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Cayenne. A hot, red chilli pepper used to flavour dishes.
If ever a name suited a car, this is it. The new Porsche Cayenne Turbo is one spicy ride.
While some might question choosing a large, four-door version over the traditional two-door model, rest assured this Cayenne is a sporty beast. The 4.8-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine can whisk you from zero to 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds – quick enough to cope with any tricky situation and still keep the rev heads revving.
But faster acceleration (thanks to the eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission system) is just one of the improvements Porsche has made to the new Cayenne Turbo, originally launched in 2003. The designers claim this version is more dynamic, practical and comfortable, a response no doubt to criticism of the original for being unwieldy and unrefined.
Yes, but at a tick over two tonnes, it’s still a big, petrol-guzzling SUV, I hear you cry. Well, not so apparently, as the new Cayenne is also lighter, with improved fuel consumption and less emissions. A particularly cute little gadget is the auto start/stop function that can automatically cut the engine when you stop at traffic lights, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions. I’m told this feature is particularly popular in Japan.
You know that any car with the Porsche logo on the bonnet is likely to be stylish outside and classy inside. The Cayenne delivers on both counts. There’s a sleek ‘power dome’ on the bonnet and inside you’ve got leather, surround sound and a sunroof.
First impression when you settle into the driver’s seat is one of height. I felt like a tennis umpire sitting high up in his chair. Adjust the power seats, activate the satellite navigation and you’re ready to roll…almost.
Let’s get to the buttons. A nonchalant flick of a switch and you can lower or raise the height of the car. The feeling is a little like sitting in the car on a rollercoaster as it prepares to go over a hill. The techies call it self-levelling and ride-height control. I call it a whole lot of fun.
With full-time all-wheel drive, Porsche say the Cayenne can go off road and there’s a dinky little switch with a mountain logo to prove it (although at AU$260k, would you really risk it?) Other switches adjust the power train to handle challenges such as mud, snow or sand. If you’re a city dweller, these buttons might be superfluous.
Road hugging is further enhanced by two high-tech systems called Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Traction Management.
The former is an electronic damping control system that allows the driver to choose from three set-up modes: Comfort, Sport and Normal. PTM promotes dynamic handling and increased traction by transmitting drive torque from the rear axle to the front axle via an electronically variable multi-plate clutch.
And all of this is transmitted to the bitumen via the Tiptronic S that automatically adapts the gearshift points for performance driving. Knowing how much some people like to control their own driving destiny, Porsche has added two paddles to the sporty, three-spoke steering wheel allowing for manual gear changes.
One press forward with the thumb and Tiptronic S shifts up. One pull backwards with the index finger and Tiptronic S shifts down. As long as you know your forward from your reverse, you should be fine.
Channeling all my years of luxury car design, I would perhaps have made the rear-view mirror a shade larger to improve visibility around the back of the car. And for some reason I found the lack of actual numbers on the speedometer between 50 and 100 a little disconcerting (there is a digital version on the centre console).
But really they are but specs on the windscreen of perfection that is the Cayenne Turbo.
By Jon Underwood
at a glance
Porsche Cayenne Turbo
Engine: 4.8-litre twin-turbo V8 delivering 368kW @ 500hp
Torque: 700Nm @ 2,250 to 4,500rpm
0-100kph: 4.7 secs
Max speed: 278km/h
Fuel tank: 100 litres
Fuel economy: 11.5l/100km (Combined)
Gross vehicle weight: 2,880kg
Overall length: 4,846mm
Wheel base: 2,895mm
RRP: AU$245,780, excluding stamp duty, compulsory third-party insurance, registration and dealer delivery.
For more information, visit porsche.com/australia
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