Panamera breaks rules

When it comes to wealth, you can't take it with you to the grave, as the cliché goes, so why not spend it on Porsche's new Panamera and instead take a trio of mildly bemused companions along for what will likely be the joy ride of their lives.

The Panamera represents the second four-door model to invade what was once a strictly two-door-maximum lineup. Despite world-ending protestations, Porsche has achieved considerable success with its Cayenne sport utility vehicle that arrived for the 2003 model year. And if history is any judge, the same will hold true when the Panamera (the name recognizes the German automaker's participation in the Carrera Panamericana road race staged in Mexico during the mid-1950s) reaches our shores this fall.

It's not hard to fathom Porsche's portal propensity. Other European sports-car producers, notably Jaguar and Maserati, have been selling luxury sedans alongside their sportier offerings for many years. For 2010, Aston Martin will join this group with its Rapide and eco-luxury automaker Fisker will launch a swoopy-looking sedan version of its Karma hybrid. Could a four-door Ferrari be next?

Visually, the low-slung Panamera might be considered an acquired taste. The design is an interesting mix of tradition, freestyle exuberance and no-excuses practicality that, when viewed from certain side angles, actually works. However, the nose appears awkwardly grafted from Porsche's 911 and the disproportionate rear hatch seems far removed from what is commonly expected in a luxury automobile.

In fairness, the Panamera is not some poser sedan with kiddie-space seating in back. This is an adult-sized grand touring car with four extra-large doors that allow people in the 6-foot-tall range to stretch out in climate-controlled opulence. You can even bolt on a roof rack and a trailer hitch, if need be, although both will most certainly blow your cool-car-owner cover.

Porsche has developed three versions of the Panamera. The "base" S rear-wheel-drive model stickers for around $90,000 (including destination) and features a 400-horsepower 4.8-liter V-8. The 4S uses the same engine, but the price nears $95,000 with the inclusion of all-wheel-drive.

Atop the Panamera hierarchy, the $133,500 all-wheel-drive Turbo delivers a 500-horsepower wallop with the help of twin turbochargers that feed its version of the 4.8.

All powerplants operate through a seven-speed automated manual double-clutch transmission, called the PDK. The paddle-shifted gearbox (it also functions like a regular automatic with the shifter in the "D" position) reduces shift intervals to milliseconds and is also claimed to improve fuel efficiency.

Porsche states the base S car will reach 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, while the 4S only needs 4.8 seconds and the Turbo a mere 4.0 seconds, which is an amazing velocity for a 2-ton-plus sedan. But hey, this is a Porsche after all.

The Panamera also delivers an impressive array of techno-gear, starting with a fuel-saving function that shuts down the engine when the vehicle is stopped. This is a feature normally reserved for gas-electric hybrids.

A four-position rear spoiler that automatically extends from the hatch to increase downforce -- starting at 56 mph -- is also standard, as is a switch to activate a firmer suspension setting.

Additionally, the available air suspension and Dynamic Chassis Control allow the ride height to be raised or lowered, while the active front and rear anti-roll bar settings to be adjusted for more controlled high-speed driving. As well, the Sports Chrono package can alter the vehicle's engine, transmission and suspension settings to high-performance mode at the touch of a button.

There's plenty more leading-edge stuff to add on, most of it rather expensive (a $5,700 audio system upgrade, for instance), but perfectly in keeping with the Panamera's mission to provide the ultimate road-going experience for driver and passengers alike. However, trying not to judge a book by its cover is yet another overworked expression that can be applied to this formidable four-door.