ARB On The Cover Review: 2010 Porsche Panamera

Let's get this out of the way now. The back-end of Porsche's new 2010 Panamera four-door sedan is weird-looking. They tried to make adequate rear-seat headroom in a car that retains a stretched-out look similar to the iconic 911 and it resulted in something that's quite, um, unusual. Beyond that, however, there's plenty to get excited about. The S model comes with a 400-hp, 4.8 liter V8. Add a turbo, add another 100-hp. Rear or all-wheel drive versions maintain the racy handling characteristics Porsche fans have come to know and love. The AWD turbo version is good for a claimed 188-mph. That's among the fastest cars in the world, let alone a spacious four-door. Pretty exciting stuff for give or take 100-large. A 300-hp version is likely to arrive later, as well as an Audi-sourced 375-hp hybrid model. Choose the Panamera over a Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7-Series or even a Maserati Quattroporte and you'll have something that is certainly different--in more ways than one.