Porsche owners think Panamera protected Steph Curry
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Steph Curry was driving a very expensive, six-figure sports car when he was struck on Highway 24 in Oakland on Friday.
Now, Curry may have a reason to be a fan of the Panamera, joining others, including those who have never been hit in an accident.
"It's a joy. It's very, very fun," said Dennis Ferrara, who owns a Panamera 4S. "It's fast. It handles beautifully. The interior is plush, all redesigned. Great screen. And it's a joy to drive."
With a sticker price that can top $200,000, the Panamera has collision avoidance technology common in lower-priced cars. However, Porsche mechanics say it's a hefty car at 4,400 pounds, and its German engineers designed it to be stable.
"When the car is hit, it spins, and that spin a German car obviously has a lot more capability to handle that stability, more skid control than your average car," said Waid Lababidi, owner of Master Automotive in Santa Clara. He has serviced Porsches and other German vehicles for 35 years.
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The Panamera can also be equipped with very fast brakes.
When you're spending over $200,000 for a high-performance car, you may want as an option high-performance brakes so you can go fast and stop fast. In this case, for $10,000, you get 10-piston aluminum monoblock fixed brake calipers on the front, which are painted a distinctive yellow.
The Panamera is also a four-door sedan so it has a lower center of gravity than Porsche's SUV, adding to stability in a crash.
"I think that the combination of having a low center of gravity on that car, very quick reflexes, good handling, good braking system-- sure, and a structurally very sound car was the right car at the right time," said automotive editor Brian Douglas.
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The one thing a Panamera can't protect its driver from is damage to the frame. Curry was hit first in the front, then, minutes later, in the rear. If the damage is significant, it can mean the car is totalled.
