Porsche Panamera 4S v Mercedes-Benz CLS AMG 63 2010 Comparison

Porsche Panamera 4S vs Mercedes-Benz CLS AMG 63

Comparison Test

Carsales Network verdict:
Performance: Mercedes-Benz
Handling: Porsche
Comfort: Porsche
Value: Mercedes-Benz
Overall: Porsche

Fast four-seat four-door luxury shootout

The Contenders
Porsche has built its reputation building some of the most brilliant sportscars the world has ever known -- despite the obvious geometrical flaw of hanging the engine over the rear axle. Plainly, the boffins at Weissach have thrived on the challenge of making the impossible possible.

Despite all the naysayers and cries of the purists, the company has made the Cayenne SUV work. But is the four-door four-seater Panamera a challenge too far?

The Cayenne worked in large part because the luxury SUV segment boomed and badge cachet was one of the most important deciding factors for many buyers. The luxury/performance sedan market is a different task altogether. The German trio of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz already has a tight grip with high-performance, high comfort sedans ranging from the Audi RS6 and S8 to the BMW M5 and 750i and the Mercedes-Benz E and S-Class in various AMG forms. Add to that the well-established Maserati Quattroporte and newcomers from Aston Martin (the Rapide), Jaguar (the XFR and hot XJ variants coming) and you have a very competitive segment for a very exclusive customer base.

And in the wings (for the really wealthy) there's the likes of the Bentley Continental Flying Spur and Rolls-Royce Ghost.

All this means the Panamera really needs to stand out from the pack and establish itself as the very best performance sedan. To determine just where it does stand in the pack we've chosen to pit it against the Mercedes-Benz CLS AMG 63.

In the segment the CLS is an obvious choice because it is arguably the closest in terms of blending ballistic performance with polarising style. Love them or hate them, neither of these two cars can be accused of being plain to look at.

The Panamera 4S may have an advantage thanks to its all-wheel-drive system but other than that the two cars are relatively closely matched in broad terms, but go about their business in a very different way both technically and philosophically.

Both are powered by naturally aspirated V8 engines (a 4.8-litre unit in the Porsche and a 6.2-litre version in the AMG); run through seven-speed transmissions (the Porsche's is a dual-clutch PDK while the AMG relies on a traditional torque converter), and occupy roughly the same space on the road (neither are a 'traditional' sedan size nor style).

On paper the AMG has a significant power advantage with 378kW and 630Nm churning out of the big V8 under its bonnet, while the Porsche has to make do with 'only' 294kW and 500Nm.

But the tale of the tape tells only part of the story.

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But before we hit the road let's deal with the burning question of style. It goes without saying that this a subjective element. To this individual's eyes neither of these two cars will win a beauty contest anytime soon.

The Panamera looks like a 911 that has hung around an all-you-can-eat buffet for too long. It has all the trademark Porsche looks including the headlights, taillights, shoulder lines and sloping hatch-like rear end. And while they look unquestionably brilliant on the petit proportions of a 911, Boxster and Cayman they seem out of place on the much larger Panamera.

The CLS, meanwhile, is beginning to show its age having first burst onto the scene back in 2004. At the time the car drew some unfavourable comparisons with the ungainly Ford Falcon AU, especially at the rear.

What both cars have in spades, however, is presence. They are not bland, cookie-cutter cars and for most buyers that is a large part of their appeal. In AMG form the CLS looks mean, sleek, low and wide. The Porsche has a similar long, wide stance with the wheels pushed to each corner.

For all its external styling foibles, Porsche has nailed the interior of the Panamera. Like the outside the inside carries the usual Porsche styling cues, but it works in the interior because it's also different from the 911. The thick steering wheel, the embracing leather seats and beautifully crafted dials could be out of a 911 but the high centre console with angular switchgear and tall vents are unique to the Panamera.

In contrast the AMG interior belies the CLS's roots as a more affordable model. Although it is a typically nice Mercedes-Benz interior with all the comforts, it lacks the premium feel of the Porsche.

Hitting the road the Porsche impresses immediately with a comfortable ride in the choppy Melbourne roads, despite the 20-inch wheel and tyre package. Navigating out of the city and down the motorway the Panamera is as civil and restrained as any luxury executive sedan.

But once we trudge through the inevitable road works and find some open road it's time to switch the Porsche's suspension to Sport Plus mode and unleash the full fury from the 4.8 V8. Given the confusing set-up of the PDK manual buttons on the steering wheel, I leave the changes to the Porsche ECU and floor the throttle.

The noise sounds like a plane on take-off, a steady build up of noise as the revs rise until the typical V8 growl emerges as the tacho needle approaches the redline. The take-off analogy is extended as the speed comes at such a rush you feel as though you could leave terra-firma if Porsche offered a optional Boeing wing.

My enjoyment of the Porsche's soundtrack is ruined though when I catch an earful of the AMG. It sounds so good words cannot do it justice. If the Porsche sounds like a bizjet on take-off, then the CLS sounds like a fighter jet unleashing its entire arsenal of bombs and missiles. It roars with the intensity of Johnny Cash gargling gravel. Think NASCAR crossed with an angry Pitbull. It's what I imagine Armageddon to sound like.

Back on board the Porsche it's time to throw the Panamera at some corners. Approaching the corner the brakes do a great job wiping off the speed and the initial turn-in feels fine. The steering is beautiful -- well weighted, balanced and direct -- so in the first part of the corner it feels like a 911. But then you are reminded the Panamera has proper back seats, as the weight begins to transfer the extra mass makes itself known and spoils some of the fun.

It's still a very good sports sedan, but four-door sportscar it ain't. There is plenty of grip, and that inspires confidence, that in turn allows you to keep pushing the Panamera just a little harder at each bend.

The story is very different in the CLS. It doesn't feel as stiff and flat in the corners but feels lighter and more agile, which is strange because it actually weighs in about 100kg more than the Panamera.

Unlike the ridiculous counter-intuitive button/slider set-up on the Porsche's PDK, the AMG uses good, old fashioned paddles behind the steering wheel to swap gears in manual mode. That helps you dive into the corners a bit later on the brakes and use the gearbox to help slow the car.

And while the weight transfer doesn't feel so bad in the Mercedes you do have to pay special attention to exit of the corner. That's because, traction control or not, this engine is a beast and if you stomp on the throttle pedal too hard it won't hesitate to bite you. For the committed driver it's a fun game to play with the car, balancing the grip on the throttle, but you can't be anything less than totally dedicated to the task at hand.

Performance, though, isn't the be-all-and-end-all for these two cars. If it was you'd be better off buying a Porsche 911 or Mercedes-Benz AMG SL65. Because these are seen as four-seat cars the more pressing question is what the rear occupant space is like.

Neither car will win any prizes for spacious motoring but there is enough room for this six-foot author to squeeze into the back. The Porsche has slightly more room, especially headroom, so it gets the nod in that respect.

Disturbingly though the Panamera doesn't come with rear air-conditioning controls as standard despite costing well over $250,000. The AMG on the other hand is fitted with four-zone air-con as standard. It seem like a small item to pick on but in this segment, at the prices these companies are charging, then something as simple as allowing your rear passengers to choose the temperature is a big deal.

In terms of luggage space the AMG takes the win with 505L compared with the Porsche's 445L. Thanks to the hatch opening, though, the Panamera's boot is easier to load compared to the narrow opening of the CLS boot.

The Verdict
It's a very close call between these two very good cars. In some respects they are so similar but at times they seem like polar opposites. Indeed, the discussions this comparison prompted were some of the most passionate we've experienced at Carsales Network HQ.

The AMG is an incredible car and lots of fun. The engine sounds brilliant and while the handling isn't as sharp as the Panamera's it makes getting the best out the CLS a very rewarding experience. But its compromised rear seat room counts heavily against in this company.

The Porsche can claim a moral victory on rear passenger space, but its margin is greater when it comes to performance, ride and handling.

And with that we'll hand it a very narrow win in this two-car comparison. But (and there is a very big but), there is, as I said at the outset, no shortage of choice for people looking for performance and the ability to carry four-people.

The truth is there are other cars on the market that will provide you with just as much power and handling and do so with more space in the back for both people and luggage. Mercedes-Benz AMG offers the E63 with the same engine as the CLS, a better chassis and gearbox, and more practicality (including five seats) at saving of over $40,000!

Or there is the ballistic Audi RS6 which not only packs a part-brilliant/part-insane twin-turbo V10 engine capable of churning out 426kW but is available in a wagon for even more practicality. And for only $200,000 you can buy the achingly beautiful and muscular Jaguar XFR.

In this author's opinion though, if you are looking to park a four-door ultra-performance sedan in your driveway it's hard to look past the Maserati Quattroporte.

But if you really want a Porsche badge you could always buy a Cayman S and a Cayenne Diesel for less than the Panamera. Then you'll have the best of both worlds -- pure performance and uncompromised practicality...