Passenger in a Pana 4s today

i didn't have a stop watch, but it's not as fast as my car. feels firmer, probably better in the turns. the interior is interesting, i really do like the array of buttons up the center console, and the drivers array has the navigation right on it. it had the brushed silver which looked very slick, but the dash was, i dont know flat, not intimate, felt very wide, and i'm not sure how much wider than an f10 it really is. and if you have complaints about the ventilated seats in the F10, you would hate the pana's.

The sound of the engine (this one had the PDK) is very angry and it grunts and snarls, but the low end power is not as impressive as the twin turboed 550 with Dinan. I think that with the right exhaust/intakes, the 550i would sound every bit as impressive. My buddy paid 95 for a very well optioned pana. at 78 MSRP, my 550i is more car.

flame suit on

Why would anyone ever consider flaming you for your honest unbiased and very insightful comparison?

Okay, now I've got my suit on too.

Originally Posted by dunderhi

Why would anyone ever consider flaming you for your honest unbiased and very insightful comparison?

Okay, now I've got my suit on too.

fan boi! fan boi!

Non turbo version?

Originally Posted by DrCJ

Non turbo version?

yah, i think turbo is probably not the right comp for the 550i w/ Dinan given double the price moderately equipped

Aside from all the power and engineering, etc. The main point is that the Panamera is flat out ugly. Aside from the production 911's and the Carrera GT, I can't think of any modern Porsche's that didn't make me cringe.

Originally Posted by highyo

i didn't have a stop watch, but it's not as fast as my car. feels firmer, probably better in the turns. the interior is interesting, i really do like the array of buttons up the center console, and the drivers array has the navigation right on it. it had the brushed silver which looked very slick, but the dash was, i dont know flat, not intimate, felt very wide, and i'm not sure how much wider than an f10 it really is. and if you have complaints about the ventilated seats in the F10, you would hate the pana's.

The sound of the engine (this one had the PDK) is very angry and it grunts and snarls, but the low end power is not as impressive as the twin turboed 550 with Dinan. I think that with the right exhaust/intakes, the 550i would sound every bit as impressive. My buddy paid 95 for a very well optioned pana. at 78 MSRP, my 550i is more car.

flame suit on

I've driven both and wound up ordering the 550iX. The Pana cornered almost as well as my 997.It handled very well.
I thought the 550 was a great car......I've never had a BMW and can't comment on the differences in the steering from previous iterations.
The A6 I drove was a delightful car as well.
I avoided the Merc......can't stand the styling and old tech. But that's a very personal feeling.

How did it compare to your car prior to the Dinan Stage 1?

Originally Posted by Heartsurg997

I've driven both and wound up ordering the 550iX. The Pana cornered almost as well as my 997.It handled very well.
I thought the 550 was a great car......I've never had a BMW and can't comment on the differences in the steering from previous iterations.
The A6 I drove was a delightful car as well.
I avoided the Merc......can't stand the styling and old tech. But that's a very personal feeling.

How did it compare to your car prior to the Dinan Stage 1?

you know i don't remember the 550 with out the tune. i think it probably is faster than the stock though. it is an impressive car. the aesthetics are completely objective. i don't think it's unattractive at all. but performance wise, i think that the 550i with the tune gets the nod. now if we could just pump up those decibels.

Originally Posted by highyo

...but the low end power is not as impressive as the twin turboed 550 with Dinan.

...but the low end power is not as impressive as the twin turboed 550.

BMW 550i - Power (SAE): 400 hp @ 5500 rpm; 450 ft lb of torque @ 1750 rpm

PanameraS - Power (SAE): 400 hp @ 6500 rpm; 369 ft lb of torque @ 3500 rpm

Originally Posted by highyo

you know i don't remember the 550 with out the tune. i think it probably is faster than the stock though. it is an impressive car. the aesthetics are completely objective. i don't think it's unattractive at all. but performance wise, i think that the 550i with the tune gets the nod. now if we could just pump up those decibels.

I really liked the sound of the Pana 4S i drove.
I had my 997 in for service and I kept walking around the Pana. The GM of the dealership finally tossed me the keys and said just bring it back with a little gas in it.
I drove it for about an 1 hour and half.
Solo......no salesperson in it with me.
I'm not the kind of guy who abuses this sort of situation but I did drive it pretty hard. I think it was one of those launch cars that Porsche made the dealers get so customers could drive it.

Regardless, I have decided on a 550IX with ED Nov 14. A 40th birthday present to myself.

Originally Posted by Capobranco

...but the low end power is not as impressive as the twin turboed 550.

BMW 550i - Power (SAE): 400 hp @ 5500 rpm; 450 ft lb of torque @ 1750 rpm

PanameraS - Power (SAE): 400 hp @ 6500 rpm; 369 ft lb of torque @ 3500 rpm

Very true
I think the 4S is about 400 pounds lighter.
Probably why it felt faster......
Not sure why Porsche gets so little torque from a big V8. Unusual for them.

Originally Posted by Capobranco

...but the low end power is not as impressive as the twin turboed 550.

BMW 550i - Power (SAE): 400 hp @ 5500 rpm; 450 ft lb of torque @ 1750 rpm

PanameraS - Power (SAE): 400 hp @ 6500 rpm; 369 ft lb of torque @ 3500 rpm

573t in mine at 3750.... 495 hp at 5000

Originally Posted by Heartsurg997

Very true
I think the 4S is about 400 pounds lighter.
Probably why it felt faster......
Not sure why Porsche gets so little torque from a big V8. Unusual for them.

it didnt feel faster. it felt more nimble for sure. e60 m sport tune firm

Originally Posted by highyo

it didnt feel faster. it felt more nimble for sure. e60 m sport tune firm

I meant the Pana4s felt faster to me in my recollection.
Definitely tighter than the M Sport 550 I test drove
Both are great cars. I have zero regret with my decision.
I refused to be dragged into the other thread.

Im happy to hear how well the 5 series holds up to the one of the most hardcore sedans out right now.

Originally Posted by DrCJ

Im happy to hear how well the 5 series holds up to the one of the most hardcore sedans out right now.

i dont think anyone would be unhappy with either. and when the Beast comes out, it may correct many of the qualms people have about the "cushiness" of the stock F10s

Originally Posted by Heartsurg997

I meant the Pana4s felt faster to me in my recollection.
Definitely tighter than the M Sport 550 I test drove
Both are great cars. I have zero regret with my decision.
I refused to be dragged into the other thread.

take a trip to your friendly Dinan dealership. you will feel differently

Originally Posted by highyo

take a trip to your friendly Dinan dealership. you will feel differently

I'm certainly debating in my mind the pluses and minuses of the Stage I
I can't come up with any except cost. And I don't feel it is that much for what you get.
I still have some questions about warranty and who covers what. I've read every post on this forum about it.
I would have to be satisfied with the warranty situation.
There is a local BMW dealer that is a Dinan dealer and an indy shop as well.
I'm not getting the car through them though.

Originally Posted by Heartsurg997

I'm certainly debating in my mind the pluses and minuses of the Stage I
I can't come up with any except cost. And I don't feel it is that much for what you get.
I still have some questions about warranty and who covers what. I've read every post on this forum about it.
I would have to be satisfied with the warranty situation.
There is a local BMW dealer that is a Dinan dealer and an indy shop as well.
I'm not getting the car through them though.

10,000 miles in and no problems at all. going in for my oil change a little early, computer dialed me up to 11.5k. we'll see what they say. this engine was sold detuned. but i guess in another 40,000 miles we will really see.

Originally Posted by highyo

i didn't have a stop watch, but it's not as fast as my car. feels firmer, probably better in the turns. the interior is interesting, i really do like the array of buttons up the center console, and the drivers array has the navigation right on it. it had the brushed silver which looked very slick, but the dash was, i dont know flat, not intimate, felt very wide, and i'm not sure how much wider than an f10 it really is. and if you have complaints about the ventilated seats in the F10, you would hate the pana's.

The sound of the engine (this one had the PDK) is very angry and it grunts and snarls, but the low end power is not as impressive as the twin turboed 550 with Dinan. I think that with the right exhaust/intakes, the 550i would sound every bit as impressive. My buddy paid 95 for a very well optioned pana. at 78 MSRP, my 550i is more car.

flame suit on

Man... I sympathize with you but...
the Porsche with respect to flexibility and turns it is an clinical instrument...
vs the 550 is a torque instrument...
can you compare violin with quitar?...
can't compare them...
this is kind of like when others tell me that I Can't compare M3 with 550i...

Originally Posted by bmw_enthusiasm

Man... I sympathize with you but...
the Porsche with respect to flexibility and turns it is an clinical instrument...
vs the 550 is a torque instrument...
can you compare violin with quitar?...
can't compare them...
this is kind of like when others tell me that I Can't compare M3 with 550i...

i can compare them, and i did. 550i w/ dinan tune wins. and i can compare an M3 with a 550i w/dinan tune too. 550i wins.

questions?

Originally Posted by tjpark01

aside from all the power and engineering, etc. The main point is that the panamera is flat out ugly. Aside from the production 911's and the carrera gt, i can't think of any modern porsche's that didn't make me cringe.

+1

The Panamera versus the 550i...are these cars really comparable? I had always believed that the Panamera was Porsche's toehold in the executive sedan class. As for which is the quicker, the Panamera or the 550i, having never driven either car all I can tell you is that I once was driving alongside a Panamera when I had my M6 and saw it pull away so quickly that I knew that that car was/is FAST. We weren't racing; perhaps the one that pulled away from me was a turbo, I didn't think to look at the badging; but you know what I'm saying about those of us who drive fast cars and can tell when another car has "it".

Originally Posted by dunderhi

Why would anyone ever consider flaming you for your honest unbiased and very insightful comparison?

Okay, now I've got my suit on too.

Yeah, and at least you were being objective - no spike in temperature here I think you knew full well that a Panamera S wouldn't really be able to out gun a DINAN 550i.

Originally Posted by Capobranco

...but the low end power is not as impressive as the twin turboed 550.

BMW 550i - Power (SAE): 400 hp @ 5500 rpm; 450 ft lb of torque @ 1750 rpm

PanameraS - Power (SAE): 400 hp @ 6500 rpm; 369 ft lb of torque @ 3500 rpm

Those numbers don't mean anything without looking at the weight of the cars.
Here is what insideline did with the Panamera 4S.

http://bcove.me/hzud30rn

With the 0-60 time of 4.6s even if you get the fastest time from the internet on the 550i it would be the same of the Panamera 4S so the BMW may feel faster because of the turbo push and the Torque but the Panamera most likely has a wider Torque band hence it is just as fast or faster than the 550i.
The cornering of .96g on the skidpad and the slalom speed of 68.4mph will not be equalled by the 550i either.
Dinan is obviously a different story with the 0-60 and 1/4 mile but still won't corner like the Porsche. The Porsche is the winner if you are looking for ultimate sporty sedan while the 550i is the ultimate sporty sedan value winner.