PORSCHE PANAMERA GTS

Stuttgart's latest 'bahnstormer targets driver appeal over outright punch

- MATT SAUNDERS

The Panamera GTS -the purist driving enthusiast's derivative, according to Porsche has a more exclusive status within its range than other GTS models enjoy: it is the only V8-engined, non-hybrid Panamera going.

It's a bit of a tough sell to a keen driver when you can have a V8 Turbo E-Hybrid that's a fair bit quicker-accelerating, quite a lot more powerful and not much more expensive. But the GTS earns its place in quite particular ways.

The suspension and powertrain get unique sporting twists, as does the cabin spec, in the way that previous GTS models have made familiar. The adaptively damped, height-adjustable air suspension runs with 10mm less ride height than lesser Panameras, and it has special tuning (passive anti-roll bars twice as stiff as the standard car's and special damper and power steering calibrations). You get a torque-vectoring active rear diff for the rear half of the standard four wheel drive system, plus a specially tuned active sports exhaust.

Carbon-ceramic brakes and active four-wheel steering are options.