Porsche Panamera interior

Turn the car on via a key-replacing knob and the console comes to life, revealing an array of touch-sensitive functions that nudge your fingertips with haptic feedback.

This isn’t immediately satisfying, but it’s not out of place next to the shift-by-wire gearlever and computerised air vents.

The centre console looms just as big in the back, equipped with its own infotainment screen and HVAC panel. More importantly, the space around the two seats has improved and the near-claustrophobic cocooning sensation of the old model has lifted.

The rear is still snug for such a big car, but scallops taken from the lower roofline and the longer wheelbase ensure that adults are a little more comfortable.

The high-decked boot remains, but it’s big enough at 495 litres, and the 40/20/40 split seats flop forward to offer 1304 litres and a flat floor. Overall, it’s luxurious, high-tech, handsome, practical and indefinably sporting. Chalk up modern GT benchmark number one.

Qualitatively, the Porsche Communication Management system is very decent, if an acquired taste. Porsche has always endeavoured to keep the software sombre, grown-up and sophisticated, but that hasn’t always facilitated its ease of use.

This is perhaps its biggest overhaul yet, having been inflated to fill a vast display and furnished with a tile-shaped set of functions on the home screen.

Some extra fanciness has been absorbed, too, including useful features such as proximity sensors, Apple CarPlay and Porsche Connect, and less useful ones such as being able to write on the screen and twirl the map around with two fingers (we’re driving, remember?). It does the basics well, though.

The standard hi-fi comes with 150W and 10 speakers. For an additional £1022, our test car improved that to 710W and 14 speakers courtesy of Bose Surround Sound, making it a worthy upgrade. However, serious audiophiles might want to consider the 3D Burmester system that gets 1455W and an active subwoofer — and a price to match, at £4869.