25 July 2017
Review

Five years after showing us a Panamera wagon as a concept car, Porsche has launched a second estate-car version of its big four-seater grand tourer, which will rival Audi's RS6 Performance and the Mercedes-AMG CLS 63 Shooting Brake.

Roughly the same size as the saloon version, the new Sport Turismo has bigger rear doors, a long roof line and a larger boot. It's also the first Panamera yet to be offered with five seats - although, with that middle back seat only really suitable for small children, Porsche prefers to call it a '4+1'.

Porsche invited us to Vancouver Island, Canada, for our first test drive of the 541bhp Turbo version: a car capable of 62mph in just 3.8sec, costing a whisker less than £120,000. So is this the fast estate car made extra-special - or just the Panamera perfected?

Matt Prior

Matt Prior
Title: Editor-at-large

Matt is Autocar’s lead features writer and presenter, is the main face of Autocar’s YouTube channel, presents the My Week In Cars podcast and has written his weekly column, Tester’s Notes, since 2013.

Matt is an automotive engineer who has been writing and talking about cars since 1997. He joined Autocar in 2005 as deputy road test editor, prior to which he was road test editor and world rally editor for Channel 4’s automotive website, 4Car. 

Into all things engineering and automotive from any era, Matt is as comfortable regularly contributing to sibling titles Move Electric and Classic & Sports Car as he is writing for Autocar. He has a racing licence, and some malfunctioning classic cars and motorbikes. 

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steve-p 2 August 2017

Nice

I really like this car. Somehow the ugly duckling 1st gen has morphed via the so-so fastback saloon into this elegant swan of a classy estate car cum shooting brake. Fast wagons are always cool. It's the rule.

scrap 25 July 2017

Yes a slightly odd review -

Yes a slightly odd review - pottering slowly along country roads while discussing how desirable and good looking it is. The 'standard' Panam looks a lot better than the original so it's all a matter of taste. Its closest rival is probably something like the RRS SVR, in terms of what a customer might choose instead.

supermanuel 25 July 2017

OK

Matt says, "it's OK to want one." It's OK Matt, I want one.