The Porsche Panamera is something special when it comes to Teutonic sports cars, even those with four doors and a hefty price tag. Purists have decried this luxo-bomb – Porsche’s first sedan – in the same fashion that they screamed about the Cayenne SUV.

But you can’t argue with success, as the Cayenne became the best-selling vehicle in the Porsche portfolio, and has helped to make the company the most profitable manufacturer in the industry. Along the way, the Panamera has also developed a following, and Porsche is looking to attract more buyers with a mild facelift that arrived for 2014.

Just how much of a difference does the update make? We’re taking a closer look.

What is it?

A four-door, four-passenger luxo-cruiser, the Porsche Panamera is five model years into its first generation. Domestically, the Panamera is now sold in nine different flavors including the base, 4, S and 4S models, as well as the GTS and 520-horsepower Turbo. Those wanting to display their green credentials can order a new-for-2014 Panamera S E-Hybrid version, which is a plug-in capable of more than 20-miles of electric-only range at speeds up to 83 mph.

All standard models measure 197.44-inches long, with a wheelbase of 115-inches. Need more stretch out space? Long-wheelbase Executive and Turbo Executive variants with an extra 6-inches of rear seat legroom are now available. Finally, buyers outside the US market can take advantage of a Panamera Diesel. (Why not us?)

Our tester, the Panamera S, is newly powered by a twin-turbocharged and direct-injected 3.0-liter V6. Although downsized, the mill produces 20 more horsepower than the 4.8-liter V8 engine that it replaces, up to 420 ponies and 384 lb-ft of torque between a relaxed 1,750- and 5,000-rpm. With that smaller engine comes a corresponding increase in fuel economy when compared to previous models.

The V6 is mated to the silky, but difficult to pronounce, Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) seven-speed transmission. A dual-clutch gearbox, it preloads the next cog for almost imperceptible shifts with improved acceleration and economy. It is also equipped with an Auto Start-Stop function that deactivates the engine when coasting to a stop, but also manages to consciously uncouple when lifting off the accelerator, for increased mileage while on a highway.

The Panamera’s standard equipment includes 18-inch wheels, bi-Xenon self-leveling headlamps, eight-way power seats, automatic dual-zone climate control, Porsche Communication Management with a 7-inch display for Navigation, Audio and Bluetooth, and a 4.8-inch instrument cluster TFT screen that is driver configurable. But ours is the uprated Panamera S model, which includes the aforementioned twin-turbo V6, adaptive air suspension and adaptive headlamps.

It also boasts Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), which brings adaptive antiroll bars and a limited-slip rear differential. The Porsche Sports Chrono kit with launch control, making an appearance here as part of the optional Sport Package ($6,790), is one of numerous rather pricey extras fitted to our example.

What’s it up against?

The Panamera runs in rare air. As such, it competes against the Jaguar XJ, Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series. The list continues with high performance variants of those models and tops out with the Bentley Flying Spur, the next iteration of which will share a platform with the second-gen Panamera.

How does it look?

From various angles, our Panamera S bears a distinct resemblance to the legendary 911-model. Despite its taller greenhouse and two extra doors, it’s clear there is plenty of Stuttgart DNA in this luxury sport-cruiser.

Our sampler was fitted with the Sport Design package, with a special front fascia and oversized intakes and side skirts. Stacked with adaptive LED headlamps and the typical long, sloping Porsche hood, the normal aggression is all here.

Sexy rear hips project a powerful presence rearward, leading to a bulbously shaped fishbowl that may or may not have been inspired by the late Porsche 928. Some have challenged its overall design ethos, but we appreciate how it shakes up brand convention.

The 2014 refresh did bring subtle revisions, including a wider rear window and lower-mounted license plate, that help smooth things out back somewhat. Reworked head- and tailights round out the changes.

Finally, our Panamera was complete with the optional exterior package in high-gloss black ($390), along with 20-inch black painted sport wheels ($4,935).

And on the inside?

The Panamera’s interior looks now form the basis of what is seen in nearly all the other vehicles in the product lineup. The traditional five-gauge instrument panel returns, as does the ignition key location to the left of the steering wheel. Four expertly-bolstered sport seats coddle their charges during fits of grand touring bliss that can include heating and ventilation as needed. Our tester was equipped with an available Bose 14-speaker audio system ($2,120).

But not all was perfect inside the black-leather cockpit that would have whetted the appetite of any leather fetishist. A center console splits the cabin and presents a multitude of control buttons that potentially could number as many as 80. As much as we appreciate the accommodations, we think there must be a more elegant solution.

Not just a people hauler, the Panamera’s rear hatch lifts to yield 15.72-cubic feet of space with the seats in the upright and locked position. Fold them forward and that number climbs to 44.6-cubic feet.

But does it go?

Out with the old, in with the new says Zuffenhausen as they dispense with last year’s V8 in favor of the new twin-turbo V6 engine, which makes short shrift of a zero-to-60 mph excursion in a claimed 4.9 seconds. The PDK transmission clicked through the gears in such smooth fashion that it eclipsed the quarter mile in 13.7-seconds. Although we never got close, Porsche says the Panamera could be pushed to 178 mph.

For the sake of convenience, we avoided the annoying steering wheel-mounted shifter nubs, instead giving the seven-speed tranny a chance to row itself automatically. Stylistically the nubs look fine; functionally, they can change gears with an accidental bumping from a hand on the wheel. Speaking of steering, the variable-ratio power steering offered some of the best feedback we have experienced in any high-performance road car.

The adaptive air suspension system, also known as PASM, adapted to changing road conditions with nary an untoward noise or behavior. Impressed with how this large Porsche actually felt smaller than it truly measured up, it was almost as though our right foot was being urged to really exercise this beauty masquerading as a beast. Kudos are also earned for the serene quiet of the cabin that results from the thermal- and noise-insulated glass.

But the real beauty of the Panamera is the ability go into button-pushing mode, which changes major characteristics of the car. Clicking Sport and Sport+ enabled a throttle remap which held gears longer, firmed up the steering and set the dampers for a firmer ride that was still compliant enough to not rattle your fillings. Speaking of button-pushing, other buttons of note included an ECO Auto Start/Stop mode, which can be disabled, and a sport exhaust button that opens a baffle to increase the underhood growl.

For those keeping track, the EPA says to expect this 3,990-pounder to achieve 17 city / 27 highway, with an average of 21 mpg.

Weight aside, as big as this four-door sled appears, there is no getting around it – it’s still a Porsche through and through.

Leftlane’s bottom line:

The refreshed Porsche Panamera S answers the call for buyers who have, perhaps through marriage and/or childbirth, grown out of a 911 but still want to maintain their motoring mojo regardless of how many people are inside.

Sure, it may be bigger and, in the eyes of some viewers, a touch awkward, but we can think of only a few other vehicles we would rather be in.

2014 Porsche Panamera S base price, $93,200. As tested, $126,995.

Ruby Red Metallic paint, $790; Black leather interior, $3,655; extended range fuel tank, $400; heated steering wheel, $270; Rear wiper, $360; Interior lighting package, $605; Park Assist, $1,505; Telephone module, $930; Voice Control, $595; Porsche Car Connect, $495; Exterior high gloss package, $390; Thermal and noise insulated glass, $1,240; Retractable luggage compartment roller, $150; LED exterior lighting package, $845; Leather key case, $165; Painted key, $335; Bose Audio System, $2,120; Premium package plus, $6,280; Sport Package, $6,790; 20-inch Panamera sport wheels, $4,935; Destination, $975.

Photos by Mark Elias.

General Motors chief engineer Jim Frederico has unexpectedly announced his retirement from the company, after documents revealed his role in the ignition-switch fiasco.

A GM ‘lifer’ like CEO Mary Barra, Frederico is credited with serving as Vehicle Line Executive for a number of vehicles, including the Opel Insignia, Mokka and Adam; Buick LaCrosse, Regal, Verano, Excelle and Encore; Cadillac CTS and XTS and the Chevrolet Spark, Beat, Sonic, Trax, Cruze and Impala.

Although GM’s announcement is vague and pointed to a voluntary departure, documents investigated by the Wall Street Journal indicate that the executive was involved in a 2012 investigation into stalling problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt and other models that were eventually recalled.

Federico’s team was attempting to determine why the problems mysteriously stopped in 2006, however the issue was not resolved until he was replaced by safety director Gay Kent. Under new leadership, the team discovered that a lower-level engineer, Ray DeGiorgio, had approved a design revision without assigning a new part number.

DeGiorgio and Chevrolet Cobalt chief engineer Gary Altman were recently placed on unpaid leave for their roles in the design switch, while the head of global engineering at the time, John Calabrese, was ousted late last month as part of a wider restructuring of the engineering operations.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has announced an aggressive five-year business plan that will see the company double Jeep sales and drastically expand its product offerings by 2018.

Jeep has arguably been the brightest star of Fiat Chrysler’s portfolio over the last few years, and the company will look to keep that momentum going by building the division’s iconic SUVs in six countries by 2018. Jeeps are currently only produced in the United States.

Those additional production sites should be enough to double Jeep’s sales to 1.9 million units over the next five years.

The Dodge brand will actually contract somewhat over the next five years – with the Avenger and Grand Caravan going away – but there are some exciting things planned for Chrysler’s performance brand. An all-new Dart compact is coming in mid-2016, followed by a high-performance SRT variant later in the year. The Dart SRT will reportedly employ a turbocharged four-cylinder and all-wheel drive.

A replacement for the Dodge Journey will also launch in 2016. An SRT version of the new crossover is scheduled to debut in early 2017.

Dodge will gain a new sub-compact in 2018. The B-segment vehicle will be offered as both a sedan and hatchback.

Interestingly, Chrysler has decided to dissolve its standalone SRT brand. SRT will now be a performance halo for the Dodge brand. As such, the current SRT Viper, which is scheduled for a refresh in 2015, will become a Dodge once again.

Following a new SRT model later this year, the Dodge Challenger will carry on without any major revisions planned until mid-2018.

The Chrysler brand, meanwhile, will move into more of a volume role, with the division planning a new C-segment car for 2016.

Chrysler will carry the minivan torch for FCA, with the brand scheduled to get an all-new Town & Country in 2016. Chrysler will also offer a plug-in hybrid version of the new minivan.

Chrysler’s crossover cupboard will remain bare until a new full-size utility vehicle arrives in 2017. Like the Town & Country, it too will be offered as a PHEV.

The Chrysler 300 will be refreshed at the end of 2014; an update for the all-new 200 sedan is planned for 2017.

Fiat will totally reinvent its Alfa Romeo brand by 2018 by introducing a total of eight new vehicles, including two compact cars, a mid-size car, a full-size luxury vehicle and two utility vehicles. Alfa’s transformation will require a $7 billion investment.

Fiat will remain a niche brand in the United States, but the Italian automaker will launch a new 500X crossover by year’s end.

Ram’s light-duty trucks will be updated for 2015, with a major revision planned for 2017. An update for Ram’s heavy-duty models is planned for 2018.

It remains to be seen if Ram will follow Ford down the aluminum construction path.

General Motors has announced pricing details for the 2015 bi-fuel Chevrolet Impala ahead of its arrival later this year.

The bi-fuel edition will retail for $39,035 (including destination fee), commanding a $12,000 premium over the base Impala and nearly $9,000 more than the gasoline-only V6 package.

A compressed natural gas (CNG) tank mounted in the trunk provides the equivalent capacity of 7.8 gallons of gasoline, providing an estimated 150 city miles of range before refueling or switching to gasoline operation. Gasoline and CNG combined range is expected to reach 500 city miles.

Chevrolet has adapted its 3.6-liter V6 mill with hardened valves and valve seals to provide improved wear resistance and durability with the CNG fuel system.

The bi-fuel edition is primarily aimed at fleet customers that require a full-size car used for short hauls in a city setting, where the Impala is claimed to save approximately $1.25 per gasoline-gallon-equivalent when running on natural gas only.

Fleet and retail customers will be able to purchase the bi-fuel edition in either an LS base trim or a higher LT trim, both of which will be available in the fourth quarter of the year.

The 2015 Subaru WRX and WRX STI have earned Top Safety Pick ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Completely redesigned for the 2015 model year, the WRX and range-topping STI received the highest marks in each one of the IIHS crashworthiness evaluations.

The organization praises the new structure for holding up well in the challenging small-overlap test, which replicates an accident with a solid barrier striking the front edge at 40 mph.

“The dummy’s movement was well-controlled, and measures taken from the dummy indicated a low risk of any significant injuries,” the IIHS said in a statement. “The dummy’s head made good contact with the front airbag, which stayed in position during the crash. The side airbag deployed with enough forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects.”

The 2014 Impreza also received high scores in each of the tests, however the IIHS acknowledges significant differences in the newest WRX to warrant a separate round of tests.

Subaru now has six models that have earned 2014 safety awards from IIHS, three with Top Safety Pick designations and three with Top Safety Pick Plus achievements. The latter requires the same level of crashworthiness, along with some form of active front-crash prevention technology.