent who ‘play’ in this segment desire branding over real performance when they buy expensive engineering. This is why the Porsche RM1.1million price tag does not seem to far fetched.
We could say there is another rival…..a quiet contender. The new Maserati Quattroporte GTS which sells for RM1,139,000. The Quattroporte GTS is powered by an inspirational 530hp 3.8 litre Ferrari-produced V8 Twin-Turbo engine with rear wheel drive. This Italian sedan is capable of a peak torque of 710Nm with a top speed of 310km/h, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds, just a tad slower than the Panamera. Now this is a car with street cred to match the Panamera and almost similar performance.
But which will you buy if you had to choose?
The RM1 Million Ringgit Question? Mercedes, Porsche or Maserati
And at the end of the day, the Panamera 4S is still a comfortable luxury sports saloon with a huge amount of legroom. Even if you rarely spend time at the rear, the cockpit design is just pure Porsche. Minimalist, high-tech, luxury with the kind of precise build quality only Porsche can deliver. The 4S is for those who appreciate a sense of balance to everything in life. Comfort with sportiness. Power with efficiency. Modern with classic iconic looks. The only supercar that can replace your daily driver and not feel inadequate in any way at all.
The Mercedes E63 AMG will definitely deliver a whole lot of entertainment on the road and track. However,…….it looks like a stock E-Class with an aggressive body styling kit. Let us not forget the impressive exhaust and engine notes. For the pure enthusiast, this might be the final choice as it will deliver dynamics that the driver requests mile after mile.
Then there is the exotic sounding Maserati. Just ‘mouthing’ the name Quattroporte sends a message of exclusivity to bystanders. It’s the Italian flair of selling a car with emotion where the Germans seem to be lacking a tad. Yes, this is the most expensive and probably the rarest on the road but it appeals to a very small group of Malaysian buyers who want to be different.
We feel the decision to purchase comes more from emotion and branding rather than the actual drive dynamics (for Malaysians buyers).
