The moment you climb in and get seated in the latest Porsche Panamera GTS’ Alcantara sports buckets and take the obligatory nine-and-three hand positions on the similarly-wrapped steering Porsche steering, it feels no different to a 911.

Next, you turn the faux key fob and the Panamera GTS barks to life, before settling down into a satisfying idle with intent from its twin-turbo V8.

It’s clearly a more visceral tone than I can recall from the previous version.

with inspiration from the strikingly beautiful all-electric Taycan.

There’s no dodging Panamera’s full-sized dimensions, at more than 5m long and 2m wide. But the Panamera GTS will simply blow you away once you hit the road.

As a bona-fide autobahn muncher capable of blistering performance, the Panamera GTS is armed with a number of sophisticated dynamic systems designed to maximise cornering performance.

Key technologies include Porsche Traction management with active all-wheel drive and an automatic brake differential, and adaptive air suspension which lowers the car by another 10mm thanks to PASM.

There’s electric roll stabilisation, Porsche dynamic chassis control, active aerodynamics with a four-way adaptive rear spoiler, as well as the Sport Chrono Package, which adds Sport and Sport Plus drive modes.

That would be a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, making a beefy 460 Hp of power at 6500rpm and 620Nm of torque from between 1800 and 4000rpm. It’s delivered to all four wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Importantly, the torque curve is now flatter in the GTS at higher engine speeds beyond even 5500rpm, while acceleration from 0-100km/h drops by 0.2 seconds to 3.9 seconds. Top speed is 300km/h. The fuel tank capacity is 90 liters of petrol.

Outside, the GTS gets high-gloss black accents for the side windows trims, door handle inlays, air outlet trims in the front guards, and GTS badging. It also wears the Sport Design Package in satin black, which includes side skirts and rear diffuser.

Equipment levels in the Panamera GTS are extensive, with features such as 21-inch wheels, tyre pressure monitoring, Matrix LED headlights, 3D LED tail lights, auto-dimming exterior and rear-view mirrors, and four-zone climate control with a high-res touchscreen controller for rear seats.

There’s also front seat heating and cooling, front and rear parking sensors with a surround view camera, soft-door close, a head-up display, keyless entry and start, leather interior with Alcantara in black, electrically-adjustable heated steering wheel in Alcantara, and Alcantara roof lining and sun visors.

Additionally, the GTS gets Apple CarPlay, a Bose 14-speaker surround sound audio system, and DAB+ digital radio.

Standard equipment includes driver and front passenger airbags, knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, front-side airbags, side airbags for rear-seat passengers, curtain airbags from A-pillar to C-pillar, along with lane-keeping assist, lane-change assist, and adaptive cruise control with Porsche Active Safe.
The entire cabin is covered head-to-toe in black Alcantara and soft leather accents with red ‘GTS’ embroidery for an overtly sporty, luxurious look and feel.

Even the steering wheel is covered in the stuff, but the GTS gets black anodised spokes and looks similar to that of the 911 Turbo.

Behind the wheel is a digital rendition of Porsche’s trademark five-binnacle instrument cluster with only the centrally-mounted tachometer in analogue form.

To the right is a large infotainment touchscreen that controls most functions including Apple CarPlay. It’s also perfectly placed and integrated into the dashboard facing.

there are four individual seats so regardless of where you’re sitting, it’s still a salubrious space.