Latest updates on our fleet
In a nutshell... Just as you’d expect – a supremely competent tow car
ONE OF THE biggest privileges of being a member of the Practical Caravan team is being able to test a wide variety of caravans.
But there’s another big privilege in this job – the fact that we get to review tow cars as well. In most cases, the cars that we get in on test are fairly run of the mill. But there is always an exception to the rule.
A few months ago, we were offered the opportunity of having a Porsche Cayenne as a tow car ( A). We have wanted to feature this vehicle on our pages for ages, so we jumped at the opportunity.
We only had the Porsche for a week, and at relatively short notice, but we saw a good opportunity to test it, because Bailey had invited us to see its new Unicorn Black range – a souped-up version of its most upmarket conventional-width caravan. That would make a great match for the Porsche.
Off-road performance
I was looking forward to driving the Cayenne, having driven other 4x4s over a long period, including a Land Rover Freelander and
Nissan X-trail. I had heard people claim that, while it is a Porsche, the Cayenne wasn’t as vastly superior an off-road performer as you might expect – sour grapes, perhaps?
I can’t say very much for its performance as an off-roader, as we didn’t take it down too many bumpy tracks (although it did ride over a couple of potholes in the park at Leigh Court, outside Bristol, with ease).
But as a tow car, this is an outstanding performer. Leaving the Bailey factory, there are a couple of steep ascents as you climb up into the Mendips, and we have struggled with these in other tow cars many times before.
Even with the Bailey Unicorn Black Vigo that we were trialling, which weighs in at 1344kg unladen, the Porsche took these roads with unruffled calm. The windy roads up in the hills themselves were a doddle, too.
Later in the day, we were quite dramatically reminded of just how superior this car is, when we were on our way back by the Clifton Suspension Bridge, in search of some other possible vistas to explore.
We watched as the 4x4 in front of us suddenly shot up in the air and flipped over on its side. It seemed to have happened because the driver lost concentration in heavy but moving traffic, allowing the car to ride up onto the central reservation and get its front wheels caught in the railings.
We suspected the other car had a higher centre of gravity than the Porsche, which sat fair and square on the road all the time.
Safety features
That incident also allowed us to test the car’s emergency braking capability. It passed the test easily, thanks in part to safety features including ABS, anti-slip regulation, automatic brake differential and motor slip regulation braking control. Our test model also had Porsche’s optional ceramic composite brake, a snip at £4217.
I found the interior comfortable, with most controls easily accessible and a good driving position. But my son (early 20s) took violent exception to the our particular car’s red leather seats (you can choose a more sober colour if you’d prefer). He didn’t want to risk being seen in such a car, even for a short hop to the local station – such are the changed priorities of younger generations today!
Personally I thought that, were it not for the distinctive badge, from a distance, you might not notice the car is a Porsche. The boxy shape of the body is similar to many other off-roaders, with only the shape of the bonnet resembling other Porsches. Admittedly, the 21-inch titanium wheels and wheel arch extensions might make you think the car is something special.
No ordinary tow car
But it’s time to wake from this reverie and reaffirm that this is no ordinary car: it was even delivered and collected by one of those big single-vehicle transporters usually associated with sports cars.
And there is a good reason why it towed so well. Its 4.0-litre engine can produce 550bhp of power at between
5750 and 6000rpm, and 568lb ft of torque between 1960 and 4500rpm.
That’s impressive stuff.
Even the accessories are special.
That isn’t just a standard in-car stereo, it’s a Bose surround-sound system, with 14 speakers and a subwoofer.
And of course, such a car is no ordinary price, either. Porsche has managed to keep the base price below £100,000; it’s £99,291. But our test model, with a large selection of extras including an £858 electrically deployed towbar, came to £114,560. At that price, you could buy a couple of motorhomes (or even a house, depending on where you live).
So, if you have that kind of money, by all means go for it. The rest of us can dream!