“Prepare to be astonished” should be the advice given before test-driving the 2010 Porsche Panamera. That’s because the Panamera handles the road like no luxury sedan has a right to, and that’s because sportscar engineers designed it.

With a Porsche name attached, you know the Panamera is going to be fast. That’s a given. The Panamera S (MSRP $89,800) and all-wheel drive 4S models ($93,800) are powered by a 400-hp V8, the Panamera Turbo ($132,600) by a twin-turbocharged version with 500 hp. With the new seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission that offers automatic and manual modes, the Panamera S can accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in just 4.8 seconds; the Turbo will do it in four.

So, yes, the Panamera is plenty quick, but Porsche is billing the Panamera with its undeniably roomy and luxurious interior as a sportscar. Not a “sporty car,” a “sportscar.” You can be sure it has the handling moves to back that up. Giving such a vehicle those moves takes the kind of engineering that could only come from the world’s pre-eminent sportscar maker.

First, Porsche engineered the Panamera to be light on its feet – no easy task when you’re also trying to package generous room, comfort and utility. Porsche employed lightweight materials including hollow aluminum castings, aluminum extrusions and forged aluminum sections throughout the front and rear suspension. The result is high strength and low unsprung weight, essential ingredients for true sportscar handling.

To this base, Porsche applies a number of advanced dynamic handling systems, starting with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). The 4S and Turbo models, in addition, are equipped with Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel drive.

The PASM system varies suspension damping, adjusting to road and driving conditions. Adaptive air suspension – standard on the Turbo and optional for the other models – provides a two-step adjustment in the spring rate, which substantially widens the range of driving modes from very comfortable to very sporty. For higher speeds, the system allows you to lower the Panamera by one inch. For other situations such as getting up steep driveways, the system can increase ground clearance by up to 0.8 of an inch. This push-button change is completed in about four seconds.

Almost all cars’ suspension systems are equipped with stabilizer bars, also known as “anti-rollbars,” that help keep a vehicle’s body from leaning too much in turns. In conventional luxury/performance sedans, stabilizer bars with high roll resistance can enhance handling, but can also stiffen ride quality. Conversely, reducing roll resistance can enhance ride quality while degrading handling somewhat. A Panamera equipped with Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) solves that dilemma by varying the roll resistance provided by the stabilizer bars – stiff when needed in cornering, softer when simply driving straight ahead.

The seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission plays a major role in the car’s handling dynamics. You can shift manually using steering wheel controls or choose fully automatic mode. (There is no clutch pedal.) The result is faster shifts than possible with a conventional automatic or with a manual transmission operated by an expert driver. Because there’s no letup in engine power between gearshifts, the PDK can enhance cornering stability if you shift while going through a curve.

All Panamera models have a “Sport” button on the console. Pushing it modifies the throttle response curve, the PASM suspension characteristics and the PDK shifting performance – all for more responsive driving character. In addition, the automatic Start-Stop function – which turns off the engine during stoplights to save fuel – is deactivated.

The optional Sport Chrono Package Plus puts an even more powerful transformation at your fingertips with a “Sport Plus” button.

Perhaps a favorite feature of this package will be Launch Control. Derived from a technology once used in Formula One, Launch Control allows you to execute a perfect, full-throttle launch with the best traction possible. You might want to reserve it for track driving since full-throttle launches by performance cars are often precursors to sirens and flashing lights.

In the Panamera Turbo, the Sport Chrono Package Plus adds another fun bit – an “overboost” function that temporarily boosts peak torque from a merely astounding 516 lb/ft to a monstrous 568 lb/ft from 3,000 to 4,000 rpm.

So, again, prepare to be astonished.