Available for automotive interpretation, I approached thePorsche Cayenne S with anticipation. The first thing I questionedwhen I drove it was basic physics. I thought to myself, “Canyou make a 5,000-pound truck feel like a 3,000-pound sportscar?” The answer: yes.
Porsche accomplished this task, and more.
Capable of reaching a top speed of 150 mph, the Cayenne S meansbusiness. With a base price of $55,900, this German gem will smokemost of the new factory sports cars. Our Cayenne claimed 60 mph inno more than 7.2 seconds. This speed achievement is due to thetotally new 4.5-liter V8 motor. It produces 340 horsepower at 6,000RPM, and 310 lb-ft torque by 2,500 RPM.
If you have interest in spending another $35,000 or so, then optfor the 450 horsepower Cayenne Turbo. I haven’t driven oneyet, but knowing that it has twin-turbos and eight cylinders,it’s not going to be the nice kid on the block.
But, don’t get too excited. The Cayenne sucks down fuellike a mad man. Factory ratings are 14 miles per gallon in the cityand 18 on the highway, and I didn’t get any better resultsduring the two-day test.
Sportiness, coupled with immaculate style, the Cayenne is likeno sport utility I have ever driven. Its suspension sets it farapart from its cousin, the Volkswagen Touareg.
The Cayenne does not hesitate to tell you what your drivingover. Let me put it in these terms: If you drove over a quarter,the Cayenne would let you know if it were heads or tails. Butdon’t get the wrong idea, the Cayenne is remarkablycomfortable as well, but the feel is unique. Being engineered byPorsche, the performance aspect of the Cayenne is excellent.
The exhaust tone on the Porsche from Zuffenhausen is classic;two perfectly sized exhaust pieces fit on the rear of the Cayenne.But the deep, throaty rumble of the V8 is simply magnificent.
The style of the new Cayenne has raised some speculation in theautomotive world. I like how it looks. However, I believe it sitsjust a tad too high. This can be fixed with the optional air bagsuspension system, called Porsche Active Stability Management. Itprovides six different height settings ranging from Special Low(above 130 mph) to Special High (extreme off-road). Inside theclassic Porsche front headlights sit optional bi-xenon lamps. Theyare not standard on the Cayenne S.
The Porsche came standard with 18-inch wheels. They look nice,but if you have the coin go for the optional 20-inch wheels.
The Cayenne is an athlete. The Porsche boast’s a 6-speedautomatic gear box. But, flip it into semi-automatic (tiptronic)and the German four-wheeler sets a new standard for the SUV market.You can go from third to first gear on the Cayenne with no delay.Bark an order, and it willingly follows. If you’re not payingattention, however, the Cayenne will redline in just a few secondsin lower gears.
The interior of the new Cayenne has the simplicity that Porscheis famous for. The test car came with a nice grey leather interior,and the seats had a wonderful sport feel. Telescoping steeringwheel, in-dash LCD display (with optional Global PositioningSystem), and the latest Media Orientated System Transportationaudio system are standard features. The MOST system uses fiberoptic cable to transport optic audio and communication signalsaround the car. Also, located on the instrument panel LCD is areadout that tells you what song is being played on the radiostation.
The Cayenne S is revolutionary. Most SUV’s on the markettoday feel like huge trucks. Not this guy. It has a unique mixtureof sportiness, class and style that go together in a way I havenever experienced. Bravo Porsche, bravo.
Next time I will review the cousin of the Porsche Cayenne S, theall new VW Touareg.
