971 Panamera 4S vs GTS

[BucksFizz]

I think I know the answer to this question, but I’ll ask anyway!

I’m looking for a 971 Panamera with a budget of £55k or thereabouts. By chance, I was given access to a Turbo, which I absolutely loved, and the V8 sold it for me.

I'm after the GTS for all the usual reasons that most people prefer this model. The problem is that there are not many for sale, and a couple of the ones I’ve viewed at this price point weren’t in great condition or didn’t have a full service history.

I’m probably going to have to spend around £70k to get a decent example that I can put a Porsche extended warranty on, so it’s got me thinking about whether I should consider the 4S, as a nice one can be had at OPC for £55k.

There is only a 15bhp difference between the 4S and the GTS (the weight, I’m not sure), but the lack of V8 noise and alcantara is killing the vibe a bit for me and turns it from a hot saloon to something a bit warm. Also, it feels a bit wrong for a car of this calibre/size to only have six cylinders (even if the 2.9 is a very good engine).

Am I being silly, or should I stick to my guns?

Bonus question: a lot of the Panameras I've seen for sale on Autotrader have been listed for over a year. Is the market really that slow for them, or are they just priced wrong?

[JohnnyUK]

V8 every time!

The 2.9 V6 is a nice smooth engine, but is no match for a V8....

[Mosdef]

I think you need to try the GTS before committing, I have a 2019 turbo and found the GTS felt significantly down on power when I drove both cars back-to-back. Also, the ride quality is just that bit stiffer, which I find to be a bit against the car’s GT credentials. Of course, this might not matter to you. FWIW, I’d disregard the 4S, it’s not really the right engine for a car like that.

On the bonus question, some really do stick around and I think that’s entirely spec related. Good cars seem to go quite quickly (under a month) whereas others can be for sale for over a year.

[BlackTails]

The 971 4S is fine if you’re not really a car person. Which is damning it with the faintest possible praise.

[BucksFizz]

Mosdef said:

I think you need to try the GTS before committing, I have a 2019 turbo and found the GTS felt significantly down on power when I drove both cars back-to-back. Also, the ride quality is just that bit stiffer, which I find to be a bit against the car’s GT credentials. Of course, this might not matter to you. FWIW, I’d disregard the 4S, it’s not really the right engine for a car like that.

On the bonus question, some really do stick around and I think that’s entirely spec related. Good cars seem to go quite quickly (under a month) whereas others can be for sale for over a year.

I get what you’re saying, but I think the GTS will be quick enough. I like the V8 for the noise and the pantomime rather than driving flat out everywhere.

Good point on the right quality though, I drove the first generation Panamera GTS a long time ago and I was surprised how firm the ride was. I put it down to being a bad example.

BlackTails said:

The 971 4S is fine if you’re not really a car person. Which is damning it with the faintest possible praise.

Thanks, can you elaborate on your experience with the 4S?

Edited by BucksFizz on Saturday 10th August 07:47

[Mosdef]

BucksFizz said:

Mosdef said:

I think you need to try the GTS before committing, I have a 2019 turbo and found the GTS felt significantly down on power when I drove both cars back-to-back. Also, the ride quality is just that bit stiffer, which I find to be a bit against the car’s GT credentials. Of course, this might not matter to you. FWIW, I’d disregard the 4S, it’s not really the right engine for a car like that.

On the bonus question, some really do stick around and I think that’s entirely spec related. Good cars seem to go quite quickly (under a month) whereas others can be for sale for over a year.

I get what you’re saying, but I think the GTS will be quick enough. I like the V8 for the noise and the pantomime rather than driving flat out everywhere.

Good point on the right quality though, I drove the first generation Panamera GTS a long time ago and I was surprised how firm the ride was. I put it down to being a bad example.

BlackTails said:

The 971 4S is fine if you’re not really a car person. Which is damning it with the faintest possible praise.

Thanks, can you elaborate on your experience with the 4S?

Edited by BucksFizz on Saturday 10th August 07:47

I’m sure it will be quick enough but I found the power delivery with the GTS to be very flat, whereas the Turbo feels borderline ballistic. I can’t recall where I heard / read this but apparently the GTS and Turbo have similar power / torque outputs up to 4k revs and then it’s the difference in tuning and mapping that makes the turbo so much quicker at higher revs.

I know you’ve asked BlackTails about the 4 s but just in case it’s of any use, I’ve driven that engine in Panamera and Cayennes; it’s effective but the engine note is thin and it just doesn’t have the effortless delivery of the V8s. It’s also no better on fuel, it might be worse in fact. I also think the 4S might have come with a poorer spec as standard than the V8s, so they’re even more spec dependent as a used buy.

Edited by Mosdef on Saturday 10th August 21:26

[BlackTails]

BucksFizz said:

Thanks, can you elaborate on your experience with the 4S?

Edited by BucksFizz on Saturday 10th August 07:47

I moved mine on three or four years ago now, so my recollection is blurring into impression, but here goes:

It felt to me like a competitor for a mid range 7 series/S class/A8. I didn’t find the handling at all Porsche-esque - it was a big heavy thing that had to be slowed and threaded reasonably carefully through bends. The engine (the 2.9 turbo’d unit) is utterly anodyne and manages to sound both intrusive when pushed and not very nice at the same time. The build quality is fine, but you have a lot of the traditional Porsche blank buttons on the centre console to remind you what wasn’t spec’d when it was first ordered. And it takes only two in the back, with a sloping roofline that isn’t great for rear headroom.

Overall I remember feeling quite underwhelmed by it. It didn’t really do anything that well. It lasted about 9 months from memory.

[SkinnyPete]

Not driven a Panamera with the 2.9 but I have driven the Macan with it.

It didn't do a huge amount for me. I'm not saying it was a bad engine, but it was definitely not charismatic.