Porsche Panamera ride & handling

From its expertly rendered weight, positivity, directness and consistency to the way it telegraphs ebbing grip under the front contact patches, it’s excellent.

But not quite as clever, perhaps, as air-sprung suspension that produces such outstanding body control in Sport mode while allowing it to feel so compliant and cosseting in Normal.

At all times the chassis has a sense of damping authority and close, gradual ride control that few like-for-like systems can equal.

That we tested the car without Porsche’s Dynamic Chassis Control active anti-roll bars is worth a mention.

We didn’t universally like them on either the SQ7 or the Bentley Bentayga, and it’s exactly the same technology.

Likewise, it remains to be seen how well a standard steel-sprung Panamera will ride. But be that as it may, it’s readily apparent that dynamic greatness abides here, provided you get the order form right.

The Panamera’s lateral body control, crispness of steering response and wonderful cornering balance are all so good that you could easily imagine you were driving a much smaller, lighter car. Some of this may be down to the effect of the four-wheel steering system, which allows Porsche to fit a quicker rack and a more alert handling tune than otherwise.

But the upshot is a car that feels incredibly well hunkered down and engaging when driven hard, and whose sense of poise extends to genuine handling adjustability that is rare for something with four driven wheels.

The optional 21in rims and low-profile, wide-section tyres aren’t unaffected by surface water, of course, and the braking results the car recorded in less than perfect conditions show that. But considering it’s a four-wheel-drive, two-tonne, air-sprung diesel GT, the Panamera does its maker’s sporting pedigree enormous credit.