It has taken a little time but for those who said at its introduction in 2002 that the Porsche Cayenne would destroy the brand, the humble pie is all over their face.
You can see why the doubters doubted: after over half a century building nothing other than two door sports cars, Porsche had now lent its name to a two and bit tonne SUV developed in conjunction with Volkswagen.
But if life with the Cayenne was unimaginable then, it is even harder now to conceive of Porsche without it. When soon after its launch it became Porsche’s best-selling car, many believed it would not last: that the undeniable novelty value of the car would soon wear off. But it never did.
Today, the Cayenne is the most important car in the entire Porsche range, still the best seller and the model Porsche could least do without. Now we see the Cayenne at the centre of the Porsche hub with the once one and only 911 relegated with the Boxster, Cayman and Panamera to the role of mere spokes.
Time alone will tell what long term impact the Macan has on Cayenne sales but for now the Cayenne remains the one upon whose vast profit margins all the other depend in part at least for their funding.
You may be a Porsche purist and as a result loathe the Cayenne with the same strength of feeling as you might love a GT3 RS; if so it is worth reflecting that without the former, the latter would almost certainly not even exist.
In the area of performance, even the entry-level’ model has a 295bhp 3.6-litre V6, while the S model has a 395bhp 4.8-litre V8.
For instance, the Turbo version raises power to a staggering 493bhp and boasts a 0-62mph time of just 4.7 seconds. For diesel buyers there’s a 242bhp 3.0-litre V6, and a storming 377bhp 4.2-litre V8. Finally, there’s a Hybrid model, which combines a supercharged 3.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver 375bhp.
Looking at the ride and handling attributes, the low-speed ride is unsettled, even if you put the suspension in its softest setting. Things improve with speed, though, and most versions of the Cayenne change direction with incredible agility and poise. The driver-focused GTS version is even better.
The Hybrid model is disappointing, though: It is electrically assisted steering feels light and artificial, while the weight distribution of the electric motor and its ancillaries upsets the overall balance and ride quality of the car.
Refinement
All the engines are quiet at a steady cruise although some wind noise builds up around the door mirrors at motorway speeds. Additionally, those fat tyres generate a fair amount of drone and there is some supplementary whine from the axles and differentials.
MIKE OCHONMA
