Viral video shows a Panamera ripping itself from a tow truck, but claims it was being repossessed remain unconfirmed

Getting your car towed sucks, but there are generally better solutions than simply driving away while it’s still attached to the truck. One Porsche Panamera driver in California evidently disagrees. Not only did they manage to escape, but Porsche’s all-wheel-drive system deserves at least some of the credit. That said, several pieces of the Panamera didn’t make it.

Video posted to Instagram shows the bizarre incident unfolding in Glendale, California, on August 28. By the time the camera starts rolling, the Panamera’s rear wheels are already suspended by the tow truck. Typically, that’s the point where the battle is over. Apparently, nobody told the person behind the wheel. Frankly, it’s odd anyone was behind the wheel to begin with.

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The driver hits the accelerator, and the Porsche starts moving, dragging the tow equipment along the pavement. With its rear wheels hanging uselessly in the air, the Panamera’s driven front wheels claw at the asphalt and somehow keep pulling. Eventually, something has to give, and it ends up being the tow rig rather than the German sedan. The car violently falls free from the towing equipment and manages to drive away immediately.

It’s hard to see exactly what damage happened here, but a few things are unquestionable. The rear bumper is going to need a fresh reskin. There appear to be several other smaller bits from the undercarriage that the driver left behind. If we focus solely on the rear bumper, the math begins to get interesting. Road & Track notes that the rear bumper cover alone for a 2024-2026 Panamera carries a suggested retail price north of $2,300.

That’s before paint, labor, mounting hardware, or whatever other components took a beating when the rear of the car came crashing down. Now, let’s consider the other end of this. Nobody is sure about whether this was a repo or just a typical tow for something like parking in the fire lane.

If this is just an ordinary tow by the Glendale police, the city’s published figures include a $132 vehicle-release fee, while its listed towing-company rates are $151 per hour for towing and $47 for 24 hours of storage. No matter the situation, driving away from the rig seems like less than a wise move.