Porsche has recently revealed the third generation of the Porsche Cayenne. To be honest, no-one can ignore the resemblance to the second and the third generation Cayenne. The new Cayenne looks exactly the same as the old one. Why? It is quite simple. Car companies don’t like to change the design of their best selling models and scare their customers.
That’s a really good approach when it comes to maintaining good financial results. However, it ruins the passion when it comes to car design.
Actually the drama of the exterior design is explained by the press release, the inclusion of the true Porsche 911 DNA. This means that all future Cayennes will look exactly the same as the Porsche 911!
Anyway, the new Cayenne is a game changer. Like a massive American SUV, the Cayenne features all-wheel steering. Now you can go in to a corner faster than ever with a 1.9-tonne SUV. However, the all-wheel steering not only improves the handling. It also makes parking easier.
American SUVs have been offering this for a very long time. In the early 2000s, this feature was unique to the Chevrolet Suburban and is now available with the Cayenne.
The Cayenne is in full turbo now! The Cayenne features a single turbo engine and the Cayenne S features a twin-turbo engine. This means, if you don’t save enough, your Cayenne can suffer a bit of turbo lag!
The ride comfort has improved a lot. It is called Porsche 4D with the three chamber air suspension being coupled with the PDCC system. The PDCC system uses a 48-volt system, so the car’s ECU can control the PDCC more accurately in order to improve the handling and increase the comfort.
48-volt is the new 12-volt.
Another interesting point about the new Cayenne is the weight reduction. Yes, they seriously reduced the weight of an SUV by 65-kg! Better than nothing. Bear in mind, that the Bugatti Chiron weighs 100-kg more than the Veyron!
The interior is a copy and paste from the Panamera, including a massive multi-gesture touch screen. To be honest, the Panamera offers a very good interior and I don’t mind seeing it inside the Cayenne. They all do this nowadays and it makes things cheaper.
The gearbox is still a conventional 8-speed automatic with a very short first gear to create a low-range gearbox effect. The off-road functionality is improved and, according to the press release, the new Cayenne locks all its differentials. I guess this will be achieved via the torque vectoring system inside the differentials. However, this is better than a fully open differential.
Now you can order your Cayenne with the Sport Chrono Pack which will allow it to accelerate faster. To be honest, do you really need this? Yes, if you are buying a Porsche.
The Cayenne also features a driving assistance system (Night Vision Assist with a thermal imaging camera is one of the most important assistance systems, along with Lane Change Assist, Lane Keeping Assist including traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, ParkAssist including Surround View and Porsche InnoDrive including adaptive cruise control). However, don’t expect an AI technology inherited from the Audi A8. The Cayenne will do its best to keep you safe.
Overall, the new Cayenne doesn’t offer a very different and distinctive exterior. However, it is probably the first Cayenne to inherit all the Porsche DNA. Unfortunately, inheriting the Porsche DNA means that it will always look the same. Last note, the Porsche Cayenne shares the same platform as the Audi Q7, the Bentley Bentayga and the future VW Touareg (but who really buys a Touareg?).
Tech Spec;
The Cayenne with a six-cylinder turbo engine and displacement of three litres delivers 250 kW (340 hp), developing a torque of 450 Nm. That means that even the standard model achieves outstanding driving performance: It accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds (5.9 seconds with the Sport Chrono Package). The maximum speed is 245 km/h. The second model to launch is the Cayenne S. It is driven by a 2.9-litre V6 engine with twin turbocharging. This engine, which has also been newly developed, delivers 324 kW (440 hp), achieving a torque of 550 Nm – 15 kW (20 hp) more than its predecessor. Accordingly, the vehicle accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.2 seconds (with Sport Chrono Package: 4.9 seconds). The maximum speed is 265 km/h.
Photo Credit / Porsche