Perfect blend of modern and traditional

The Porsche Panamera GTS Sport Turismo is the perfect car if you really want a station wagon, but need a sports car. Or something like that, writes

Porsche continues to flesh out its refreshed Panamera lineup, quietly slipping in a GTS version of the sexy Sport Turismo wagon which might just be the perfect mid-life crisis car for a wealthy bogan.

That’s a mighty slim demographic, isn’t it?

Probably not quite as slim as you might imagine, because – let’s be honest – most people have a little bogan in them, even rich people.

So a powerful, sexy V8-powered wagon has some potentially broad appeal.

And besides, Porsche has always played in slim demographics – that’s exactly what makes its cars so focused and awesome.

But all vague justifications aside, as a bogan myself, a black-onblack 350+kW V8-powered station wagon that looks as damn good as this is probably my soulmate as far as cars go. And that’s even before we get into the serious performance on offer.

And that performance is very serious indeed. The Panamera GTS packs a 353kW/620Nm version of the company’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8, which positions it above the V6 turbo Panameras, but below the hyper-powered Turbo S variants.

It will also scamper to 100kmh from a standing start in just

3.9 seconds, which is... well, fast enough, really.

Does that mean it slots in that Goldilocks-inspired ‘‘just right’’ spot in the lineup?

Yeah, it does really. Although more power is always good, the associated astronomical asking prices for the big-hitting Turbo S models make the still-hefty $284,000 price tag for the GTS look like a relative bargain. And its superb ability to blend effortless power, wonderfully agile handling and impressive comfort make it a deeply satisfying thing to drive on a daily basis.

Slip inside the GTS for the first time and it is pretty much business as usual if you are familiar with the current Panamera’s interior. It’s an intriguing blend of modern and traditional, with a more sparse, minimalist look than before, but with a few ergonomic oddities and frustrations thrown in due to the over-reliance of the touchscreen to keep the physical button count under control.

Although there’s nothing that is an absolute deal-breaker, and most things become more familiar over time, some of the oddly structured menus initially had me scratching my head from time to time. . .

But you do get used to that. Firing up the engine raises a smile and wipes all such concerns away. It is all very refined and restrained, but an ominous muted rumble fills the cabin on startup and quickly settles into a quietly threatening idle.

Nail the throttle and the GTS belts off the line like a car the fraction of its 2040kg curb weight, and the superbly slick PDK transmission slips through the gears fantastically quickly.

The GTS will slam its way to the legal open road speed limit from a standing start in just 3.9 seconds with the optional Sports Chrono package. The package will also get you the cool, dash-mounted clock/ stopwatch that is in no way positioned so visibly that passersby would know if you cheaped-out and didn’t add it.

OK, so it’s fast, but what about corners?

Smashing down a winding road is absolutely where the GTS shines.

It is remarkably agile and responsive for a two-tonne wagon, and just so beautifully balanced it is an absolute delight to chuck around. In fact, if you wanted to take your two-tonne station wagon to a track day, the GTS would be perfectly happy to do that, and leave you with a huge grin as well.

I didn’t drive the Sport Turismo on a track, but I have previously driven the standard panamera GTS around Hampton Downs and was frankly blown away by just how wonderfully fun, responsive and, most impressively, adjustable it was. Given the Sport Turismo only weighs 20kg more, it wouldn’t be any different. Or less enjoyable.

So the wagon is only 20kg heavier?

Yep, that’s because the wagon body style of the Sport Turismo is largely a styling feature – the boot space is only 25 litres larger than the liftback shape of the standard GTS, meaning there is no real tangible advantage of buying the Sport Turismo over it.

Of course, the Sport Turismo costs $6400 more than the liftback which, depending on your level of weird, obsessive love for station wagons is either a waste of money or an absolute bargain. There is no middle ground.

However, whichever body style you go for you still get that fantastically effortless performance, delightful handling and the beautifully high-quality and superbly comfortable interior.

Any other cars to consider?

You could buy the cheaper, more powerful and quicker ($222,500,

441kW and 3.6 seconds respectively) Audi RS6 Avant, but that looks like a cartoonishly aggressive Transformer design from a Michael Bay fever-dream (which isn’t necessarily bad) and is disappointingly distant and anodyne to drive (which is).

Or you could spend a bit more

($299,900) and buy the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo and get a Porsche wagon that is even quicker, even sexier and won’t make polar bears cry.