Porsche Panamera vs BMW 840I

What's the difference?

The Panamera is the ‘have your Porsche and drive it too’ model.

It encompasses the fun of the 911 while still being a comfortable daily driver that can easily fit a family of four. The cabin is sumptuously styled and not hurting for features, either.

Could the ownership costs and storage be better? Probably, but if you’re looking at this model, those items will probably be lower priorities for you.

For my little family of three, the base model Panamera is a win.

If you’re the sort of buyer who wants a car that signifies a lifestyle that is ‘large and in charge’, the BMW M850i Gran Coupe could be just the thing for you. It isn’t as showy as some of its competitors, and mightn’t reach the same levels of excitement as those cars either - but it is a convincing offering in its own right, and a beautiful piece of design at that. 

This is more than just a new Panamera - it’s a new generation Panamera.

The outgoing model was sort of a mix between the 911 and Macan but didn’t really hit the mark with any of its borrowed elements.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but the redesign sees this model get an outward appearance that looks far more aggressive with a distinct profile that now sets it apart for all of the right reasons.

On the outside, the biggest changes include larger matrix LED headlights and a new front fascia that sits a bit higher with more pronounced curving in the bonnet.

The front gets extra air intakes but there are also larger 'air blade' vents behind the front wheel arches which help smooth the air flow around the wheels and add some extra sculpted sportiness to the car's sides.

The rear has been reshaped to look more like the 911 and isn't as pillowy as the outgoing model. There is a new long LED strip light running the width of the rear and an extra brake light for added dazzlement at night. The rear window now spreads to the width of the liftback lid which makes it appear frameless.

The optioned 21-inch alloy wheels look gorgeous in their painted bronze (or Neodyme) glory and feature the Porsche crest in full colour for added pizzazz. The bronze accent is also carried across to the quad exhausts.

All these factors make the exterior design look more cohesive than the previous model.

The interior has been reworked, too, and the dashboard now sports upgraded tech panels that makes the cabin feel cinematic. The optioned passenger display screen only adds to this effect.

Purists will pout, but like the new 911 the analogue cluster and turn-key operation have died a quiet death. You now get a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and push-button starter. Plus, the gearshift has been repositioned from the centre console to the dash.

The optioned Sports Chrono and Neodyme accent packages of our test model means the dashboard gets a race clock (superfluous for every day driving but fun to look at) and the door handles, steering wheel and dashboard feature the same bronze highlights.

The only elements that don't look the part are the shiny piano black panels mainly found in the centre console. They're too easily scratched/marked for a car at this price point.

The cabin may not be as flashy as its competitors but it's still sumptuous.

This could be BMW’s most convincing design in years. I mean, the X5 is predictably handsome, the X3 was unexpectedly muscled, and the less said about the frumpy 1 Series and busy 3 Series (apart from the wagon… drool) the better.

To my untrained but enthusiastic eye, the 8 Series Coupe is a bit too rounded over its rear haunches, and the rear screen is just a little steep - to me, that lets its dimensions down a little. But this. This is gorgeous. 

I mean, you might have questions over the tail-light design, which is a theme across a few BMW models now. But there isn’t as much confrontation between horizontal and vertical graphics for this model as you’ll find one other big Bimmers, like the X7. 

The M850i model has BMW Laserlight headlights, which throw a sharp beam and look menacing in their signature, while the grille and bumper are strong. The stance of the car is prominent - there’s a long body, a long wheelbase, and a long body in general. The standard wheel package consists of 20-inch rims, and they don’t look disarmingly large.

As our images show, there’s a lot to talk about when it comes interior design and finishes, but the cabin doesn’t quite benefit quite as mochas you might think it would from all that real estate. I mean, with dimensions of 5074mm long (on a 3023mm wheelbase), 1932mm wide and 1402mm tall, this is a squat, yet substantial vehicle. It’s just more cramped than you’d think inside.

The cabin feels spacious in both rows and the rear row can comfortably fit those who are above six foot (182cm) with a caveat.

Despite being optioned with the '4+1' seating, don't be fooled; the middle rear seat is nothing more than extra room for the out-boarders as the rear centre console takes up all legroom a middle seater might need. Not even a kid will be happy in the middle for long.

Amenities in both rows are good. The heating/cooling and massage functions on the front seats are great and the four-zone climate control means everyone can get comfortable.

Access to both rows is surprisingly good with doors that open widely but the rear footwell lip is high and the well narrow. So, if you have clunky boots on you may feel clumsy getting into position.

My seven-year old found the doors heavy to open and it took him a while to realise he didn’t have to slam the doors shut thanks to the soft-close feature.

Individual storage is better than you usually get in a sports car but all cubbies still fall on the shallower side. There are four cupholders, four drink bottle holders, a glove box, a middle console and two small net map pockets. There is also a dedicated phone cubby housing the wireless charging pad.

The boot aperture is wide and it’s super easy to reach things in the back thanks to the liftback lid but that sloping roofline means you lose out on height for larger items.

Stack bigger things right behind the back seat if you want to fit them. Capacity is below average compared to its rivals at 460L.

The rear row has a 40/20/40 split to open up storage options and there is a very deep cubby underneath the floor with the tyre compressor/repair kit.

Device charging options are great with a total of four USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad and three 12-volt sockets to choose from.  

The upgraded multimedia system looks fantastic and is user-friendly. The built-in satellite navigation is simple to use and the multimedia system, head-up display and instrument cluster can be highly customised.

The base Panamera model now comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Connecting to the CarPlay is easy and the connection remains seamless.

The optional passenger display panel allows the front passenger to control their climate and seat comfort, see a duplicate of the instrument panel or just watch a movie on a long trip.

The screen has a privacy filter, which means the driver can’t see what’s on it and is thus not a distraction. However, no one in my family bothered to use it.

I recall a Mitsubishi designer telling me, once upon a time, that he dreamed of making ‘a big car on the outside with a very small interior’. Maybe he made the jump to BMW, because that’s pretty much the 8 Series Gran Coupe.

There aren’t many other vehicles on the market, of this size, that offer less space inside. The boot capacity, for instance, is just 440 litres. Competitors like the Audi A7 (535L) and Mercedes CLS (520L) easily outdo it - but at least this car has more boot than the Panamera (405L), though the BMW is a smidge bigger. The cargo space is large enough for a couple of overnight suitcases, but you’re hardly going to fit a family of four’s luggage for a week away. 

And while we’re in the “not quite what you’d expect” column, the back seat space is hardly commodious. There’s enough space for me, at 182cm, to sit behind my own driving position, but not without wishing for a bit more toeroom, headroom and knee space. 

The big centre console section eats into the space in the rear, justifying the brand’s “4+1” seating claim, and unpleasantly it has a hard plastic finish to rest your leg against. Getting in and out of the second row isn’t easy for bigger people, and it’s quite a squat down into the rear seat - it really has taken inspiration from its squashy-back-seated predecessor in that regard.

If you have smaller rear-seat occupants, however, there will be catered for with dual ISOFIX and three top-tether points, plus there are air vents with climate controls (quad zone in total), and two USB-C ports as well. There are sun-blinds on the rear windows, too, which is a plus, and there is a pair of cup holders in the fold-down armrest, and map pockets in the seat backs, too. The door pockets are near-useless, though.

The front seats score better practicality, with bottle holders in the doors, bigger and sturdier cup holders, a covered centre storage bin between the seats with a USB-C port, and a wireless phone charger (Qi) with standard USB port in front of the gear selector.

Above that is the weird, very out-of-place quick buttons (1-8) that BMW could easily do away with, and further up are the controls for the climate control (thankfully with hard buttons for fan speed and temperature), and above that is the media screen, a familiar looking 10.25-inch touch display running BMW OS 7.0. 

The screen is quick and crisp, and is backed up by the rotary controller and buttons on in the centre console area. There’s wireless Apple CarPlay (now at no cost for three years), as well as a built-in SIM card for 4G data and access to the BMW Online news and weather stations, accessed through the screen.  

It’s all pretty easy to use, and the sound system is excellent - the standard setup consists of 16 speakers, with DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth and USB plus the smartphone mirroring tech, provided you don’t have an Android device, as Android Auto is still missing from BMW’s range.

It’s a nice cabin, but I couldn’t help but thinking that I’d want a little more differentiation from the lesser models in the range if I was spending this much. Especially considering the optional cost of the interior trim fitted to our test car - see below for more detail.

No-one could level the accusation of affordability at the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe, as it’s one of the brand’s most expensive models.

This one, the M850i xDrive Gran Coupe, is the range-topping version for 2020, with a list price of $272,900 plus on-road costs.

Where does that plot the BMW against its rivals? It’s beyond the level that the existing Audi RS7 Sportback was (last sold in 2018 at $261,140), and the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53, which looks like a value offering at $182,740. Also, it splits the difference between and the Mercedes-AMG GT 4 door Coupe variants (GT 53: $251,140; GT 63: $351,640), and could best be considered a contemporary of the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid AWD ($252,400) or the Panamera 4S ($316,500).

So, look - competitors might matter to you. But there’s a good chance that if you’re shopping for an 8 Series, you’ve already made up your mind that you want the BMW four-door coupe slugger. So here’s what you need to know about it when it comes to equipment.

Standard it comes with the M Sport styling pack, 20-inch M alloy wheels with run-flat tyres and tyre pressure monitoring, adaptive M suspension with active roll stabilisation, 395mm M brakes, BMW Laserlight headlights, BMW Night Vision infrared camera with pedestrian detection.

Luxury touches include soft close doors, semi-autonomous parking, panoramic glass sunroof (front opening, rear fixed), keyless entry and push-button start and electric auto tailgate, heated and ventilated front seats with electric adjustment including lumbar and bolster, leather seat trim, a 16-speaker harman/kardon sound system, 10.25-inch media screen with gesture and voice control, 12.3-inch digital instrument display, full colour head-up display, ambient lighting and rear sun-blinds. 

You’re getting a lot for your money, though our tester had a couple of extras. Metallic paint is included, but no the Frozen Bluestone matte finish our car had ($2600), and the interior piano black trim elements cost $200, as well. Plus the Full Leather Merino finish in Ivory White and Night Blue - that box cost $10,200 to tick. All told, the price as tested before on-roads was $285,900. 

The base Panamera doesn’t have a hybrid powertrain like its siblings and sports the 2.9L V6 twin-turbo petrol engine of the outgoing model. But it’s been retuned and now produces 260kW and 500Nm – both figures up from the previous model.

The Sport Chrono Package means the 0-100km/h sprint improves from 5.1-seconds to a tummy-sucking 4.8-seconds and my son gave a whoop of delight whenever we had to get up to speed.

The Panamera has an eight-speed, dual-clutch auto transmission and is the only RWD for the Panamera line-up. It also sports a top speed of 272km/h. So, suffice it to say, the engine has the sports cred you expect from a Porsche.

If you’re going for the M850i, you’re getting the big bopper engine. It’s a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, and it isn’t short on horsepower.

The outputs for this engine are 390kW of power (at 6000rpm) and 750Nm of torque (from 1800-4600rpm). Hardly numbers to sneeze at.

And the performance figures are exceptional, too: the claimed 0-100 km/h time is just 3.9 seconds. That’s because there’s the traction of BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, and shifting gears is an eight-speed automatic transmission.  

For what it’s worth, your humble reviewer saw a 0-100km/h time very close to that (4.2sec). 

The quoted kerb weight for this model is 1995kg.

The official combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel-cycle consumption figure is 9.5L/100km, which is pretty low for a high-performance vehicle (and a big one at that) but after a lot of open road and urban driving my real-world usage came out at 10.9L/100km.

That's the result after not being skimpy with using the power, either, so it's not as thirsty as you might expect.

When it comes to times between fills, the Panamera might surprise you. Based on the official combined fuel cycle and large 90L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up to 947km (825km using our on-test figure) – which is a great driving range for a performance vehicle, let alone a family one.

The Porsche Panamera only drinks the best, so while the driving range is great you won't be able to fill 'er up with anything but premium 98 RON unleaded petrol.

You can’t really expect a big V8 beast like this to be a fuel miser, and it isn’t.

The claimed consumption is 10.7 litres per 100 kilometres. Which is alright, honestly, given the sheer volume of car you’re driving. 

But on my test - which consisted of more than 300km of mixed driving, including days of city commuting, some twisty mountain driving, and all the freeway floundering to get there - I saw an at the pump real-world figure of 15.4L/100km.

That’s not very efficient, and it’ll be expensive to run on the daily — yet the argument could be made that if you’re spending this much on a car, fuel costs won’t matter much to you. But with a small fuel tank capacity of 68 litres, it could become a little inconvenient as you’ll be seeing a lot of your local servo.

Some people might not understand the obsession or loyalty Porsche owners have towards their cars  but if you’re a fence sitter, get in the Panamera. It will make you understand because after driving one... you'll hear yourself say 'I get it'.

The base model has the goods with the engine outputs to ensure the driving experience remains fun and responsive.

The Panamera is no wild bronco, it's a cool customer. The composure for power delivery is unlike other performance sedans you may have driven. Acceleration is effortless without any twitchiness. You never feel out of control.

The air suspension means you hear the bumps more than you feel them but you still get excellent road feedback as a driver.

Passenger comfort is high, despite the cabin being quite loud with road and engine noise, because the seat and ride comfort remains well-cushioned. Fatigue and jostling are at a minimum.

The handling of the Panamera when it comes to cornering and steering feels dynamic and agile. I made a point of doing multiple mini roadies this week, simply for the joy of driving it.

While the Panamera is the most fun on a winding mountain road, it's a pleasant open-road cruiser as well.

The base Panamera has three driving modes - 'Normal', 'Sport' or 'Sport Plus' with a 20-second power booster available when you need extra oomph.

The Normal mode is sufficient for daily driving and the Sport Plus offers stiffer suspension and handling but the preference is to keep it in Sport mode.

Mainly because in this mode you get an awesome throatiness from the exhaust as well as the dynamics you expect from a sports car.

It’s a bit deceptive but the Panamera is massive and sits at 5052mm long and 2165mm wide - so, it definitely fills out a parking space!

However, the 360-degree view camera system is one of the best in the segment but you may still get choosy with where you park it.

It’s an impressive thing, this M850i xDrive Gran Coupe. But I’m just not sure who it’s trying to please.

It’s not the sort of German monster coupe-sedan that grabs you by the scruff of the neck and throws you around with its mammoth acceleration. Not unless you poke it and prod it and make it really angry.

And that might be exactly what you want to do - put it in Sport mode, sling the shifter across to sport or manual mode, hear the exhaust open up from a pursed-lip tongue-click to an open-mouth growl. 

You’ll push hard on the accelerator, watch the tacho needle jolt to the redline, and if you’re in auto mode you’ll feel the transmission whipcrack as it shifts rapidly up through the gears as you’re shoved back into your seat. Before you know it you’ll be in licence-loss zone, and you won’t have even made the tyres chirp - that’s how immense the traction from the all-wheel drive system is.

You’ll brake hard into a sharp bend, and you’ll feel the front end dip and the body of the car change direction more readily than you’d think given its size as you turn in. The steering response will meet your expectation, with rapid reaction to adjustments mid corner. And the Active Roll stabilisation system will mean you’re not being thrown around in your seat, because it’s sitting flatter and truer than you might have expected - you’ll notice how it works extremely well in conjunction with the car’s torque-vectoring-by-braking system. There’ll be little weight shift or body roll to be counteracted, and that’ll inspire you to push it even harder.

Put it in manual transmission mode and you’ll rejoice that it won’t overrule you and shift up, but you’ll also feel shortchanged because it gets to the end of its limit very quickly. And when it hits redline, it emits a breathless little cough rather than a “oh maybe I should stop” rev-bounce noise.

But, if you’re like me, you might be doing all this with a niggling thought in the back of your mind that, while this car is technically really good and it’s a clinical performance car, you might just think to yourself, “I’m not having as much fun as I thought I would”.

A Mercedes-AMG would be more fun; it’d be more raucous, more of a muscle car experience. An Audi RS7 (at least the previous one) would be noisier, brasher, more theatrical than this car. And likewise, a Porsche Panamera - no matter the model you go for - would be more entertaining in the bends.  

Maybe it’s just a bit too predictable - and maybe that’s a result of this car being honed for drivers who will spend more time on the Autobahn than anywhere else. I have to say, there are much, much worse (and slower) ways of getting from A to B, and the highway cruising comfort of the M850i Gran Coupe was what impressed me most. 

It’s also surprisingly adept at urban driving duties, coping well with unpleasant city surfaces, though potholes can still upset things because of the stiff-sidewalled run-flat tyres. The suspension does an exceptional job otherwise, however, and I switched between the Adaptive drive mode and Comfort mode for my commuting duties. Both proved comfortable and controlled.

The M850i is by no means a failure when it comes to fulfilling the expectations you might have of a luxury sports sedan of this size. In fact, it’s close to a distinction. But I just can’t help thinking that it’s not as much an ‘M car’ as that M850i badge might have you believe it should be.

The safety equipment fitted to the BMW M850i Gran Coupe as standard is extensive - but this model has not yet been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, so there’s no safety rating or crash test rating available.

Standard equipment includes BMW’s Driving Assistant Professional system with adaptive cruise control with stop and go in traffic, auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assist with steering input, blind spot monitoring, “crossroads warning and evasion aid” which can help you steer away from potential danger more easily. 

There’s also a comprehensive camera suite with a reversing camera, surround view and forward view camera setup which can adjust based on what part of the parking manoeuvre you’re up to. Plus if you get stuck, the reversing assistant system can remember the last 50 metres you drove and get you out of the spot. There’s also a thing called Active Park Distance Control rear, which will apply the brakes when you’re reversing if it thinks you’re getting to close to an impact.

There are six airbags - dual front, front side and curtain - with no rear side airbag protection, which seems odd in a car at this price point but is likely down to packaging.  

Porsche offers the Panamera with a three-year/unlimited km warranty, which is less than its competitors. It's more typical to see a five-year/unlimited km warranty in this segment.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12-months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first and pricing varies per dealership.

The one I contacted (in Sydney) confirmed the first four years of servicing costs $8605 for an average of $2151.25 per workshop visit.

Worth noting the fourth year is a biggie at $4875, this major service including everything from an air-conditioning clean and transmission oil change to spark plug check/replacement and safety checks.

The Panamera is up there for service costs, even for the class but this kind of outlay comes with the territory when you're considering a car worth almost $300K. 

BMW backs its cars in Australia with a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

You may be confused if you head to the BMW site and see that M models and 8 Series models aren’t covered by BMW’s pre-pay capped price servicing plan (as I saw when testing this car), but CarsGuide can confirm that the 8 Series is indeed covered - unless it’s the real M8, not this M850i jigger. 

BMW Australia has clarified that the Service Inclusive pack for five years/80,000km of maintenance cover is $2490 for Basic cover (no brakes/pads, no wiper replacement), or $5641 for the more comprehensive Plus pack. Hardly affordable, but nor’s the car. 

The company uses a condition-based servicing program, too - there are no set service intervals, but the car will tell you when it needs maintenance based on how you drive it.

For what it’s worth, we ran the numbers on resale value using Glass’s Guide predictive analysis tool, and after three years/40,000km the expected retained value for this version is approximately 66 per cent - which is impressive.