When Will My Panamera Arrive?

I still haven’t heard from the dealer that the ship carrying my Panamera has arrived in Japan. Delivery is just a week away, on October 12—but has the car made it safely? What if it was involved in an accident along the way, or arrived in the wrong color? I can’t help worrying.

The Porsche Panamera is often compared with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, given their similar standing in the luxury-car world. The S-Class is a trailblazer among luxury sedans.

“Intelligent Drive,” “ultimate comfort,” and “a relentless pursuit of efficiency”

were the ideas behind its 2013 debut. Its predecessor reportedly sold more than 300,000 units worldwide. So what about the Panamera? I pulled out a brochure to find out. (For some reason, I only had a brochure for the previous-generation model.)

The Panamera Brochure

On the first page, I found the Panamera’s concept:

“Day and Dream”

“Wait, was that really the concept?” And then I read this: “The Panamera embodies Porsche’s enduring philosophy of bringing seemingly opposing elements together on a higher plane.”

That’s right. The Panamera’s brilliance lies in how it brings together seemingly opposing qualities:

“Everyday practicality” and “driving enjoyment”
“Efficiency” and “power”
“Dynamic performance” and “luxury”

To me, that’s the Panamera’s greatest appeal: it delivers on both sides of the equation.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs. the Porsche Panamera Turbo

I came across this blog post on the subject:
“I Borrowed the New S-Class” — Goron♪’s Blog

The author describes what it was like to drive the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class and how it differed from the Porsche Panamera Turbo:

It may be unfair to compare it with a Porsche built for driving, but in a Panamera Turbo, even a winding stretch like the Ikoma Skyline—with one curve after another—makes for a comfortable and thoroughly enjoyable drive.

The Panamera really is something special. Of course, it’s not about one car being better or worse; what matters is choosing the one that suits you.

And now, just one week until delivery!