When the first generation of the Mercedes-Benz CLS was launched back in 2004 it established its own niche market, which it populated by itself until competitors from other car makers started to appear as well.
The Porsche Panamera is considered one of those competitors, with the luxurious five-door Porsche having been launched about five years after the CLS.
Both models occupy the no-man's-land between luxury cars, four-door sports cars and fast grand tourers, but each has its own philosophy in which to deliver the goods.
The Brits from Fifth Gear wanted to pit the two models against each other, but sadly couldn't find the most appropriate versions for the job at hand.
From the Porsche camp they chose a Panamera GTS, which is powered by a normally-aspirated 4.8-liter V8 that develops 440 hp and 520 Nm (384 lb ft) of torque.
From Mercedes-Benz they went for the CLS 63 AMG, which in UK-spec comes with rear-wheel drive only and is powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 that develops 557 hp and 720 Nm (531 lb ft) of torque.
Which of the two models do you think would win in the hand of a... let's say amateur driver on a racing track? Watch the following video and find out!
Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project. Full profile
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