The Panamera Is Big

The Panamera is one seriously large car. Compare its dimensions with those of a Japanese kei car, and you’ll be surprised by just how much bigger it is.

〘New Panamera〙Width: 1,937 mm; length: 5,049 mm
〘Kei car〙Width: 1,480 mm or less; length: 3,400 mm or less

In other words, the Panamera is about 50 cm wider and 1.5 m longer than a kei car. That’s a lot of car.

Naturally, it’s not as easy to maneuver in tight spaces, so I always feel on edge when passing oncoming traffic. And once, I actually damaged my Panamera.

I was visiting my parents when I lightly scraped the rear of the car near their driveway. For some reason, even though the car had parking sensors to warn me about obstacles, I didn’t react to them.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep…

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep…

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

……………………….

………………………dead silence.

It felt like the car had breathed its last. I was devastated. Since then, I’ve made a point of following these rules whenever I drive a large car.

My Three Rules

① Never Take Narrow Roads

There are actually plenty of roads the Panamera can fit down, even if they seem narrow. You can usually get past oncoming traffic by waiting on your side or letting the other car go first. Even so, I avoid those roads. No matter how much of a hurry I’m in, I’ll take a longer route if it means staying on wider roads.

② Avoid Convenience Stores and Supermarkets with Tight Parking Lots

The parking lot at the closest supermarket to my home is cramped. It’s not impossible to park the Panamera there, and the store is inexpensive and very convenient, but I don’t want to risk anything happening to the car, so I never go there in it. The same goes for convenience stores: even if there’s an open space, if my gut tells me, “That looks tight…,” I don’t pull in.

③ Leave Home with at Least 30 Minutes to Spare

If I’m running late for an appointment, I might feel forced to take a narrow road or a shortcut. That increases the chances of hitting something in the Panamera, so I always try to leave home with at least 30 minutes to spare.

If Google Maps says a trip will take an hour, I allow an hour and a half; if it says an hour and a half, I allow two hours. I once drove from my home to Yonago, in Tottori Prefecture, for work. Factoring in traffic and the possibility of unexpected delays, I left an hour earlier than I thought I needed to. The roads were remarkably clear, though, and I arrived…

Two whole hours ahead of schedule(Did I drive way too fast…?)

But that was fine by me. It’s far better than running late, getting flustered, and putting the Panamera at risk. In other words, I believe the key to driving a large car safely is:

Not becoming skilled enough to drive on every road, but avoiding risky situations in the first place.

If you stay away from risks, they won’t come looking for you.

After reading this, you might think, “It takes longer, it’s hard to maneuver, and you can’t just pop into a supermarket or convenience store—what a hassle of a car!” But even with the demands of raising a child, managing a household, and working, I still feel the Panamera is worth all those inconveniences. That, I think, is what makes it such a remarkable car.