A Spontaneous Drive on Royu Driveway

Yesterday brought torrential rain. In the morning, our eldest daughter had a Halloween event at kindergarten, so my husband drove us there in the Panamera through the downpour. The three of us—our eldest, our youngest, and me—took part. By late afternoon, the rain had stopped and the skies were beginning to clear, so I took the wheel and we headed to Royu Driveway as a family. It was my first time driving the Panamera in a week, so I was a little nervous…

The Panamera Turbo really is something else. Perhaps being away from it for a while made me appreciate its power even more. This is no exaggeration: the moment I even think about pressing the accelerator, the car surges forward. It feels as though my mind and the car are connected.

There’s no slack in the accelerator, and even a light press on the brake brings on a firm, immediate response. People often assume that “sports cars and supercars have heavy brakes and are difficult for women to drive,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth with the Panamera Turbo.

A Jekyll-and-Hyde Driving Experience

Around town, the Panamera Turbo is an absolute gentleman. On mountain roads, though, it transforms. Turn the wheel and the car follows your line without needing any extra steering input. Even through tight bends, it feels so planted that you find yourself wanting to keep accelerating.

The engine’s deep, satisfying growl under acceleration, followed by the burbling exhaust when you ease off the throttle—there’s no need for a soundtrack when you have a sound like that.

Thick Fog at Higashi-Rokkō Observatory

We were enjoying the drive, but although the weather was clear at the foot of the mountain, fog had gathered higher up. When we reached the observatory, there wasn’t another soul in sight. (Well, no surprise there.)

It’s been more than two weeks since delivery, but every weekend so far has been rainy. So, believe it or not, I still haven’t seen our Night Blue Metallic Panamera gleaming beneath a clear blue sky.

I wonder if I’ll get some good photos next week.

On the way home, I tried Individual mode. Turn the dial down to the right of the steering wheel, and the car instantly switches to your preferred settings. My husband has set it up to:

・A slightly firmer suspension
・The rear spoiler raised
・A louder engine note

It’s not quite as full-on as Sport mode, but it gives the car a sportier look and sound. I loved it. I even stopped at the front of the queue at a red light, rolled down the window, and accelerated hard the moment the light turned green.

The sound of the engine as it accelerated was just incredible.

“Wow, that’s so cool—and it feels amazing! I want to keep listening to that sound! Ahh, I wish I could open the roof… If only there were a Panamera Cabriolet!”

We joked about it as the Panamera whisked us home in no time. I’d love to go for another drive this weekend.