Panamera 4S Diesel vs Tesla Model S P100D - Can The EV Overpower The Diesel?

The new Porsche Panamera is one sweet ride!

I test drove one last weekend - a 4S - just fantastic. The center screen may be a shameless knockoff of Tesla's center screen but Porsche has definitely done it better. You really have to experience it to get a sense of how truly wonderful it is. The interior detailing and design is very appropriate for a luxury Porsche but the quality and workmanship is really Bentley-like. Wow!

Check it out.

I positively love my 3.0L diesel Q5, but I'm not sure I'd elect to have a diesel in a sports car. I'm lusting for a 911, and the idea of a diesel engine in that just feels wrong to me. I guess I'm attached to the sound and a high-revving engine in a sports car. The experience is more than just the sum of the numbers.

The Panamera is a great car, but there is no way I would take it over a P100D. I'm surprised they only got 3.0 seconds on the 0-60, they should have been able to hit 2.6 or 2.7 easily without going into the easter egg modes. Interior on the Panamera is definitely nicer (but super claustrophobic), prefer the performance and practicality of the Tesla.

Lets compare the two cars on an even level - say a 2000 mile trip with two drivers that can spell each other onboard.

When you Add in the time for recharging - the competition is not close.

2,000 mile trip aside, I'd take the Panamera for the beauty (inside and out), fit and finish, luxury, and impeccable Porsche feel.

Ok...realistically. How many people are driving their $100k cars cross country? Yearly? In comparison to the overall consumer base? Not counting to car fanatics on this site.

Better questions are: How far can i drive I a fully charged battery vs using a diesel - at normal speed? If you're going to do a long distance comparison cut out the tricks & gimmicky work-arounds.

@dumpsty your response to @TomM's what if is irrelevant and illogical. He set the context of the question and you want to appear to answer the question by altering the context. Sorry, but no. I don't especially like Tom very much, but on this, he and I are on the same page.

2,000 mile race isn't really practical. Porsche would totally win that one today. 50-100 mile would be a different story.

You need 21" rims on a car like you need a hole in the head. Every size beyond 17" reduces performance. Car + Driver did an exacting test a number of years ago. Go small, go fast...

I think steering is the only thing improved with the larger rims and low profile tires.

Upsizing wheels isn't always a performance plus. This is especially true if "sprung" weight is increased. Increasing the sprung weight makes the suspension more "bouncy" because the shock valving was designed for a lighter wheel/tire combo. The second "no no" is radically shifting profile. I see this all the time when some guy takes a 1/2 ton pickup that has a conventional tire/wheel combo and drops the profile when upsizing rims. The ride becomes almost punishing because the higher profile of the original tire was a designed-in "shock absorber". I love watching Counting Cars when they slam old American iron and put on big rims. The cars look cool, but they'd be a handful to live with.