[masmole]

I really like the new Panamera inside and out. The only thing I don’t like is the nickel-and-diming Porsche is well known for with their options. It just doesn’t make any Porsche a good value when compared to a package like the F90 M5. Then again, Porsche historically has never been known to be a good value ever. There’s a reason why their profit margins are among the highest in the auto industry. Charging extra for stuff that should be standard on a $100k+ car is absolutely ridiculous but the reality is, the average Porsche buyer is more than willing to pony up simply because of the brand. Porsche knows their brand’s selling power just as well as Apple knows theirs, so they will milk it as much as the market allows.

I honestly don’t care much about sheer performance numbers as much as I used to when I was younger. These days, I only care if it sounds good, handles well, is fun to drive, rides nice, is well built, looks good, and is “fast enough”. So the Panamera GTS actually fits the bill perfectly because it rides even better than the M5, looks great, and is fast enough (I really have no need for the M5’s sub-3s 0-60 sprints for daily driving). For me, the GTS really makes more sense. But that Porsche nickel-and-diming though... it just irks me, and just out of principle, could be the deal-breaker.