Cayenne reboot
PORSCHE’S refreshed Cayenne sport utility vehicle features fat rear tyres, sharper handling and brawnier engines as the German manufacturer draws on its trademark 911 sports car to counter a growing array of competitors for the big-selling model.
For a sleeker look, the third-generation Cayenne is 63mm longer and nearly 10mm lower than its predecessor.
The rear wheels are now wider than the front ones and steer to assist with the SUV’s cornering like in the 911.
Meanwhile, the base version, 75,000 which starts at nearly (RM381,300) in Germany, boasts a 340hp engine, 40hp more than the previous model.
The enhancements reflect the increasing pressure on the Cayenne, Porsche’s biggest seller next to the smaller Macan SUV. When the model was first introduced in 2002, it marked the brand’s first expansion beyond lowslung sports cars, and its success helped spark the luxury SUV wave, with the likes of Jaguar, Maserati and Bentley following suit to challenge the upscale family car. In addition to the Cayenne’s sports car thrills, the Stuttgartbased manufacturer is adding gadgetry like a 12.3-inch high-definition touchscreen, voice control, LED headlights and LTE wireless data connectivity.
The dashboard interface can also be adjusted for the driver’s preferences.
The model is also as much as 65kg lighter to improve fuel economy and acceleration, helped by a lithium-ion polymer starter battery, which alone saves 10kg in weight.
The revamped Porsche SUV will initially be available in two versions, with the higher-end, 440hp Cayenne S starting at nearly 92,000
(RM467,800. — Bloomberg