Preview: 2017 Porsche Panamera Luxury Sedan

Updates to Porsche’s large, four-door luxury/performance car include a new 330-hp V6 turbocharged engine, as well as an extended-wheelbase Executive version. You can get this new V6 engine with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive in the Panamera 4 or Panamera 4 Executive model.

The new engine and the Executive variant now increase the Panamera range to nine different models with power outputs ranging from 330 to 550 hp.

The Executive models get a 5.9-inch longer wheelbase compared to the standard version. In our tests of the last Panamera, we found the cabin was rather snug for the car’s seemingly generous dimensions. Also, the driving position was narrow, with the door close on one side and a wide and tall center console on the other. Things were better in the rear seat, though, which was surprisingly roomy with decent headroom for adults.

In addition to being available with the new V6, you can also get the Executive models with the 462-hp V6 hybrid setup; the 440-hp 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 4S version; and the top-shelf 550-hp V8 Turbo model.

The Executive adds a panoramic roof, heated front and rear seats, and a driver-adjustable adaptive air suspension. Opting for the 4S Executive model gets you “rear-axle steering” and soft-close doors. And Turbo version rewards you with four-zone climate control, LED main headlights, and ambient interior lighting.

Certainly, as the name implies, those that buy an Executive model might be spending more time in the rear seat (that is, they’re often driven around). So to enthrall those rear passengers, you can purchase a rear-seat entertainment system that includes 10.1-inch screens integrated into the backrests of the front seats (they can also be detached). Porsche says this turns the rear seat into a “digital workplace,” but you also might be able to play Candy Crush or catch up on missed episodes of “The Walking Dead.”

Overall, the Panamera is a sporty, fun to drive, and practical four-door luxury car that delivers excellent handling, fabulously quick and effortless acceleration, and spoils you with a luxurious interior and superb front seats. This 2017 update seems like more of a good thing.

Deliveries for the 2017 Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo will begin in January 2017.

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