'If they thought the Cayenne was bad...' went the pitch meeting, and the board was sold. It might look like a 911 with a weight problem, but the Panamera four-door coupe is just as much a departure for Porsche as the bulky SUV it sells to keep the conveyor belts rolling in the factory.
That said, it does have a little bit of heritage within the German firm - a very similar concept was being drawn up in the late-80s to try and broaden the brand's appeal but got canned at the last minute.
The styling is a bit hit-and-miss - Porsche obviously felt the Panamera needed strong 911 cues to be accepted by buyers, and the car can look awkward from some angles. Even as you start to think it might even be handsome, you see it next to an Aston Martin Rapide and all that goodwill goes out of the window.
As ever, it's what is inside that really counts, and the interior is nothing short of delightful. There is room for four, even if legroom isn't massive. The boot is shallow; it looks like it covers a large area but you can't fit in as much as you think. Quality of materials is great, though, Porsche getting just the right balance between sporting and luxurious.
The seats are tremendously comfortable- there must have been a big temptation for Porsche to create a balls-out supercar with four seats, but it has managed to build a comfortable GT that also happens to drive incredibly well. You could happily sit in the seats for hours on end.
It's the driving that really takes your breath away - the Panamera corners with an agility and grace that heavily disguises its size. It's good fun to steer, and this is backed up by the powerful engines. The suspension is a feat of engineering too, soaking up bumps but keep the car flat through corners. The optional air suspension improves thing further still, providing a superbly supple ride. One word of warning though - its sheer width can make it a pain on narrow roads. The SUV width without SUV height does not make it an easy car to position.
Porsche has tried every trick in the book to improve fuel consumption, and it has worked - the base S model will manage 26mpg if you're wearing light shoes. The 500bhp engine in the Turbo model is a real delight, but probably not practical on a day-to-day basis.
It's astonishing, but Porsche has succeeded in building a family car that stays true to the brand. Hats off.