PORSCHE / CAYENNE

Sumptuous, timely revision

Whether the new Cayenne is completely redesigned or merely updated, Porsche has made its SUV even more appealing to drive than before

RICHARD LEU

There was a feeling of slight discomfort at the international presentation of the Porsche Cayenne in Spain late last month.

Scribblers were confused when Porsche called its latest Cayenne as the second-generation model. And the boys from Zuffenhausen were a tad uneasy when they told the media that the Cayenne isn't a mere facelift.

Should you or any prospective buyer really care? That would really depend on what you value in a new car. But as Motoring understands from a common standpoint in the automotive industry, the Cayenne should be regarded as a mid-life update.

You see, the Cayenne is four years old. So the usual practice in such a given time is to facelift it - and that's exactly what Porsche has done.

The overall design is basically the same as before, except for some details like new side-view mirrors, rear lights and head lamps reminiscing the "running egg" style that was, in contrast, ditched for today's 911 from its predecessor.

The Cayenne now has more air-intake space in the front bumper. And to make the Turbo different in looks, the indicator lights are mounted horizontally, instead of the more bizarre, vertical stance found in the Cayenne and Cayenne S variants.

The interior, however, is practically unchanged - even the bland three-spoke steering with the unshapely, thin rim remains. Although not the best in visual or ergonomic terms, the cabin has top-notch materials, solid build quality and plenty of occupant and cargo space.

Porsche claims fractional improvements in aerodynamics for the latest Cayenne, the figures dropping from 0.38-0.39 to an identical 0.35 regardless of model. On the move, you will note less wind-buffeting than before at highway speeds, but it is still evident the higher you go beyond the legal limit.

New to the cosmetic (and dynamic) upgrade is wheel size. The entry-level Cayenne gets 17-inch alloys, while the two more powerful siblings get 18 inches. There are also 19, 20 and 21 inchers to choose from.

Even the largest size doesn't look big on the Cayenne. This is a clear indication that the Cayenne is a top-end SUV rivalling the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport. And like before, the Cayenne feels big on the move, particularly with that vast spread of bonnet metal in front of the driver.

We tested the Cayenne S and Turbo on big rims shod with thin tyres and noted the level of steering precision that didn't compromise vastly with ride comfort. In fact, the tyres weren't that noisy, nor did they prove uncomfortable during off-roading. The regular Cayenne that rode on 17-inch wheels behaved rather differently. While ride harshness wasn't less pronounced, the steering felt noticeably more inaccurate.

Because of this, going for fancier alloys shouldn't pose a big problem, even though the road conditions we drove on in the southern part of Spain had far smoother surfaces than those in Thailand.

One reason for the improved ride comfort could be attributed to Porsche's claims that the suspension mounts and bushings have been modified.

But the coolest part of the dynamic upgrade is the so-called Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control featuring active anti-roll bars on both ends of the Cayenne's suspension. It's similar to those set-ups found in top-end Mercs and Bimmers.

In layman's terms, PDCC helps minimise roll movement in cornering and over surface undulations. We were given the chance to drive Cayenne with and without PDCC. The results were quite distinctive and impressive, meaning that it should be a must for every Cayenne purchase, even for doing the cat-walk.

Another goodie is the Sport mode that can be activated by the driver via a button on the console to sharpen throttle, steering and transmission response. And you can also separately adjust the damper setting.

Spicy porker that worked

Porsche's gamble with the Cayenne SUV worked. Ever since the luxurious 4x4 was launched four years ago, global sales exceeded the initial target by 30% with some 30,000 units sold.

Although Thai sales were small, the Cayenne helped sustain local operations by outselling the 911 and Boxster models. Of the 188 Cayennes sold, the V6 model took up 88, S 61 and Turbo 39.

The crucial strategy of the Cayenne was not only to answer the needs of SUV punters, but to rake in more cash for Porsche to build newer models other than coupe's and cabriolets.

Hence, the official announcement of the Panamera due in 2009.

The all-new four-door saloon is likely to borrow many mechanicals from the Cayenne since both models have their longitudinal engines laid up front.

Bangkok Post
Friday February 02, 2007