Porsche Cayenne Mk2 - First Drives (Autocar etc...)

Due to the production delays at Audi on cars like the Q5, my brother is switching to the new Cayenne instead. Are going to spec it with the dealer tomorrow so will know more about which model he pick then but I think I can rule out the hybrid as neither of us are fans of this technology.

Wohoo .. look what AutoExpress did with the Cayenne

Yeah looks impresisve, but does it really have to look uglier than a pile of garbage? I think Porsche is truly incapable of designing anything really good-looking if it has more than two doors...:t-hands:

Soon there will be tests between the two.
This is not the place or time to bash the X5 M yet again Martin You soon can.

much improved in all, I still can't fancy a Porsche on stilts. It just doesn't feel right.

Motortrend - First Drive: 2011 Porsche Cayenne



Porsche Builds… a Porsche: Lighter and More powerful, the All-New Cayenne Looks Smaller, Measures Bigger, and Even Offers a Hybrid. Better Yet, it’s More of a Porsche Than Ever Before.

The biggest knocks on the original Cayenne were, first and foremost, that it was an SUV, which many critics and Porsche aficionados claimed the renowned sports-car maker should have never built, and second, it was deficient in Porsche DNA. No question, the first-gen, of which Porsche has sold around 90,000 in the U.S. since it debuted in 2003, was -- and still is -- a capable SUV, whether on road or off. From the base V-6 all the way up to the twin-turbo V-8, the 2003-10 Cayenne stood near or at the top of its class in capability and, more notable, dynamics. Still, auto analysts, including us, as well as the Porsche faithful carped that Stuttgart's SUV lacked, well, Porscheness -- even though the Cayenne was a tall, heavy sport/ute, it should nonetheless come across more like a 911 or even the new Panamera, be it in feel or perception.

After driving three of the four U.S.-bound 2011 Cayenne models in and around the lovely confines of Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama -- including the highly entertaining and technical 2.4-mile road course -- we're pleased to report that Porsche's second-generation sport/utility indeed possesses genuine Porscheness. Sure it's still the tallest and heaviest vehicle in the lineup -- depending on the model, height is down from 0.3 to 0.5 inch and weight is down around 400 pounds -- but the sensations from behind the wheel, for the most part, now belie its SUV classification. The Cayennes feel - and are - quicker, more agile, and more thrilling to drive. Further, they're more exciting to look at, thanks to remolded sheet metal draped over a 1.6-inch longer wheelbase. The hood now features a power dome similar to that on a Panamera and the rear shoulders are more pronounced, imparting a muscular, fast-forward stance. Don't let the smooth, sporty lines fool you, though -- the Cayenne remains a workhorse. Towing capacity maxes out at 5952 pounds for the V-6 and 7716 pounds for all other models.

The aforementioned weight drop comes from extensive use of aluminum in the doors, hood, and chassis as well as a new electronically controlled multi-plate-clutch all-wheel-drive system that, in conjunction with Porsche Traction Management (PTM) and a new Aisin eight-speed automatic, does without a reduction gearbox, saving 73 pounds. Moreover, the engines are lighter, as are the radiator, exhaust, parking brake (now electronic), electrical system, and wheels and tires. Even better, the Cayenne's more feathery structure is 15-percent stiffer than before. This newfound weight loss contributes in part to a maximum 23-percent increase in European fuel-economy tests, according to Porsche. Other petrol-saving factors include enhanced engine and thermal management, and Automatic Start Stop (shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stopped) with the eight-speed, a technology that debuted in the Panamera.

2011 Porsche Cayenne - First Drive - Motor Trend

Gimme a call as soon as you spot one through those huge glass @ Porsche Center JHB, I'l meet you there

Off road it will be more capable than the X's Better on tarmac than the X ///M's...I don't think so. The battle will commence soon:t-drive:

Love the interior, on & off road capabilities. Styling...mmmm..it's definitely growing on me, side and front profile I like it's actually the behind thats growing on me.

And especially compared to the Mk.I this is car is a huge step. Interior quality is absolutely awesome…and exterior looks modern and fresh. Looks like this can even do some offroading. Design growing fast on me…especially after seeing one in real life - and the rear isn't that bad as well.

ignore clarkson, it's a tri-pod when you push it

CarMiddleEast - Tested: Porsche Cayenne Turbo





Porsche held its regional launch for the all-new Cayenne this week and we’ve been behind the wheel of both the staggeringly quick 500bhp Turbo and gone off-road in the 400bhp Cayenne S. Read all the technical details of the all-new Cayenne, plus news that we’ll be getting both the Hybrid and diesel variants at launch by clicking here.

Watch the video of the launch drive in the dunes of Dubai here.

How does it look in the metal?

So much better than it did before. Despite the fact that’s actually 48mm longer and slightly taller and wider too, it looks sleeker and smaller – less aggressive but more muscular at the same time.

Admittedly it will be hard to discern it at first glance, but it’s only when it’s parked next to a previous car that the differences become really apparent. The bonnet curve is more linear and in true Porsche style the badge moves to the bonnet, the wings are more contoured with more appealing headlights.

The air intakes are better integrated and the sticking out wing mirrors are, again, more in keeping with the 911 style that is signature to the Porsche design language.

Its side profile appears more elongated with greater emphasis on the wheel arches, but the most marked difference is how it all tapers into a much less abrupt rear end. The d-pillar is curved in, there is a ‘double-bubble’ rear roofline that flows into a split roof spoiler, and the LED tail lamps now wrap around and ingress further into the back.

In fact it has a more squatter and contoured appearance, which does closely resemble an Infiniti EX – although frankly that’s not a bad thing. Still it’s not surprisingly therefore that the company thus felt it necessary to write Porsche in big letters right across the rump.

So considering I never fully came to terms with the previous Cayenne’s ugly duckling stance, this new version is a far more appealing blend of Porsche style and SUV lines. Much more acceptable in my eyes, though I do wonder if I’ve just become used to seeing the Cayenne around.

Interior wasn’t too great before either

Yeah it always appeared as if the traditional architecture of an old 911 interior had been pumped up and forced to occupy the increased area demanded by an SUV, which basically put its traditional delicate detailing all out of proportion.

The new dashboard, instrument panel, and wedge-like centre console sweeping down from the fascia is all pure Panamera, and that’s a good thing. It instantly raises the bar in every way – it looks better, feels better, and even contrives to make the cabin sportier by enveloping the driver and spreading the key controls orientated around him.

It’s also as futuristic as the old interior was, shall we say, ‘retro’. The big rev dial in the middle and the TFT display in the dash are also nice touches, as are the uniquely angled grab handles that have been copied over from the current Cayenne.

Okay it’s much better looking now, but how does it go? You drove the Turbo. Quick hey?

Oh yeah, and then some! Driving the new Turbo on UAE roads it was easy to go much faster than you intended – though be aware that that’s not admissible evidence in court!

Put the suspension into Sport – one of three settings but the best for firm body control – hit the other Sport button below that which livens up the gearchanges based on your driving style, locks out 7th and 8th gears on the eight-speed Tiptronic transmission, and automatically downshifts on braking for better getaway, and you have startlingly quick SUV that lays down a challenge to all-comers – including junior supercars.

Stamp on the throttle from standstill and after an initial hesitation as the four-wheel drive grips and bogs down momentarily, the Turbo gathers itself up and brutally launches at the horizon with the nose reaching for the skies. 100 is dispatched in a blip – just 4.7 seconds. It'll hit 160kph in 10.5secs and cover a kilometre from a standing start in just 23.5secs.

There’s a nice satisfying grunt as the new tranny changes up, but there’s little or no point in trying to make the changes yourself in manual mode – for one, the buttons confound and confuse. Having said that the three-spoke steering wheel with proper paddleshifts from the 911 Turbo PDK is available as an option.

But there’s still no point in having them, because as clever as the Tiptronic is, and it is, it’s still no match for the PDK system. There’s no reward for taking over the gearchange duties, no delightful blips or slammed in ratios. The Tiptronic just quietly, efficiently and relatively smoothly goes about its business unflustered and learning your driving style thus learning when to be in what gear. Excellent if not the most thrilling.

Thrill seekers, however will be mollified by not only the performance, but the way it grips and handles. Naturally it has four-wheel drive of the active sort allowing computers to vary torques fore and aft, port and starboard plus, most impressively of all the Porsche Torque Vectoring system. This feels a little like four wheel steer and during cornering pushes the car tighter around a corner by cutting or increasing torque to the different wheels – more to the outside wheels etc…

The effect is that after initial understeer, the car seems to pivot on its centre and dramatically tighten back onto the line you want – you can actually feel it at work. Along with the fact that it has great grip the cornering forces despite its size and bulk are extraordinary and although nerves will get the better of you at higher speeds, the rest of the time, you’ll find yourself throwing this thing around like a hot hatch.

One thing you will find is the shock realisation how quickly you arrive at corners and how much speed you have to scrub off. Fortunately the brakes are strong and bite well, but the regular anchors tend to suffer from fade, and if you are a hooligan, it might be worth investing in the optional carbon ceramic jobbies.

Easy to drive fast then?

Seems to be the whole point of this car. Okay, it’s not an outright sports car, but it will embarrass a few of them. It also inspires confidence despite its great dimensions but effectively doing the shrinking-around-you-trick – partly down to the interior styling methinks.

You can hustle it along with confidence, or put it in the regular modes and crush vast distances in no time at all. Incident, there’s not a lot of difference in the three suspension modes in terms of harshness, they’re all pretty comfortable, the difference is in the body control and damper settings which tighten up the sportier you go.

Comfortable then?

Aside from the headrests which seemed to be digging into my shoulder blades until I realised you could just manually adjust it up, and the odd electric steering column adjustment button which feels more like a manual release, but with good length and rake adjustment for the column, it’s spacious and comfortable in a cosy, body-hugging sort of manner.

Same goes for the rear, which at first acquaintance doesn’t seem that much roomier, but the contours and detailing contrive to make it mimic the sportiness of the front compartment.

Can it go off-road?

Even the old Cayenne was surprisingly able when it left the tarmac, it’s just that with something so valuable and sporty you never would, would you? And such hesitation is justified when for example we saw that several of the Cayenne S models being used for the off-road part of the launch test drive had suffered damage to their bumpers and wheel arches and guards.

It also didn’t help that, apart from the lead car, they were all shod with the optional 21-inch wheels and ultra-low profile rubber. These were clearly a handicap in the soft sand and the more tarmac-orientated rubber did have some difficulty in gaining purchasing on the soft stuff.

Having said that, a dune-bashing passenger ride in the 18-inch car demonstrated precisely what the Cayenne is capable of and it’s up there with the best of the dune bashers if you don’t find forking out for new bumpers and stuff after each excursion. It’s no Range Rover, but it’ll get you where you need to go off-road should you ever need too.

But for any customers that seriously want to use it this way – and it does come with the ability to lock the centre and rear differentials through a three-mode toggle switch, plus hill-descent control, and adjustable ride height – so you’d be tempted, Porsche might consider offering an off-road bodykit with more robust bumpers and underside.

So the answer to your question is that yes it can, but you wouldn’t.

Verdict

Dynamically the old Cayenne was always an impressive car, capable of far more than most critics, myself included, would give it any credit for, certainly on the road and to some extent off it. But it struggle with acceptance unaided, really, buy it’s rather stodgy looks and fake 911 rip-off front end.

The new car also has a 911 rip-off front end, but it’s just so much better composed and executed that you forgive it. It’s also easier to come to terms with a Porsche SUV when the interior is such a nice inviting place to be, in contrast to the previous car.

Best of all though is that as good as the old Cayenne was on the road, doing a decent impression of a high-riding sports saloon, the new car takes that even further and appears to move close to a fearsomely fast hot hatch in its nimbleness. It’s actually rather fun, despite being frighteningly fast.

If anything, to keep your licence safe, you might just opt for a ‘regular’ Cayenne S – same 4.8 V8 with 400bhp, a 0-100 time of 5.9secs and 258kph – you’ll also save yourself nearly $50k and be ‘greener’ with 10.5L/100 fuel economy. Leave the standard wheels on it and you could occasionally head off road too.

If you like the current Cayenne you’ll love the new car, and if you hated it, you’ll be forced to revisit your opinions and could well find yourself warming to this generation Cayenne, especially if you take it for a cheeky run.

2010 Porsche Cayenne tested - CAR Middle East - Online | Dubai - Abu Dhabi - UAE - Saudi Arabia - Kuwait - Bahrain - Oman - GCC

and a great set of photos…

Just had a test drive in the new Cayenne

The Porsche guys just got the new Cayenne in yesterday and a rush PDI to get them ready and on to the showroom this morning. I took the silver Cayenne S for a brief but interesting run. I will take time later tonight and write what I thought in depth but a short summary in one word .................. exceptional.






Oh and for those feeling flush, a Cayenne Turbo



Ok here's my experience of the new Cayenne S.

It was a short drive as the car was just finished being cleaned and about to be wheeled into the showroom along with the Turbo you see above. This example had the full leather, complete with Bose system and full air suspension, firstly I need to mention the seats which were the standard items and offer good support as well as being roomy and very comfortable. This car was trimmed in full grey leather, the colour while good for kids (i.e. will wear well and not show dirt easily) is not to my liking but combined with the piano black trim is quite striking and the sliding rear seat system (similar to that of the Audi Q5) is a great addition as it not only increases boot space but also tilts the back rest to offer a more relaxing position on longer journeys.

Now the drive itself.
Though some will find the v8 the ideal engine as it has bags of grunt and really does shifts on I reckon this car will work best with either the torquey diesel or the turbo, the new 8sp gearbox is a marvel, slurring the changes to the point where you only notice the change of gear by the number change on the dash (it's that good), next a special mention is needed for the suspension, with the previous Cayenne the 3 settings were noticeable between them, i.e. the comfort was quite floaty, the normal was good on good roads but slightly firm on rough roads and the sport was really limited to smooth roads or the track which is not the place you expect to find a big SUV, well the weight lose is most noticeable here in the way it rides (BMW take note), this thing is limo good in comfort meaning it's not floaty and softs out the bumps and rough surfaces exceptionally well indeed, normal is the Goldilocks setting for everyone as it's neither too soft nor is it too firm and even the sport works as a perfectly acceptable setting as it's now not rock hard yet still controls the body with a vice like grip.

Interior
If you thought the last model wasn't up to Porsche's usually high standard, well the same can't be said about the new one, this is a car that feels a class above the competition, especially so when equipped with full leather. Some may feel the buttons count is unnecessary but for those of us who still like a button to hit instead of menus to steer through then this dash is a real treat on the eye, busy yes but it's a classy and expensive looking.

Without a doubt this is the best SUV on the market, better than the X5/6, the Q5/7 or GLK/ML and well worth expensive.

Amazing...

ok, saw a couple of these yesterday while driving past a dealer, you're not gonna believe it, but after seeing it IRL ... screw it, I love it :t-cheers:

I told you guys that the X5-M would only enjoy 15min of fame and that the pecking order would be restored as soon as Porsche take the wraps off the Cayenne Turbo Mk.II. But off course, the spectics slammed me back contending that the X5-M is now the king of the segment and that the Turbo S is the X5-M rival and not the Turbo.

Well it's time to eat some humble pie. Read this, what Autoblog have said about the new Cayenne Turbo hafter their first drive:


We've driven the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG and BMW X5 M (and X6 M) on the track more than once. Although all were plenty fast, the excitement level of driving 2.5-ton SUVs, even those "race-prepared" models, around a road circuit is akin to shooting glass bottles with a Nerf gun. It simply doesn't get our adrenalin flowing.

Maneuvering through the corners, we expect body roll, squealing tires and understeer, but the Cayenne fails to deliver the bad news. Instead, it seems to land on its feet with the competence of a luxury sport sedan (it felt like we were driving a BMW 5 Series).

Today, fresh out of the fat farm with a refined set of running gear and some sexy new clothes, the automaker's hot pepper finally dances like a sport sedan. While it's no twinkle-toed Fred Astaire – and it never will be – the all-new 2011 Porsche Cayenne is finally good enough to turn those petrified cynics into believers.


First Drive: 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo sheds 4,177 Twinkies - and it shows — Autoblog