MotorMouths

The 2012 Porsche Panamera provides amazing performance and cosseting luxury in a practical sedan/hatchback package.

The Porsche Panamera Turbo S is insanely fast and unexpectedly agile. In defiance of its length, wheelbase and mass, this sedan is also implausibly athletic.

While they might be “base” cars in the sense that they’re the least-expensive models, the V6-powered Panamera is arguably the best in the lineup. Its just-right blend of power, handling, ride, and luxury makes it stand out in this elite class.

If you really are looking for the fastest five-door-hatchback-pseudo-station-wagon on the planet, just buy the Panamera. If you can afford it, you will never regret buying the S.

We doubt that promised Panamera Hybrid will be as agile and fun as this unexpectedly great, entry-level V-6. If you want an economical Panamera—the V-6 returns around 25 mpg in the European cycle—we say don’t wait.

Factor the V-6 Porsche Panamera’s much better than adequate performance and superior fuel efficiency into the equation, and along with the cost savings relative to the existing lineup, it starts to look rather persuasive.

Consider the 2011 Porsche Panamera and Panamera 4 very competent 300 horsepower sport sedans that just happen to be fitted with a thoroughly modern six-cylinder powerplant. The V6 has effectively priced Porsche’s first sedan back in the midst of its European competition.

The GTS essentially contains all of the most sportive Panamera options in a single vehicle with a more powerful engine. If you really do need to take a sedan onto a racetrack, the Panamera GTS is the one to get the job done.

With a powerful yet efficient engine and high-tech suspension, the pricey 2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S delivers near-supercar performance, but the cabin electronics fall short of cutting-edge.

To understand the Panamera V6 crowd, take another walk around and ask yourself what else there is with four doors and back-seat space, in this price range, that simultaneously looks so fast and exclusive.

The V-6 Panamera is essentially the same car as the S and it, too, is a joy to drive. You give up some raw speed but not much else. A truly great luxury car at a bargain (for Porsche) price

Equipped with Porsche’s new 3.6-liter V6, the Panamera and Panamera 4 offer the same looks, comfort, handling and braking as their V8 counterparts, but with better fuel economy and a lower price of entry.