It looks like Porsche have finally cracked a challenge they’ve been taking on for years: a four seater, four door family car that retains the poise and performance of a classic Porsche. The car I’m talking about is the new Porsche Panamera.

And the car, one of Porsche’s most anticipated in many years, has not been short of rave reviews despite the bold steps that has been taken. Stuart Birch of the Telegraph states that the “steering is beautifully weighted, brakes massively powerful and the transmission/engine duo an invigorating harmony act” while Giles Smith at the Times enthuses “what a relief to find something with the Panamera’s handsome, low-slung lines. In two-wheel drive, as in appearance, the car does a loose but enjoyable impression of a 911″. OK, so some people may not buy into it. They might find it a bit bulky or perhaps not quite grasp it’s place in the market. But I think it looks great and you’d be hard-pressed to find a review that doubts it’s performance.

And in a real coup for Avis, the team in Germany have managed to bring the Porsche Panamera exclusively to their fleet. It even comes equipped with a Bose Surround Sound System. Unfortunately it can only be booked on a purpose-built microsite which happens to be in German. But if you do want to book it and feel confident enough to navigate the language then you can do so by visiting www.avis.de/panamera. Otherwise you can try our German call centre on +49 1805 55 77 55 (and they do speak English!).

And as the Panarema represents something of a new concept we’d love to hear your feedback. Do you believe that Porsche has nailed the four door family car? Or have they been unable to make the transition? Let us know what you think!