X

2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S (photos)

A truly spectacular feat of engineering, the 2012 Panamera Turbo S hits 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and sticks to corners like paint. Its electronics are not the most advanced, considering its price, but the audio system produces excellent sound.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
35043594_OVR.JPG
1 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

Similar to what it's done with its 911 model, Porsche has been creating trim levels for the Panamera based on S, Turbo, and all-wheel-drive models in various combinations. The latest Panamera version is the Turbo S, a halo car for Porsche that achieves better acceleration than many of the 911 models.


Back to review.

35043594_FT.jpg
2 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The Panamera Turbo S is a five-door sedan. A hatchback allows for easy cargo access. A console divides the rear seats, limiting it to four occupants.


Back to review.

35043594_SS03.JPG
3 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The 4.8-liter V-8 uses direct injection and twin turbochargers to produce 550 horsepower. At the same time, its fuel economy is much better than that of other cars boasting this much power, getting 15 mpg city and 23 mpg highway.


Back to review.

35043594_SD.JPG
4 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The styling of the Panamera was controversial from the start, as many criticize its pudgy rear end. It does, however, have a unique presence, and carries distinctive Porsche styling.


Back to review.

35043594_SS05.JPG
5 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

As a high-performance model, the Panamera Turbo S comes standard with front-brake calipers that envelop almost a third of the rotor.


Back to review.

35043594_SS08.JPG
6 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

An active suspension system changes the performance between Sport, Sport Plus, and Comfort settings. But even in Comfort mode, the ride quality is never soft. An automatic spoiler on the rear deploys at around 50 mph.


Back to review.

35043594_SS11.JPG
7 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The hatchback not only makes it easy to access the cargo area, but allows for more cargo room than a standard trunk.


Back to review.

35043594_INT.jpg
8 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The cabin uses leather, metal, and wood trim to enhance its luxury feel.


Back to review.

35043594_SS12.JPG
9 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

Steering is, of course, very responsive. The Panamera Turbo S is an engaging driver, and does not allow for sloppy handling.


Back to review.

35043594_SS36.jpg
10 of 24 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

A metal strip along the top of the steering-wheel hub holds icons for the car's various modes, such as Sport and Sport Plus. It will even light up an icon for launch control when that system is engaged.


Back to review.

35043594_SS13.JPG
11 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

Instead of traditional paddle shifters, Porsche uses these molded buttons. They are not completely intuitive to use so they require some experience to avoid shifting in the wrong direction.


Back to review.

35043594_SS14.JPG
12 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

In traditional sports car style, the tachometer takes center stage on the instrument cluster, with the speedometer off to the left. A digital display in the tachometer also shows speed, which is very useful.


Back to review.

35043594_SS15.JPG
13 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

A dial on the right of the instrument cluster holds a round LCD that shows a variety of screens from the car's infotainment system. You can view navigation, phone status, or the currently playing music track.


Back to review.

35043594_SS16.jpg
14 of 24 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

The instrument cluster screen also shows how the adaptive cruise control is working. It indicates whether the system is tracking a car ahead, and the following distance.


Back to review.

35043594_SS18.JPG
15 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The Panamera Turbo S comes with Porsche's Doppelkluppung, or PDK, a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox that can shift very aggressively or in a more economical fashion, depending on driving style.


Back to review.

35043594_SS22.JPG
16 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The navigation system uses maps stored on a hard drive, and includes traffic data. The response time for the system is very good, but it is not quite as cutting-edge as the Google Earth system used by Audi.


Back to review.

35043594_SS23.JPG
17 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The hard drive makes possible quite a bit of detail on the maps, such as these 3D-rendered buildings in urban areas. In the mountains, the map shows terrain features.


Back to review.

35043594_SS24.JPG
18 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

Porsche uses an onscreen keyboard for alphanumeric inputs, which allows for quick address entry.


Back to review.

35043594_SS25.JPG
19 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

Traffic data can be viewed as a separate list, and the navigation system will use it to route around trouble spots.


Back to review.

35043594_SS26.JPG
20 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The Panamera Turbo S has a full Bluetooth phone system that can download a phone's contact list.


Back to review.

35043594_SS27.JPG
21 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The satellite radio interface shows presets, and you can tune in stations directly.


Back to review.

35043594_SS28.JPG
22 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

Impressively, the Bluetooth streaming-audio source actually shows track data on the screen.


Back to review.

35043594_SS30.JPG
23 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

This music library is used for both connected iPods and tracks on USB drives.


Back to review.

35043594_SS32.JPG
24 of 24 Josh Miller/CNET

The Burmester audio system is a $3,900 option, but it produces exceptionally precise sound.


Back to review.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos