WHEN the curiously styled Panamera was first introduced in 2009, the line-up included just three variants starting with the $270,200 S.

Jumping up to the middle of the range 4S cost around $12,200 more but customers wanting to get into the flagship Turbo had to fork-out more than $80,000 extra and the gap was damaging sales

Enter the GTS. Its body looked like the top of the range Turbo but it had a tweaked version of the normally aspirated V8 and running gear of the 4S with around $30,000 of extra equipment, and crucially, the price fitted snugly between the two variants.

The Panamera range had a facelift mid-2013 and although the line-up now extends to nine variants, the GTS still serves as the bridge between the $301,600 4S (now a V6 turbo) and the $383,900 Turbo.

Porsche says the latest $320,100 GTS offers a more sporty option, Turbo looks and driver focused gear, without having to take the jump into forced-induction territory.

We took the hottest atmo Panamera for a blast to see if it is a Turbo compromise or the right balance of poke and practicality.

Click here for the full review...