Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2015-...photo-2957632/

Oh, Porsche.

Just as the dust settles over the 911 GT3's no manual gearbox kerfuffle, the Germans have gone and yanked the yummy naturally aspirated 4.8-liter V8 from the Cayenne S and replaced it with a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6. Is nothing sacred in Porscheland?

Perhaps not... but that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, Porsche famously once said they'd never build a diesel, but when they did, it was actually rather stellar.

All 2015 Cayennes get subtly reworked front and rear ends, with a wider looking nose and bladed intakes feeding intercoolers, while reworked headlamps and taillights emphasize a family resemblance to the Macan. New suspension bushings and bearings combined with reworked shock internals provide sharper handling and a greater range of damping adjustability, while the standard equipment list gets a much needed boost, so to speak, with features like auto stop/start and bi-Xenon headlights. New options include rear seat air vents and smart cruise control, among others. But apart from the S E-Hybrid's new plug-in configuration and its lithium-ion battery, the most notable change in the lineup is the Cayenne S's jettisoning of the V8.


On paper, the Cayenne S' new turbo V6 beats the V8 by a kilometer. The engine, sourced from the Macan Turbo, has been coaxed to produce 420 horsepower (20 more than the previous-gen S) and 406 pound-feet of torque – twist that's identical to the torque-tastic Cayenne Diesel. Even better, the latter's plateau starts 500 rpm earlier than the glow plug-equipped model, at a loping 1,350 rpm. Compared to its predecessor, specific output climbs 40 percent to 117 hp/liter, and 0 to 62 mph comes 0.4 seconds quicker, arriving in as little as 5.1 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package (5.2 seconds without). Oh, and the new powerplant is also more fuel-efficient.

What does the right brain (seat of the pants) make of the Cayenne S' left brain (spec sheet) upgrades? Upon sliding into the Cayenne's snug driver's seat, you're met with a new, 918 Spyder-derived steering wheel and Porsche's big, familiar, in-your-face analog tachometer. Flanking the tach are two smaller gauges on either side. In other cabin news, the array of buttons along the center stack and overhead cluster offer something of a jarring contrast against the Nordically sparse periphery, while the "Oh $#!+!" grab handles astride the transmission tunnel offer a not-so-subtle hint at the Cayenne's capacity for torso-tossing G-forces.


The V6 fires up relatively quietly, and unlike the 911, Boxster, or Cayman, the Cayenne S doesn't have a sport exhaust option – though dipping into the throttle makes it a forgivable offense. Jabbing the gas squirts the Cayenne ahead, pushing you back with a satisfying shove into the relatively firm seats. There's a subtly modulated induction sound as the engine winds up, but the powerplant generally delivers a relatively racket-free driving experience as the small orange speedometer needle climbs upward. Though the eight-speed Tiptronic transmission generally shifts smoothly and quickly, some gear changes were unexpectedly abrupt in Sport mode – perhaps a remnant of the adaptive shift program that had calibrated its responses to a previous, more lead-footed driver.

Curb weight is virtually identical to the outgoing model – more standard equipment counteracts the lighter powerplant – but that said, Porsche's claimed 4,597-pound tonnage simply does not compute when this utility vehicle is tossed around switchbacks, as I did in the hilly region north of Barcelona, Spain. The Cayenne S turns easily, intuitively, and with grip that belies its footprint, which feels especially considerable with the Macan now crashing the Porsche party. Though the S model's air suspension option doesn't deliver quite the same "skyhook" effect as the Turbo's does – the Turbo seems to glide effortlessly over rough terrain – the S doesn't lack in responsiveness or steering feel, and certainly not in power.


A sampling of other 2015 Cayenne strains revealed an impressive breadth of abilities: A highway stint in the Turbo delivered wickedly quick acceleration, aided by its power boost to 520 horsepower, while an off-road jaunt in the surprisingly capable Diesel offered stunning proof that these seriously rugged sport utes are wasted on city-slicker sports-car types.

Back to the premium SUV in question, our Cayenne S tester was straddled with a startling $37,220 in options. Some of those items are downright superfluous (like $8,520 ceramic brakes), while others are nothing short of surprising in a vehicle that starts at $74,100 (e.g., the cheapest way into a real leather interior requires a $3,655 seating package).


Considering its real-world potential for stratospheric MSRPs, it's easy to see why many view the Cayenne – and virtually any new Porsche, for that matter – as an out-of-reach symbol of excess. But while it will never sell like a Ford Explorer or Honda CR-V, the Cayenne has struck a chord with a slew of well-heeled buyers – more than 276,000 in its first generation, plus a further 303,000 and counting in its second. More crucially, the still-controversial SUV lineup constitutes about half of all Porsche sales, outselling every other type of Porsche – 911, Boxster, Cayman, Panamera and, of course, 918 Spyder – combined. As one Porsche executive suggested, Cayenne sales help divert investment back into the brand's sports cars, a noble redistribution of wealth if ever there was one.

The bottom line for the 2015 Porsche Cayenne S is simple: Brand purists may bemoan the lack of a big, free-breathing V8, but the smaller turbocharged V6 packs a winning punch with its urgent torque and ballsy thrust. With power output that surpasses that of the first-gen Cayenne Turbo, the new S appeals less to utility seekers and more to bona-fide drivers making the leap into an SUV, especially one that handles like something half its size.


Interestingly, that transition into uncharted territory is a theme that extends to the bigger picture of the Porsche brand, whether it's the emergence of diesels, the slow death of the manual transmission, a hybrid hypercar, or the phasing out of the V8 engine. When asked whether the twin-turbo V8 might go extinct within the Cayenne lineup, one executive responded, "For the time being, we are happy with our eight-cylinder turbo." It's a telling answer that hints that "the time being" might end when the Cayenne's current generation cycle goes kaput.

If that means smaller, lighter, and more powerful engines that also happen to suck less fuel, Porsche is building a future that all but the most stubborn enthusiast can look forward to.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/09/23/2...-drive-review/

I8ABMR

Love this vehicle !! Hope to have one in the garage one day. I think its the only SUV I would trade into.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

oh my goodness

92 SC400

^^^ when we were buying our diesel, I read articles where the test car was optioned out to over $90k; it's easy to get carried away with P car options! Haha

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Certainly! I often can't help but load them up on the Porsche site

Kira X

iTrader: (24)

I love the Cayenne. It looks pretty mean.

SexyElaine

If I was in the market again for an SUV this would be the one ! Soooo sexxxy

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

While I admired Porsche for offering the first generation, it wasn't until this current one that I cared much. Shed 400lbs, and refined itself inside and out. Oh and there is a powertrain for everyone

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2015-...-s-quick-spin/


There are sporty SUVs, but until the Macan came along, the Porsche Cayenne was arguably the only pure definition of a 'sports SUV, à la sports car. The second-generation Cayenne is now five years old, but still looks fresh. It's handsome without obvious effort, especially with the optional 21-inch 911 Turbo wheels.

The Cayenne S replaces the old, 400-horsepower, 4.8-liter V8 with the brand-new, Porsche-developed 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6. This engine is quickly proliferating through the range – it powers the current Panamera S and the Macan Turbo. That former 4.8-liter started life as a 4.5-liter with 350 horsepower way back in 2002, specifically developed for the Cayenne, and to the end it remained a potent engine. We tried the new forced-induction V6 with 420 hp earlier this year in the Panamera S, and other than a soggy exhaust note it maintained the character of the former V8 sport sedan, with lusty power and hasty delivery. So, how's it do in the Cayenne?

Driving Notes

• The Cayenne S version of the TT V6 gets 420 hp and 406 pound-feet of torque. That means there's 37 more lb-ft than the previous V8, and 22 more lb-ft than in the new Panamera S. Yet the 607-pound difference in curb weight between the Panamera and Cayenne means the V6 has a heavier load to lift here. And it shows – the instant response is dulled.
• Stomping the right foot gets the eight-speed transmission rappelling through gears to provide a little kick, but real gumption doesn't come until the turbos kick in. We're maybe talking about a second of pause compared to the Panamera, but a noticeable second. Perhaps a small price to pay for slightly better fuel economy, if you really care about such in your 420-hp SUV.
• Part of why we notice that second is that the Cayenne S is so right-now everywhere else that any perceived hesitation gets extra attention. It offers a specific adjustability that many sports cars don't have, with one button adjusting the three-mode air suspension and a separate Sport button tweaking the steering, throttle, gear changes, and traction control.
• With Sport keeping all the horses at the ready and the optional Porsche Torque Vectoring holding things steady, you don't need to step up to the GTS trim to get immediate acceleration, crisp steering, flat cornering at very un-SUV-like speeds, and tremendous stopping power from a total of 20 brake pistons.
• That said, the exhaust note here could also use a shot of Bruce Banner's gamma rays.
• Red cabins generally turn me off – it's too much like the insides of the cows that provided the leather, and more than a little "Redrum." But the cabin in the Cayenne S tester earned a pass for reasons I can't define; it is seductively built and detailed, and let's be honest, it's nicer than you'll find in most versions of the 911 including the Turbo S. Even the steering wheel is beautiful, and the rim has a planed face that we've never encountered before. The gorgeous seats required practiced technique for climbing over so that we weren't impaled on the impressive bolsters.
• But wow, that's a lot of buttons on the center console. Sit in the back seat, lean over to view the forward cabin, and your first thought will probably be, "I wonder if the captain will give me a tour of the cockpit." It's pretty, but it's busy. We memorized the location of the five buttons we actually used and ignored the rest after pressing them all exactly once.

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/05/11/2...eview/#image-2