Porsche Cayenne 2010 review

Cayenne is no longer a VW Touareg with a Porsche badge. Despite sharing its chassis, a diesel engine and its first hybrid petrol/electric powertrain with VW, Porsche Cars Australia managing director Michael Winkler says the two models are "totally different".

"On the last Cayenne you could exchange the doors with the Touareg. Now you can't," he says. "Every panel is totally different."

PRICING AND DRIVETRAINS

Three new Cayenne models have arrived in Australia: Turbo V8 at $239,900 (up $2700), Cayenne S V8 at $147,900 (up $1000) and S Hybrid at $159,900. They will be followed shortly by the V6 at $103,500 (up $1000) and Diesel at $104,500 (up $800).

For those extra dollars, the customer gets 20 to 23 per cent better fuel economy with increased or similar power figures, more equipment, more cabin space and an eight-speed tiptronic transmission with stop/start technology that switches the engine off at idle.

Winkler says the Cayenne is such an important seller for the company they flew powertrain manager Stefan Fegg from Germany to Brisbane for the national launch this week.

Fegg says they worked with VW to develop the parallel hybrid system which uses a 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine (245kW/440Nm) and an electric motor (34kW/300Nm) that produces fuel economy of 8.2L/100km. Not bad for a two-tonne truck, but still not as good as the new Diesel which is down from 9.3 to 7.4L/100km.

However, Fegg points out that city drivers will be able to squeeze more economy out of the hybrid and can even choose to run in electric-only mode for up to 3km if they don't go faster than 60km/h.

Fegg says the massive fuel economy savings across all models are due to weight saving, reduced friction in the engine and transmission, low-rolling resistance tyres, recuperative power from the brakes used to charge the battery, two overdriven gears on the eight-speed tiptronic with 50 per cent faster changes, and stop/start technology.

In Europe, the stop-start function defaults to the switched-on position, but in Australia, the driver must select it, although it then defaults to whatever setting it was on when the engine was last switched off.

While Porsche added 65kg to the vehicle for structural safety and extra features, 103kg was shaved from the body by using lightweight materials, 74kg from the chassis, 63kg from the engine and 10kg from the electrics. Overall, vehicle weight is down 250kg.

However, the Hybrid unit adds 165kg, of which 80kg is the battery. That makes it top weight at 2240kg, compared with the S at 2065kg and Turbo at 2170.

APPEARANCE AND FIT-OUT

Styling is now more svelte and less of a big-bottomed tank largely due to the less chunky and much lighter one-piece tailgate design. There is now no separate window opening, so dust penetration should be reduced.

PCA training manager Paul Watson says the bonnet has been extended forward allowing the Porsche badge to be relocated. "Every Porsche now has the crest on the bonnet. It's back in its rightful place," he says.

It also now features a front air intake that has been inverted from the previous smile to a more menacing grimace. Cayenne is 48mm longer and 11mm wider with a 40mm longer wheelbase, increasing cabin legroom. The rear seats also move forward and back by 160mm as well as folding and tilting.

While the space-saver spare tyre is under the cargo floor, in the Hybrid it takes up a chunk of the cargo area because the battery is under the floor. Watson says customers can choose to swap the tyre for a can of goo to patch punctures. Tyres can be re-inflated by an on-board nitrogen compressor. The Cayenne cabin is almost identical to the new Panamera with its sloping centre console, cockpit-like clustered instruments and driver-oriented feel.

MECHANICAL

Driving dynamics feature highly in the new Cayenne with a range of acronyms such as PASM, PTV Plus, PDCC and PTM.

PASM is the Porsche Active Suspension Management which adjusts the dampers for sport, normal or comfort setting as selected by the driver.

PTV plus is Porsche Torque Vectoring that brakes the inside wheels and varies power delivery via an electronically controlled cross differential on the rear axle in corners. It basically helps prevent understeer which is endemic in most SUVs. It is optional on the Cayenne, S and Turbo.

PDCC is Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control is a hydraulic system that operates active anti-roll bars to keep the body flat in corners. It is standard on the Turbo and available as an option on all air suspension models.

PTM is Porsche's Traction Management system. In active form on the Cayenne, S and Turbo it uses an electronic clutch to distribute torque up to 100 per cent to either the front or rear wheels. In "reactive" form in the Diesel and S Hybrid, PTM splits torque up to 40 per cent to the front and 60 per cent to the rear.

"Two-wheel drive isn't an option for the Cayenne, it's an SUV and will always be four-wheel drive," says Fegg.

There are three modes for off-road driving. Mode 1 recalibrates electrical systems such as traction control and ABS for slippery terrain and in the air suspension models it raises the ride height. Mode 2 locks the clutch for better traction and Mode 3 locks the rear diff.

Brakes in all models have been uprated with larger discs up to 410mm in the Turbo and stronger calipers. All models also feature a recuperative system that uses kinetic energy from braking to charge the battery. It's called a "micro hybrid" system.

There is a vast range of options available including lane-change assist and adaptive cruise control that operates down to 20km/h.

Cayenne is a combination of elements built in various locations. Its chassis is made in Slovakia, the engines are made in various locations in Germany and Hungary and the final vehicles are assembled in Leipzig, Germany.

Winkler says S Hybrid represents about eight per cent of their 250 orders so far, but he expects to sell about 15 per cent after customers have test-driven it. "Hybrid customers will live in the city and buy it not only for economy, but for social acceptance," he says.

Diesel will continue to represent about 40-45 per cent of sales. Winkler says there is no confirmation of GTS or Turbo S models.

DRIVING

A quick strop across Mt Glorious and its 40-odd kilometres of gloriously winding tarmac reveals a car that is more lively and lithe in its handling, although still short of the BMW X5 benchmark. Despite load shedding, it still feels its weight and relies on the fancy electronics to keep things together. There is a moment of impending understeer at turn-in, but a smooth and predictable flick to oversteer.

Road noise is substantially reduced which turns your attention to the wind noise around the wing mirrors and bottom of the windscreen. The S Hybrid deserves its S badge for the potent driving force when both the electric motor and petrol engine are working.

It emits a typical Porsche growl as it stomps bucketloads of torque through its wheels. The V8 feels less powerful at the low and mid end than the Hybrid, but comes on song when revved out.

The Turbo is simply stunning with lightning delivery of great globs of power for rapid overtaking that will leave you breathless and licence-less unless you are careful. Brakes tend to be too sensitive in initial bite, especially in slow-moving traffic, but offer great confidence when looming up on a hairpin turn.

OFF THE ROAD

Porsche rounded out its country road strop with a short demonstration of off-road abilities at the Mt Cotton Training Facility. Here it was the turn of the mechanical diff and all the associated electronic trickery to strut their stuff.

While low ratio has been tossed out to save weight, Cayenne retains hill descent with the speed now controlled by the cruise control stalk down to 3km/h. Wheel articulation is limited, but the traction controls work miracles on steep and uneven surfaces to produce more forward momentum than most luxury softroaders.

Wade depth is limited by the air intake, so a bow wave will snuff the engine. However, it is fine for most off-road duties Porsche owners will require.

Winkler admits only 20 per cent of Cayenne owners will ever get their wheels dirty.