Panamera GTS and BMW’s new-gen 3-series both score
Porsche’s new Panamera shows that two more seats can still be sporty
PORSCHE’s four-seat Panamera has sold surprisingly well. Though it’s pretty agile for such a large, heavy motor it’s never felt as sporty as it could have with a character that’s more luxury limousine than dynamic sportscar, even in its range-topping Turbo iteration. It’s fair to say that the earlier versions of the Panamera have primarily been developed for quick and efficient sling shot motorway delivery rather than railing through mountain bends.
But its new GTS model – GTS stands for Grand Turismo S – has been engineered to be the sportiest yet. With a better power-to-weight ratio than its siblings, it incorporates a host of tweaks that have reduced the car’s weight and increased its responsiveness to create a much more driver-focused Panamera. Porsche’s marketing people are keen to convince us that the Panamera GTS is a “real sports car for four”, which hasn’t really been the case up until now. The result is a Panamera that is lighter and more agile with a more emotional and sporty personality.
To achieve this, Porsche has reworked the 4.8-litre V8 engine from the Panamera 4S. Upgraded to 430hp, the GTS has 30hp more than Panamera S and 4S. Porsche’s eggheads have also tweaked the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system so it’s sportier with tauter damping. It’s also lower by 10mm compared to other Panamera models. In Sports Plus mode – when the optional Sports Chrono Package option is fitted, as it was in our test car – the ride gets even more hardcore. This lowers the chassis and hardens the springs, reducing the height by a further 15mm. The rear axle track width is wider by 10mm, giving the car a more stable footprint; the GTS also has upgraded brakes (the same as those fitted on the Panamera Turbo). In addition, the car gets the same rear spoiler as the Turbo, which, impressively, raises out of the body before folding outwards and generates downforce at speeds above 127mph.
Styling-wise the GTS has a sportier, meaner look. The grille is wider and the exhaust pipes, side skirts, side air outlets and window trim is now in glossy black. The GTS we’re driving around the roads of Ronda is in Carmine Red, a colour only available on the GTS, which, I have to say, I don’t love. Inside the cockpit is in leather and Alcantara. I particularly like the twelve o’clock marking on the steering wheel but the ‘GTS’ lettering in the headrests not so much.
So how does the purist Panamera drive? Well it’s excellent around the track at Ascari, and way better than I had expected. The car is fast with a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and on track it feels it. That is not surprising. What is surprising is how agile the GTS feels. It grips brilliantly thanks to its four-wheel drive system and, though, at times, it still feels like a big car, it no longer feels like a heavy one. Most of the time you forget the long length of the car stretching out behind you and the car is a lot of fun. The noise is brutal. The exhaust sound is enhanced using Porsche’s Symposer technology and the noise of the 4.8-litre V8 is channeled into the cockpit. The Sports mode sees the PDK transmission shift up later and down sooner and shifting via its steering paddles I find it’s pretty much on the money with my intentions.
Out on the road these traits combine with powerful acceleration on the motorway enabling you to cruise along in cool, efficient comfort. Sure the ride is a little firmer but noise levels are still refined. Which means to my mind the Panamera has finally managed to be what we hoped it would be. A four-seater GT sports car that can deliver you and your family over long distances to the best driving mountain roads in Europe, yet still be agile enough for you to enjoy yourself when you get there.
THE FACTS: PORSCHE PANAMERA GTS
PRICE: £90,409
0-62MPH: 4.5sec
TOP SPEED: 179mph
CO2 G/KM: 256g/km
MPG COMBINED: 25.9mpg
THE VERDICT:
DESIGN ***
PERFORMANCE ****
PRACTICALITY ****
VALUE FOR MONEY ***
This version of BMW’s super popular 3-series is bigger and prettier
One in five of all BMWs sold is a 3-Series, so the introduction of a completely new generation is a very big deal for BMW and for the legions of 3-Series fans around the world.
BMW has brought a bunch of motoring hacks to the Ronda region of Spain, to pitch the new sixth generation F30 3-Series against some of the best driving roads in Europe. Happily, I’m handed the keys to the new mid-range 328i – although I will also drive the more frugal 320d – and because our numbers are odd I elect to drive on my own. What a lucky break, as my time behind the wheel is doubled. And really, a full day spent hoomphing a 328i through mountain passes in the Spanish sunshine…what’s not to like?
But is it any good? Well it should be. The 3-Series has long been a de facto choice for keen drivers. Its seductive mix of rear-wheel drive entertainment and sporty elegance combined with enough load-carrying practically to get it past the missus has meant the 3-Series is the clear leader amongst premium rivals like the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
BMW has improved the 3-Series by making it bigger and better. The chassis is 47mm wider at the rear and 50mm longer and the body is stiffer and lighter. The big news is that the six-cylinder engine of its predecessor is gone. Instead the car has a new, cleaner and more fuel efficient four-cylinder engine. Despite losing two cylinders, the car is faster and the only loss I can determine is the characterful six-cylinder engine noise.
Design-wise the new 3-Series manages to be sportier and more elegant. At the front a new sculptured bonnet suggests speed while the two air-inlets and wider headlamps emphasise the car’s width. At the rear the new 3-Series looks squat, low and dynamic thanks to the horizontal styling and flared wheel arches.
Inside BMW has improved quality and comfort. Three new trim levels – Sport, Modern and Luxury – have been added so there are now six to choose from. Thanks to those bigger exterior dimensions, inside the cabin is bigger, with more headroom and legroom for rear seat passengers and at 480-litres the boot is 20-litres larger too. I drive the 328i in the Modern trim and the 320d in Sport trim. In Modern spec the interior is trimmed in beige leather and the instrument dials are coffee-coloured. The wood trim on the dashboard and doors is reminiscent of fossilised driftwood. It remains to be seen how British 3-Series buyers will take to it. I don’t like it at all. The Sport trim I experience in the 320d is much better. For the first time the 3-Series is available with an iDrive controller and a head-up display, tech that has only been offered in the more expensive 5-Series until now.
Driving on the mountain roads around Ronda is exhilarating. The car’s 245bhp engine feels punchy and the car feels agile and fast. Steering is direct and the handling is simply excellent. Available with a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic gearbox, the different Comfort, Eco Pro and Sport driving mode settings allow you to adapt the setup according to where and how you’re driving. The ride, though firm, is comfortable. The car soaks up most of the bumps with ease and I find that there is little noise inside (aside from some engine noise in the 320d). I like the 328i’s eight-speed semi-automatic gearbox the best. Switching gears using the paddle shifters whilst railing through the corners feels instinctive and I find the experience even more enjoyable than the manual box of the 320d.
So: bigger, faster, more fun, more comfortable, cleaner and more economical – the 3-Series has upped its game again. Just avoid the driftwood of the Modern trim.
THE FACTS: BMW 328I
PRICE: £42,355
0-62MPH: 6.1secs
TOP SPEED: 155mph
CO2 G/KM: 147g/km
MPG COMBINED: 44.8mpg
THE VERDICT:
DESIGN *****
PERFORMANCE *****
PRACTICALITY *****
VALUE FOR MONEY ****