The Panamera’s Own Lane

Yesterday, I had work in Kyoto, so I drove there in the Panamera. There’s an old saying that Kyoto traffic gets jammed on “goyōbi” (days of the month ending in 5 or 10), and sure enough, the roads were crowded everywhere. The highway was relatively clear, but I still ended the drive without using even five percent of the Panamera’s power. (Then again, it wasn’t really a drive—it was a work trip.)

Since I started driving the Panamera, I’ve found myself wondering: “Could there be a special Panamera lane built into Japan’s highways—one that only responds when a Panamera comes along?”

Even when you’re moving at a serious pace, the car feels utterly planted. Strong winds or rain make no difference; it stays composed. You can enter a bend at 100 km/h without a hint of apprehension, trace the curve precisely, and feel the car cling to the road. Better still, it’s so confidence-inspiring that you find yourself wanting to accelerate through the turn.

And that’s in the car’s normal settings—not Sport mode, and without stiffening the suspension.

Ride Comfort at Its Best

When I test-drove the new Panamera at the dealership, the ride was so smooth that I actually asked H, the sales representative, “Did they recently resurface the roads around here?” (Of course, no such roadwork had taken place.)

It’s enough to make you believe there must be Panamera rails embedded in the road. (There aren’t, obviously.)

I’m heading to a meeting in Osaka today, so I’ll be setting off in a little while and enjoying that Panamera-rail feeling along the way. But I won’t be able to drive fast on the Hanshin Expressway, so I may finish the trip without using even one percent of the Panamera’s potential.

All right—time to go!