A Sneak Peek at the Next Porsche

We were in the middle of a discussion when our attention shifted to the new arrival. Our speaker, Spencer Yu must have noticed the shift because he stopped in mid-sentence, but he obviously didn’t mind. After all, it was his new baby that we were gawking at.

The venue was the club house grounds of the Corinthian Gardens, where PGA Cars, the local importer of Porsche automobiles, invited several motoring and business journalists to take a rather informal sneak peek at their newest "baby", the third model in the Porsche line-up to complement the 911 and Boxster sports cars: the Porsche Cayenne sport utility vehicle (SUV). Yup, that was no typo error. The Cayenne is the Weissach-based sports car company’s daring venture into the lucrative premium SUV market.

Porsche purists might disagree, but the Cayenne is every inch a Porsche. It is a technological tour de force, as well as an avant garde stab at conventional designs, as the original creators, Ferdinand and Butzi Porsche have always intended for the cars bearing their name. American and European car magazines have published mixed reviews about it, but all agreed that this SUV is one of the most anticipated Porsches ever made.

Viewed in person, the Cayenne looks decidedly svelte and well-proportioned, with jewel-like fit and finish and an aura of power and wealth around it. The front end cannot be mistaken for anything else but a Porsche with those distinctive headlamps and V-shaped hood while the side features the trademark muscular, flared wheel arches, giving the Cayenne a powerful presence. The four doors, large tail lamps and lift-up tail gate may say utility vehicle from the rear but the four large exhaust tips are signs that the emphasis is on the "S" or sport portion of its SUV moniker.

Porsche’s all-new 4.5-liter V8 with Variocam technology produces a whopping 340bhp in its naturally aspirated form and takes the Cayenne S from 0-100kph in 7.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 242kph. If you still find those figures as sedate, step up to the twin-turbocharged and intercooled version that produces a stunning 450bhp and takes the Cayenne Turbo from 0-100kph in 5.6 seconds and to a top speed of 266kph.

A computer-controlled automatic gearbox takes care of the shifting for you and it responds according to inputs given by your right foot. Step hard on the gas and the gearbox holds the gear until optimum engine speeds for faster acceleration. Drive with civility and the transmission shifts are smooth and almost seamless.

But Porsche, being Porsche, did not rest at those performance parameters. They equipped the Cayenne with a smart traction system called the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) permanent four-wheel drive system that delivers 62 percent of the engine power to the rear wheels and 38 percent to the front in basic mode. A multiple-plate clutch feeds up to 100 percent of the torque to the rear or front wheels depending on which end has more traction.

This traction management system works in conjunction with the Porsche Stability Management (PSM), which intervenes when the Cayenne enters critical over- or understeer conditions. PSM controls the anti-lock brake system (ABS), speed reducer (ASR) and automatic brake differential (ABD) and communicates with the PTM to open the differential locks to re-stabilize the car by applying the brakes specifically on individual wheels.

On top of PTM and PSM, the Cayenne features variable ride height adjustment and variable damping, thanks to its innovative Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and its use of a computerized air suspension system. The ground clearance of Cayenne can vary according to terrain or speed, which can go from a maximum of 273mm (10.75 inches) for off-road operations to 179mm (7 inches) for high-speed driving on the autobahn. The air suspension also lowers the vehicle for loading and is equipped with an air hose (hidden in the front passenger’s foot well) to inflate the tires when needed. This is particularly useful for off-road adventurers who need to decrease tire pressure to improve traction in loose surface conditions and inflate the tires again when they reach paved roads.

On the other hand, PASM adjusts damper forces depending on the road surface conditions and the driver’s style of driving. The driver is given the opportunity to adjust the dampers to his preference, choosing between Comfort, Normal and Sport positions. If the driver chooses one mode, say Comfort, but drives in a more sporting manner, PASM switches to Sport mode automatically and firms up the dampers. Given the "active" nature of its design, PASM stabilizes the vehicle by acting on the individual dampers once the Cayenne exceeds a certain limit in its body motion.

But you probably won’t feel all these management systems once you’re safely and comfortably settled in the rich Connolly leather-covered and lavishly carpeted confines of the Cayenne. Four-zone A/C guarantee comfort cooling for all occupants regardless of their preference while the driver gets the best seat in the house with 8-way power seating, a thick-sectioned steering wheel, large round gauges, ergonomically-located controls and a clear view of the road ahead.

All these technical features, athletic prowess, superior comfort and aesthetic appeal plus that exotic nameplate come at a price, you say. Well then, prepare to relieve your bank account of the high side of seven figures for either of the Porsche Cayenne models. If you really want to be specific, call or visit PGA Cars for prices. But then again, as the snooty saying goes, if you really have to ask, you probably can’t afford it.