Panamera GTS vs. BMW M5

Comparing the 2013 Panamera GTS to the BMW M5

If you are looking for a larger sports vehicle there is a good chance that you have set your sights on either the BMW M5 or the Panamera GTS. These vehicles both sit around $100,000 and they are both well-known for producing great results on the track, and down the back roads. By putting these vehicles side by side it is easy to see which is better for you, and to simplify this decision.

Raw Power

In terms of raw power and actual speed the BMW

M5 wins the match hands down against the Porsche Panamera GTS. The BMW M5 4.8 liter V8 engine produces a whopping 560 hp and 500-lb-ft of total torque making it a monster of a car. The GTS produces a much smaller 384 hp, but it doesn't perform too much worse thanks to its great design and all-wheel drive and improved traction management systems. In real world tests performed by Motortrend, the M5 was shown to go from 0-60 in 4 seconds flat, and through a quarter mile at 12.4 seconds. The GTS Panamera did the first in 4.1 seconds and the zipped around the track in 12.7 seconds only making it slightly slower than the M5 even though there is a massive power difference.

Usability and Fun to Drive

When you are comparing which vehicle is more enjoyable to drive the Panamera GTS easily triumphs. Not only is the steering much more responsive than the M5's but if you actually want to take the vehicle to its limit you don't have to go through the difficult "launch-mode" process of the M5 that is so difficult even expert drivers have a hard time making it work every time. Instead you touch a button, tap the brake and floor it while letting off on the brake to gain access to the full power of the car.

At around the same price you have to decide whether you want improved steering, and a sportier interior of the GTS, or if you want the sheer raw power offered by the M5.

Porsche Evolution

The Evolution of the New Porsche Boxster

The Porsche Boxster has always been an enjoyable vehicle to drive. Sure it doesn't have the same level of power as the 911, but it has enough pep to make for an invigorating drive, and with the changes that Porsche has made on their latest iteration of the vehicle, it becomes even more enjoyable to operate.

Lighter Weight

One of the main changes that has been made to the Boxster that previous owners are going to notice is the weight reduction. Porsche is always trying to cut weight from their vehicles any way that they can, and they have succeeded in doing this by making more parts of their vehicle out of aluminum than they did previously. Even though the vehicle is now longer, and wider, it weights quite a bit less, and it is apparent in the handling of the boxster.

Altering the Wheels and Dimensions

The overall dimensions of the new boxster is quite a bit different than the older versions. The wheelbase is noticeably wider, and the car itself is longer than it was before. On top of that the wheels come 19 inches on the standard version of the car, and they can be up to 20 inches on the Carrera S version of the vehicle.

The Engine Stays the Same

Porsche really hasn’t changed much in respect to the engine and the overall drivetrain. A very similar engine is in the Boxster that was in the 2013 version, and it just has a very small increase in horsepower that isn't likely to make any noticeable performance difference.

They also left the mid-engine placement in the Boxster to appease fans who really enjoy the balanced and center feel to their vehicles. This is the same configuration that the IS has, and drivers enjoy bringing these cars around the track for that very fact.

Interior Changes

There have also been some noticeable changes to the interior of the Boxster, most of the are slight changes to the overall dashboard and console configuration, and the Boxster has been altered to look very similar to the 911, and the Cayenne on the interior.

The center console in the Porsche Boxster now slopes toward the stack in front of it more than it did before. Some buttons have also been positioned on the console that used to be on the stack. Other than that, you get the same classy interior that most people have come to know and love from the Boxster.

Many slight changes have been made to the Boxster and for the most part they seem to be for the better. It accelerates and handles better than it did before, the interior of the vehicle is a little more accessible, and the vehicle looks better than it did a year before.

Boxster fans should be excited about this new Porsche even though nothing groundbreaking has been done to the vehicle to make it very different from past iterations. It certainly is more enjoyable to drive than older Boxsters and they are moving in a great direction in that respect.