The new Porsche Cayenne: Third generation adds more power and agility
AFTER years without a single scrappage scheme to replace old polluting cars with new clean versions, almost all car companies are now offering these schemes in Europe with generous cashback offers.
These offers are not driven by an altruistic desire to clean up the environment, but rather by the sluggish sales figures in all segments. In Britain, figures show that new car sales to private buyers are down by a substantial 10 percent in August than a year ago. Diesel car sales were even worse — down by 21 percent.
During the recession of 2008, governments came to the rescue with scrappage schemes to encourage sales of new cars in a stagnant market.
This time, hopes of government interventions failed to materialize and companies took matters into their own hands.
The new scrappage scheme offered by car companies to replace old cars with cleaner ones is nothing but a cheap and desperate attempt to boost sales in environmentally wrapped packages.
While offering these schemes, car companies are still selling diesel cars.
Polluting cars taken in part exchange, some of which are in good running order, are not scrapped but rather sold in auctions and most of them are used again on the roads.
Buyers of new cars through these schemes are not doing it for the environment either.
They think they are getting a good deal selling their old cars worth no more than $700 for $2,000 in subsidy form to buy their new cars. What they do not realize is that they are going to lose more money than the incentive they got, in depreciation during the first three years of new car ownership.
These schemes have a whiff of dishonesty about them in the way they describe themselves and in how they are operated by the companies.
They have nothing to do with the environment and they aim at flogging more sales. Similar schemes in the past did not last long.
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Adel Murad is a senior motoring and business journalist, based in London.
Qwhich helps with high-speed stability and enhances maneuverability.
Despite the weight loss, the Cayenne is longer, by 63 mm, and has more interior space. Its luggage space volume increases by 100 liters to 770 liters.
The overall exterior appearance of the Cayenne has not changed much in the third generation. The enlarged air intakes in the front are clear indicators of the increased performance. The vehicle appears wider and more athletic. The redesigned rear lights host the three-dimensional Porsche logo and end-to-end narrow strip of LEDs.
Every Cayenne is fitted with LED headlights as standard with Porsche Dynamic Light System as an option.
The Cayenne is a very capable offroader with rough terrain modes that make it easy for the driver to select the right set-up. The default setting is the on-road program with four other modes available for mud, gravel, sand and rocks.
For the first time the Cayenne is available with electric rear-axle steering, a system that already exists in the 911 and Panamera, which improves agility on bends and stability when changing lanes at high speed. A new suspension option is available and offers consumers adaptive air suspension with new three-chamber technology.
Digital evolution
A new concept of Porsche advanced cockpit is integrated in the new Cayenne. At the heart of the system is a 12.3 inch touchscreen which was first introduced last year in the Panamera. A range of voice-activated functions can be operated intuitively.
The standard Porsche Connect Plus allows access to the Internet and online services. Navigation with realtime traffic information is standard. The driver has a central analogue tachometer to view with two 7-inch HD displays that provide all other relevant data. Night vision with thermal-imaging camera is available to assist drivers in poor visibility areas. Other assistance technology include: Lane keeping assist; traffic sign recognition; traffic jam assist and park assist including surround view. The
InnoDrive including adaptive cruise control.
Porsche is expected to add a plug-in hybrid variant of the Cayenne, as in the current generation. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said that the automaker would decide at the end of the decade whether its latest generation of diesel engines could be its last, although the third-generation Cayenne will still offer a diesel, he said.
Porsche was a pioneer with the first generation Cayenne which, in 2002, upset the purists who feared for the company’s image, which rested on sports cars with high performance abilities. However, the vision was proven right and the segment has since grown and includes many other luxury brands.
Bentley has already launched the faster Bentayga, while Lamborghini will offer next year the Urus. Fiat Chrysler has added the Maserati Levante and Alfa Romeo Stelvio with its high-performance Quadrifoglio version. Rolls Royce will come up with its own SUV luxury version – the Cullinan — in 2018.
The new third generation Cayenne was on display at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show and will come to the markets by spring 2018. Prices in KSA will start from SR308,600 ($82,289) for the Cayenne and SR375,800 for the Cayenne S.