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DRIVEN: 2011 Cayenne Shows Agility On Track
Latest version of Porsche SUV loses weight and gains performance; interior much improved.
Bengt Halvorson  | http://thecarconnection.com  |  Posted May 20, 2010   Birmingham, AL
The newest version of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo thunders through a turn with amazing grace, considering that it's a nearly 5,000-pound SUV. (Photo: Motor Authority)
As we piloted the new 2011 Porsche Cayenne S back-to-back with the 2010 Cayenne S at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Alabama – a course that includes a good mix of tight hairpins, flowing sweepers and terrain changes – it was almost instantly apparent that Porsche has done a lot more than a nip and a tuck in updating its SUV. The new version of this utility vehicle is more nimble and sporty-feeling than before and minds its weight in a more confidence-inspiring way.

The Cayenne S shows that the new model is similar to the outgoing Cayenne although all the sheet metal and front air dam are new. (Photo: Motor Authority)
Part of the reason behind this surefootedness and poise is that there's significantly less weight to be shifted around, and a number of performance improvements make the Cayenne more focused toward on-road dynamics without sacrificing its off-road capability.

All the Cayenne's new-for-2011 features would have weighed an extra 154 pounds had the existing version been carried over, the automaker says. But here's where the story gets particularly interesting. Altogether, the 2011 Cayenne S weighs about 400 pounds less than the 2010, through no single strategy but a combination of going with an active, electronically controlled all-wheel drive system and forgoing a low range; using more aluminum and substituting lighter interior components; swapping wheels and tires; and installing an electric parking brake, among many changes.

The base Cayenne V6 model, which will reach dealerships later in the year, weighs in at a more size-appropriate 4,400 pounds.

Even the new 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid that we also drove on the track weighs slightly less than the 2010 Porsche Cayenne S, and that's considering it’s the V8 models.

The Cayenne Turbo gets a twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter that makes 500 horsepower, with a top speed of 172 mph. (Photo: Motor Authority)
From the outside, the changes are subtle even though it's officially all-new sheet metal. The Cayenne's side pillars have been blacked out, giving it a lower-set look, even if its overall dimensions are about the same. The front end can readily be distinguished due to its new air-dam design. Door panels are more curvaceous, and if you look more closely, the new version has rear flanks that are slightly more accented.

While the Cayenne might not look that much different on the outside, it's changed significantly inside. One of the single most noticeable differences is the completely new instrument panel. Gone is the cheap black-plastic sea of buttons and more upright look of the outgoing Cayenne; the new setup is curved with a high, upward-sloping center console like that in the Panamera and Carrera GT, with a new touch-screen system at the front.

Grab handles still flank the center console, and the curvy instrument panel has prominent, vertically oriented vents that are contoured and accented just right with matte-metallic bright work. Altogether, it looks like a more sophisticated setup and is considerably more coupe-like in feel than the former layout.

The interior gets updated with richer materials and a completely new instrument panel. (Photo: Motor Authority)
In back, the Cayenne's rear bench seat now slides fore and aft a total of 6.3 inches, and legroom has increased thanks to a 1.6-inch longer wheelbase. Back seat rake is also adjustable with three different positions. The seatback still doesn't fold completely flat, though it will provide space for a snowboard or a small piece of furniture.

Porsche has also upped the level of tech content in the Cayenne. A good Bluetooth interface is at last standard across the line, while the standard sound system includes an iPod and USB interface. New options include a Lane Change Assistant that helps alert the driver to vehicles in blind spots, a bi-xenon adaptive cornering lighting system and an Adaptive Cruise Control system that can maintain following distances at speeds between 20 and 100 mph.

The Adaptive Cruise Control will prime the braking system when the need is anticipated and will even bring the Cayenne to a complete stop. A quick press of the accelerator will reset the system.

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