Porsche could have given its radical, new four-door gran turismo a fitting name, such as the Peculiar or the Polarizer, what with a profile that suggests a 911 stretch limo. Instead, the fabled sports-car maker dubbed it something obscure -- the Panamera. (The name is derived from the legendary La Carrera Panamericana sports-car race of the 1950s; yes, the same race inspired the 911 Carrera designation, too). No matter, the title "Panamera" has a rarified ring to it and seems a fitting moniker for a coupe-silhouetted four-door capable of a claimed top speed of 175 mph.

While we weren't able to verify Vmax during evaluation -- road test editor Scott Mortara did see an indicated 172 mph during a high-speed run on a closed track -- we did confirm that the Panamera S we tested could slip from 0 to 60 in 5.1 seconds and through the quarter mile in 13.5 at 105.8 mph. For a 4108-pound 400-horsepower vehicle, those numbers are respectable.

But Porsche has always been about more than just respectable -- try intimidating and elite. [The complete article here]