SUV turns up the heat
but for the first time the rear wheels are larger than those in the front, similar to a sports car. That is not the only change at the rear, because the Cayenne will also have rear-wheel steering.
Not surprisingly it will have active all-wheel drive, but it will also be available with the Porsche 4D Chassis Control that debuted on the latest Panamera, a multichamber air-suspension system and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC).
TWO MODELS
Initially there will only be two models and those eagerly awaiting the Turbo, GTS or plug-in hybrid versions will have to wait a little longer. The regular Cayenne will be a 3.0l turbo pushing out just over 250kW and 450Nm. Porsche is claiming a 0-100km/h time of 6.2 seconds for the model as well as a top end of 245km/h.
The second model will be the Cayenne S with a 2.9l twin-turbo V6 generating about 328kW, 550Nm of torque and a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.2 seconds. Add the Sport Chrono package to it and Porsche says it will break the five-second barrier and hit 100 in 4.9 seconds.
You will notice there is no mention of a diesel model at this stage, which is not surprising given the diesel issues within the Volkswagen Group, but the company has said it is committed to diesels so we expect one to be added eventually.
All models will feature a new version of the eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox and Porsche is claiming shorter response times and shorter ratios for on and offroad performance. If you are one of the few who ventures offroad in their Cayenne, there will be the choice of mud, gravel, sand or rock settings and Porsche Traction Management which comes into play on-road.
Those who do go off the beaten track will also have the use of an app to record their off-road trips and give hints to improve their off-road driving. It is one example of the technology in the car which CEO of Porsche AG, Oliver Blume, says is now fully “digitised and networked”.
Much of that digitisation is in the interior, where there is clear evidence of a link to the new design that debuted in the latest Panamera. There is a 12.3 inch high-definition touchscreen as well as a centre console with a glass panel containing haptic buttons that provide real feedback to the touch. There is also a new generation of voice control, including the ability to adjust the ventilation controls by speech.
BRAKING SYSTEM
Other new items include the first Porsche Surface Coated Brake with a tungsten-carbide layer, a high performance braking system that will be available as an option. The company says that this technology increases friction while reducing both brake dust and wear.
No launch of a new model would be complete without some mention of a level of autonomous ability and the new Cayenne is no exception. Blume says it will be capable of semiautonomous driving in stop/ start traffic which will suit all those urban Cayenne owners.
The Cayenne has been hugely popular in SA, in fact we reckon there are probably more Cayennes per square metre in Sandton than anywhere else in the world. With the reveal of the new one, that totally unscientific statistic looks set to continue.