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New Models
DRIVEN: Cayenne Again Raises The Bar
Porsche’s second-generation SUV loses weight and gains performance as the German sports-car company shows off its capabilities.
Porsche restyled the second-generation Cayenne, making it look more refined and less like a 911 on stilts. (Photo: Porsche)
How do they do it? How do the Porsche engineers take a high-profile, 4,500-pound sport utility and make it drive and handle better than most sport sedans?
The second-generation of the Cayenne is even tighter and more-refined than what went before, not to mention shedding 400 pounds of bulk through an extensive weight-loss program. The result is a Cayenne S that feels more nimble and better focused while still coddling its occupants in unmitigated luxury.
The newfound “lightness” is key to the Porsche of SUVs, as the technical wizards managed to extract many pounds from the suspension and all-wheel-drive system for less unsprung weight, plus losing some of the excess blub from the doors and cabin materials.
This is my second shot at the new Cayenne, my first tester being the Hybrid version that manages to provide sparkling performance while increasing fuel mileage. The most-recent was the S model, which adds V8 power, suspension tweaks and stronger brakes to the basic Cayenne.
And as always, I’m impressed with how Porsche parlays its sports-car heritage into such an unlikely craft. All the Porsche fanatics and others who decried such a sellout are now eating their words as the Cayenne has become a cash cow for the company, selling more than half of the automaker’s lineup of mainly dedicated sports cars.
Now that Bentley, Maserati and Lamborghini have all trotted out SUVs that probably are destined for production, Porsche looks more visionary than anything else.
As for the Cayenne S handling prowess, such refinement as double-wishbone front suspension, multi-link rear and active all-wheel drive is enhanced by the wonder of electronics, including Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (which includes hydraulically-assisted anti-roll bars), Porsche Active Stability Management and Porsche Traction Management.
The stability management works with the air suspension to allow the driver to adjust the suspension’s firmness in several increments, from a relatively smooth comfort setting to a stiff sport mode that brings the SUV into (nearly) sports-car territory. Quite impressive, really, and very much in keeping with the company’s lineup of sharply honed 911s, Caymans and Boxsters.
Yes, it does feel weird to toss such a tall vehicle into a turn, but the Cayenne S grabs and holds the line without fuss or undue body sway. The understeer of the previous model has been pretty-much dialed out, leaving the Cayenne S feeling neutral in corners. The traction-management system continuously varies power to each wheel, providing the full benefit of all-wheel drive.
Cayenne is equipped with a sophisticated off-road traction system, though I doubt if too many drivers of this pricey morsel will be bashing them over boulder-strewn Jeep trails.
The brawny S model is lifted by the 400-horsepower V8, which pulls the still-hefty SUV to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds, Porsche says. Torque is 368 pound-feet starting at 3,500 rpm, which helps with the acceleration snap. The Cayenne S feels plenty powerful, but if you want more and have even more cash to spend, the top-of-the-line S Turbo brings along a no-nonsense 500 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque.
Also new for the second generation is a standard eight-speed automatic transmission whose shifts are nearly imperceptible. Steering-wheel shifters provide some driver engagement, but the automatic always seems to find the sweet spot without any outside interference.
Fuel mileage with the Cayenne S is about par for a performance SUV, at 16 mpg city and 22 highway, but that’s part of the price you pay. The Hybrid does better but costs $4,000 more.
The second-generation of the Cayenne is even tighter and more-refined than what went before, not to mention shedding 400 pounds of bulk through an extensive weight-loss program. The result is a Cayenne S that feels more nimble and better focused while still coddling its occupants in unmitigated luxury.
The newfound “lightness” is key to the Porsche of SUVs, as the technical wizards managed to extract many pounds from the suspension and all-wheel-drive system for less unsprung weight, plus losing some of the excess blub from the doors and cabin materials.
This is my second shot at the new Cayenne, my first tester being the Hybrid version that manages to provide sparkling performance while increasing fuel mileage. The most-recent was the S model, which adds V8 power, suspension tweaks and stronger brakes to the basic Cayenne.
And as always, I’m impressed with how Porsche parlays its sports-car heritage into such an unlikely craft. All the Porsche fanatics and others who decried such a sellout are now eating their words as the Cayenne has become a cash cow for the company, selling more than half of the automaker’s lineup of mainly dedicated sports cars.
Now that Bentley, Maserati and Lamborghini have all trotted out SUVs that probably are destined for production, Porsche looks more visionary than anything else.
As for the Cayenne S handling prowess, such refinement as double-wishbone front suspension, multi-link rear and active all-wheel drive is enhanced by the wonder of electronics, including Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (which includes hydraulically-assisted anti-roll bars), Porsche Active Stability Management and Porsche Traction Management.
The stability management works with the air suspension to allow the driver to adjust the suspension’s firmness in several increments, from a relatively smooth comfort setting to a stiff sport mode that brings the SUV into (nearly) sports-car territory. Quite impressive, really, and very much in keeping with the company’s lineup of sharply honed 911s, Caymans and Boxsters.
Yes, it does feel weird to toss such a tall vehicle into a turn, but the Cayenne S grabs and holds the line without fuss or undue body sway. The understeer of the previous model has been pretty-much dialed out, leaving the Cayenne S feeling neutral in corners. The traction-management system continuously varies power to each wheel, providing the full benefit of all-wheel drive.
Cayenne is equipped with a sophisticated off-road traction system, though I doubt if too many drivers of this pricey morsel will be bashing them over boulder-strewn Jeep trails.
The brawny S model is lifted by the 400-horsepower V8, which pulls the still-hefty SUV to 60 mph in just 5.6 seconds, Porsche says. Torque is 368 pound-feet starting at 3,500 rpm, which helps with the acceleration snap. The Cayenne S feels plenty powerful, but if you want more and have even more cash to spend, the top-of-the-line S Turbo brings along a no-nonsense 500 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque.
Also new for the second generation is a standard eight-speed automatic transmission whose shifts are nearly imperceptible. Steering-wheel shifters provide some driver engagement, but the automatic always seems to find the sweet spot without any outside interference.
Fuel mileage with the Cayenne S is about par for a performance SUV, at 16 mpg city and 22 highway, but that’s part of the price you pay. The Hybrid does better but costs $4,000 more.
The Lyonheart K
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