Porsche Chandler Celebrates First Year
Porsche Chandler is a year old May 2, and the new 2017 Porsche Panamera is in stock.
“Our client base and new/used/certified pre-owned vehicle inventories continue to grow to meet customer demand, and our service and parts business is increasing at a very steady pace,” says owner Richard Cvijanovich.
In support of the luxury client experience and environment, Porsche Chandler recently added a fully enclosed, climate-controlled vehicle transporter for sales and service pick-up and delivery at the dealership. “We call it our Porsche Chandler Vehicle Delivery Concierge Service,” he says.
Offering new and pre-owned Porsches in a luxury setting, Porsche Chandler is on the southwest corner of Gilbert and Pecos roads, 1010 South Gilbert Road, just north of the San Tan 202 Freeway.
The seven-acre campus includes a 36,000-square-foot, 16-vehicle showroom, service and parts facility and a 22,000-square-foot “shared services” building with vehicle detailing, tint/paint protection film (PPF) installation, photo booth, additional parts storage and general offices. In addition, a Porsche boutique offers exclusive accessories such as exhaust tips, apparel, bicycles, office chairs and luggage.
Cvijanovich also owns Subaru Superstore of Chandler (ShopSubaru.com), on the same corner as Porsche Chandler (PorscheChandler.com), and Volvo of Tempe (VolvoOfTempe.com), which will move to Pecos and Gilbert roads, across from the two other dealerships, October 23. He also recently opened Subaru Superstore of Surprise in March at the Loop 303 Prasada Auto Park (Loop 303 Freeway and Cactus Road) and will open Autobahn Collision at the Chandler 202 Auto Park this July.
Porsche models include the convertible Boxster, two-door Cayman, Cayenne, Cayenne E- Hybrid, and Macan SUVs, the legendary 911––– and the second-generation Panamera models, the 2017 Panamera 4S, Panamera Turbo and Panamera E-Hybrid coming this fall.
A four-door sports luxury car, the Panamera has been re-designed, including chassis, engines, interior and exterior. Length has increased 1.3 inches and width by 2 inches. “The majority of the body panels are now made of aluminum, and that adds up to a 200-pound weight savings,” Cvijanovich says. “The engine also sits lower in the chassis, giving the car a much lower center of gravity for a better-balanced feel.”
The Panamera 4S is powered by a 440-horsepower twin-turbo V-6 and the Panamera Turbo a 550-horse twin-turbo V-8. Both incorporate direct fuel injection, with nozzles positioned centrally in the combustion chamber to optimize combustion, efficiency and engine response. Also standard on both models are an all-wheel drive system and a new eight-speed Porsche dual-clutch automatic transmission (PDK).
The 2.9-liter twin-turbo produces maximum horsepower at 5,650 rpm and maximum torque of 405 lb-ft to the wheels. The 4,123-pound Panamera 4S makes 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds (four seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package) and on the track tops out at 180 mph.
For even more performance, the 4-liter twin-turbo develops maximum horsepower at 5,750 rpm and maximum torque of 567 lb-ft. This is an increase of 30 horsepower and 51 lb-ft. of torque more than the first-generation model.
Twin-scroll turbochargers, with counter-rotating impellers, supply compressed air to the combustion chambers and maximum torque at very low engine speeds, when you most need it. They are placed into the V of the cylinder banks, making the engines more compact, allowing lower placement and, with that, lowering the center of gravity. Reducing the pathways between the two turbos and the combustion chambers also fosters better throttle response, Cvijanovich says.
The Panamera Turbo is the first Porsche with cylinder deactivation control. “Under partial load, the system temporarily and imperceptibly shuts off four of the eight cylinders, significantly reducing fuel consumption,” he explains. “When you need the other four cylinders for power, the car immediately responds with whatever you demand.”
An optional Mode Switch with Sport Response Button also expands the performance. The Mode Switch is a rotary dial located within the steering wheel; you activate one of four driving modes (Normal, Sport, Sport Plus or Individual). At the center of the switch is the Sport Response Button for maximizing power and acceleration.
This will get you from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.6 seconds; add the Sport Chrono Package, and that’s just 3.4 seconds. On a track, the 4,398-pound car hits 190 mph by means of its exemplary power-to-weight ratio of just 8 lbs/hp.
Other standard features are a new electromechanical power steering system and rear axle steering, adapted from the 918 Spyder and 911 Turbo. The braking system is also improved.
Panamera options include adaptive air suspension with new three-chamber technology (standard on Panamera Turbo), including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM electronic damper control), the enhanced Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport (PDCC Sport) system including Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) and active roll stabilization.
The integrated 4D Chassis Control system analyzes and synchronizes all chassis systems in real time and optimizes the new Panamera’s road performance.
The interior has also been completely redesigned. “The biggest difference versus the previous generation is the change to digitized touch-sensitive controls and switches versus the toggle-style switches on the previous generation,” Cvijanovich says.
The Porsche Advanced Cockpit includes two 7-inch displays conveniently placed in the driver’s direct sight line, with the tachometer sitting between these two displays.
The 2017 model also has a high-resolution 12.3-inch Porsche Communication Management (PCM) touchscreen for radio, HVAC, driving modes, online navigation, the online functions of Porsche Connect, smartphone integration via standard Apple® Car Play™ and a new voice control system that responds to natural language input. “The driver and front passenger can set the configuration individually,” he explains.
“You can even adjust the louvers of the central air vent by touch-sensitive sliders, and your rear passengers can control air conditioning and infotainment, if you choose the optional four-zone automatic climate control system,” he says.
Porsche Chandler has Panamera inventory in stock and an excellent selection of all models are on order, Cvijanovich says. The Panamera 4S starts at $99,900, the Panamera Turbo $146,900, not including the $1,050 delivery, processing and handling fee.
“The car is absolutely incredible: quiet, comfortable, loaded with cutting-edge technology and the driving dynamics are definitely in keeping with the Porsche brand,” he says. “Client feedback has been nothing but positive. The car truly is a 10 out of 10!”
For more information on Porsche Chandler and the Panamera models, call 480.994.9000 for new and pre-owned sales; 480.994.7900, service; and 480.994.7901, parts. Also see PorscheChandler.com