Hello everyone. This is Mina, the administrator of “Welcome Home, PORSCHE.” This new series, “Porsche Owners File,” was born from readers’ requests to share the genuine voices of various Porsche owners. Our very first article features “Poruporu 4E,” a Tokyo resident, sharing about their Panamera 4E-Hybrid.

〘Owner Information〙
・Car: 971 Panamera 4E-Hybrid
・Pen name: Poruporu 4E
・Residence: Central Tokyo / Apartment
・Family: Myself, wife (children are independent)
・Past cars (partial list): Fairlady 280Z → Celica XX → Mark II → BMW 320 → Crown 3000 → (911 Carrera: loaner during Panamera 4E servicing, haha)
・Message to readers: By delivering the “real voices” of Porsche owners, I hope this blog will thrive, expand its community, and inspire even one more person to become interested in or fall in love with Porsche.

1) The Journey to Purchase

Since moving to Tokyo in 2007, I had lived without a car for 11 years. Here, I’ll share from three perspectives: “Why I decided to buy a car after 11 years,” “Why I chose Porsche,” and “Why I chose the 4E-Hybrid among Porsches.”

Why I decided to buy a car after 11 years

I’ve loved cars since long ago, and before moving to central Tokyo, I had driven various vehicles. One day, I suddenly wondered if it was really okay to continue living life without any connection to cars.
Later, while window-shopping at various car dealerships, I made up my mind: “I don’t need a car for daily life or as a taxi substitute, but I want to buy a car again that brings ‘joy to my heart’.”

Why I chose Porsche

Simply put, “Because Porsche made my heart skip a beat.” There’s no guarantee I’ll be healthy and have sharp reflexes to drive for decades to come. Even generously, I’ll only be able to own a few cars in my lifetime. So I wanted to drive a car that truly excites my heart. That car was Porsche. I also considered Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Maserati, and others, all fine cars, but none made my heart race like Porsche did.

Back around 1980, I traveled with two friends to West Germany with the goal of driving over 200 km/h on the Autobahn. We were in a Mercedes-Benz 280S, but while cruising at 220 km/h, a Porsche 911 smoothly overtook us.
From that moment, Porsche’s presence and the dream of “someday owning a Porsche” were etched into my soul.

Why I chose the Panamera 4E-Hybrid

Because I felt “the Panamera 4E-Hybrid is the sports car of the future.”
I had always thought my car life would end with a 911, so this time I was looking at other Porsches. Initially, I was interested in the Cayenne, but its height and weight far exceeded the limits of my apartment’s parking garage. Also, I thought, “Do I really need an SUV when it’s Porsche?” So I turned my attention to the Panamera and instantly felt, “This is it!”

My first test drive was the Panamera 4S. The sound when lightly pressing the accelerator—voh, voh—and the powerful forward surge made me exclaim, “Wow!”
After that, I narrowed my choices to the Panamera 4, Panamera 4E-Hybrid, and Panamera 4S.

Among them, I was captivated by the 4E-Hybrid’s torque and horsepower that surpass the 4S, but unfortunately, there was no test car available then. Later, a dealer who had test-driven the new Panamera 4E-Hybrid told me, “The Panamera 4E-Hybrid is the symbol of the sports car of the future!” That sealed the deal, and I decided to buy it.

Around home, it runs quietly on electric power alone; on highways and winding roads, it delivers full boost. No other sports car offers this. Fuel economy wasn’t a big concern for me.

2) Options and Specifications

〘Panamera 4E-Hybrid Options/Specs〙
・Exterior color: Carrara White Metallic
・Interior color: Black
・Exterior: Privacy glass
・Transmission/Chassis: PDK, Sports Chrono Package (standard)
・Wheels: 19-inch Panamera S wheels
・Interior: Partial leather seats, Cruise control (standard), Floor mats

Before deciding on options

Before finalizing options, I requested two quotes: one with Carrara White and 20-inch Panamera Turbo wheels, and another with Jet Black and 21-inch Panamera Sport Design wheels (high-gloss black). Ultimately, I chose Carrara White as the base and proceeded with option selections.

How I decided on the wheels

I had two thoughts about options:

First, as an owner after 11 years without a car, and recalling a car magazine’s statement that “Porsche is almost perfect as standard,” I didn’t think much about covering shortcomings with options.

Second, I didn’t want to add weight to the Panamera by adding options. My apartment’s parking garage has a weight limit of 2,300 kg. The Panamera 4E-Hybrid’s curb weight is 2,170 kg, and with a full tank, about 2,240 kg. Adding option weight would push it closer to the limit, so I tried to avoid options.

Still, I wanted the wheels to look sleek and smart, so I initially planned for 20-inch wheels. But the dealer advised:

“If you’re carrying a toddler in the back seat, 20-inch wheels will worsen ride comfort, so we recommend the standard wheels.”

Also, the parking garage’s width limit was already tight, so I reluctantly chose 19-inch wheels. However, I opted for the 19-inch wheels from the 4S model rather than the standard ones. (They’re somewhat similar to the Turbo W wheels, haha.)

Even now, whenever I pass by Panameras with 20- or 21-inch wheels, I wonder, “Was this the right choice?” After signing, I read this blog’s “Why my husband deliberately chose 21-inch wheels for the Panamera Turbo” and thought, “If only I’d read this earlier, I definitely would have gone for 20-inch wheels!”

Looks like I’ll have to leave 20-inch wheels for a future 911 (laughs).

Lessons learned from choosing options

I’ll share which options I’m glad I chose or wish I had chosen in a future post after delivery. But the main lesson from this purchase was “When buying your car, make sure you’re fully satisfied at the time of contract!” (laughs)