When it comes to purchasing a brand-new vehicle as a gearhead, one of the most appealing options tends to be something built by BMW. The German manufacturer has always tended to focus on prioritizing equipping its cars with an engaging driving experience, which the brand has helped enhance by tapping into its extensive racing pedigree. A brand new 330i, which can sprint to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds thanks to its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, can be had for $48,000.While pretty expensive for an entry-level 3 Series, you can look forward to a practical and high-quality sedan that boasts good practicality. Then again, you could always roam the used market and purchase a used Porsche Panamera, which boasts considerably more performance for the same price. And has arguably a cooler badge. Decisions, decisions. Used Panameras Can Be Picked Up At A Relative Bargain Price In 2026 Porsche Seeing as it's a high-end luxury performance sedan, it shouldn't come as a huge surprise that the Panamera has seen its initial value decimated over the years. Luxury models always struggle to hold their base worth as their rich owners quickly move onto the latest and greatest models, while their heightened maintenance costs force their value down to the point where those with more restrictive budgets can justify running them.Still, the fact that a high-end 2018 Panamera 4S has an average value of just $45,373, according to CarBuzz's Marketplace, is pretty staggering. This is nearly $3k less than a base 3 Series will demand from your bank account, and you could have a specimen like a blue 4S with just under 43,000 miles on the clock, which is currently for sale. It also comes with a reassuring clean title, ensuring you can buy with confidence that the car has lived a relatively normal life. The Panamera 4S Used To Cost Well North Of $100k If paying nearly $50k for a used Porsche when you could have a new BMW doesn't grab you from a value standpoint, you need to bear in mind the standing of the Panamera 4S. It sits nicely in the middle of the range, comes with a plush cabin, and a commanding twin-turbocharged V6 engine. The base MSRP for the trim was a cool $103,000 when it was shiny and new just shy of a decade ago, over double that of the base 3 Series today.This should give a clear hint of what this car is capable of. If you're after the 330i for its fun handling, then you really should at least consider the Porsche. The High-Tech Porsche Is A True Weapon In The Bends PorscheWhen it comes to producing a car that can slay apexes with ease, few manufacturers are more adept than Porsche. The Panamera 4S comes with an advanced independent suspension setup all around to provide as much compliance as possible, but its Active Suspension Management system takes this to another level. The system analyzes the amount of pitch, roll, and yaw the car is undergoing in real time, which is then fed back to the PASM setup. From there, the car tweaks the damping value of each wheel to best suit the terrain it's rocketing over.Not only does this enhance cabin comfort by smoothing out bumps, but it also improves the sedan's cornering prowess by mitigating the effects of weight shift as the car changes direction, as well as body roll. This ensures the tires can better grip the road, and afford its pilot both more pace and confidence through the bends. A beefy four-piston front and six-piston rear braking setup bolsters this further, and gives you the assurance that it'll stop on a dime should you need it to. The Panamera's steering is also finely tuned to give you the confidence to place the nose wherever you want it. Its Rabid Powerplant Ensures You'll Reach The Next Corner With Haste Bring a Trailer Arguably, the key element that sets the Panamera 4S well apart from a base 3 Series is its twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 engine. It fires 440 raging horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque to the intelligent all-wheel drive system, which can transmit differing levels of grunt to the front and rear axles depending on which has more grip on the menu. Assisted by a rapid-shift eight-speed automatic transmission, the practical Porsche will blitz the 60 mph barrier in 4.2 seconds, and continue to prowl forward until it hits 179 mph. It's fair to say the Panamera 4S operates in another league than the more expensive 2026 3 Series, and for less money if you can deal with not having a brand-new machine on your driveway. The Panamera 4S Also Works Well As A Comfortable Daily Porsche The beauty of the Panamera 4S is that, alongside thrilling you from a pure performance perspective, it'll also keep you comfortable. That advanced PASM system keeps the ride smooth enough to cruise along normal roads eloquently, while its electrically-operated heated leather seats will keep your behind feeling pampered, even over the longest trips. Get your magnifying glass out, and you may find one with optional air suspension fitted. Dual-zone climate control and satellite navigation also come as standard, as does a natural light-enhancing panoramic glass roof. The cabin is also well-appointed with sporty gloss black trim, though do some shopping around, and you may be able to find an example optioned with high-end wood trim.The four-seater also boasts a decent amount of front and rear passenger space, as well as 17.6 cubic feet of trunk space. You can fold the rear seats down too, which boosts the total storage capacity to a solid 47.3 cubic feet. It may go and handle like a high-end sports car, but the Panamera 4S will also function perfectly well as a practical and comfortable daily driver. Do your homework before you pull the trigger on a used specimen, and you'll have one hell of a bargain on your hands. Its More Practical Cousin Also Provides A Tempting Used Deal Porsche Should the low roofline and dropped ride height of the Panamera prove a little restrictive for your use, then Porsche's Cayenne SUV is the ideal alternative. The S trim of the luxury crossover gets the same twin-turbo V6 unit as the Panamera 4S, though its greater mass means it's a little slower to 60 mph, and also less fuel efficient. The AWD system is also retained, which can make better use of off-road situations, given the Cayenne's vastly superior ground clearance versus the Panamera.It also comes with a similar level of interior furnishing, though with some extra space to make use of. The Cayenne's trunk can fit an extra 10 cubic feet of cargo inside with the seats up, a difference that increases to and extra 13 cubes when they're collapsed. In addition, the higher roofline affords three extra inches of front and rear headroom.You can also get a newer vehicle for your money, as CarBuzz's Marketplace reports that the average used value of the 2020 edition of the Cayenne S sits at a very reasonable $43,892. Not bad, considering it would have left the dealership for no less than $84,300 just six years ago. Whichever of these two prolific Porsches takes your fancy, you can rest assured that you're getting much more for your money in terms of performance and luxury than a base 3 Series, which you'll have to pay more for.Sources: Porsche.