An incredibly long time ago, the entry-level Boxster was the
best selling car in Porsche's entire line-up. The problem was that the wee
little roadster wasn't generating the profits that Porsche needed to lay the
groundwork for a successful future.
That's why Porsche performed the most heinous act in the
history of purebred sports car makers: They introduced the Cayenne SUV. Porsche
purists threatened to jump from rooftops and 911 owners refused to acknowledge
the Cayenne's existence. But that didn't stop the truck from becoming a massive
success.
And now we have the second generation Cayenne GTS, the split
personality SUV for the person that wants a sports car but also needs to take
the kids to soccer practice. It's a brilliant truck, but is it also a brilliant
Porsche?
In one way the GTS is the 911 GT3 of the Cayenne family. In
another, more accurate way, it isn't really close. The GTS gets the most
powerful naturally aspirated V8, the most aggressive suspension setup, and the
fastest shifting automatic gearbox in the line-up. That makes it GT3-ish. It's
also a truck. That makes it not GT3-ish.
Porsche's intent is for the GTS to be the sportiest Cayenne
you can buy today. It marries on-road dynamics with off-road ability, though if
you ever see one off-road it's probably because someone flipped it off the road
and into a ditch.
The first generation Cayenne looked a bit like Porsche took
a 911, put it in Photoshop, and stretched every dimension to create an SUV. It
was awkward. The second generation car tones down that stretched 911 styling to
make it go in its own direction.
The restyled car looks smaller and more aggressive, but the
gaping maw is a little much for my tastes. There are also bulges all over the
place that seem to be trying to convince the outsider that it's sporty. "I
really am sporty, y'know! I have flared fenders. My hood has a powerdome!"
The Cayenne continues the new Porsche tradition of covering
the entire interior with buttons. The center console has buttons and switches
for everything. I mean everything. It can be confusing at first, but once you
get used to it it's actually intuitive and easier to operate than an iDrive.
The suede covered seats are truly excellent. They're
comfortable and very well bolstered. The car I drove didn't have Porsche 18 way
adjustable seats. Instead, it just had adjustable lumbar. That's it. Most
surfaces like the seats, roofliner, and steering wheel are covered in
Alcantara, that ever so lovely suede material that I can't keep my hands off
of.
It also has a simply gigantic panoramic roof, which I'm
indifferent about. Sure, it lets in tons of light, but it also reduces
stiffness. The GTS is supposed to be the sportiest Cayenne. Doesn't cutting a
giant hole in the roof work against that that whole "sporty" thing? I
think so.
You might think that the Cayenne is a bit of a heavy ride.
And you'd be totally right. At 4,597 pounds, the GTS isn't a featherweight.
It's also 44 pounds heavier, not lighter, than the Cayenne S, which is a less
sporty variant.
Thankfully the GTS shifts faster than the other Cayennes
thanks to some techno wizardry in the eight speed gearbox. A higher output 420
horsepower version of Porsche's 4.8-liter V8 doesn't hurt either. Porsche says
the GTS sprints to 60 in 5.4 seconds, and I think that's a conservative number.
If you want to accelerate while at speed, the GTS will drop down a handful of
gears like a boss and then sprint up to your desired speed.
I wasn't expecting the $17,000 price premium would make the
GTS considerably faster than the Cayenne S, and it isn't, but it is at least
marginally quicker.
The Cayenne GTS has 14.2-inch discs in the front with
13-inch discs in the rear. They haul the truck down from speed pretty nicely.
The pedal is solid and feels pretty good. I did wish for a bit more initial
bite.
I also felt they were a slightly outclassed by the weight of
the Cayenne at high speeds. Then again, if someone takes the GTS to the track,
they need to reconsider what they buy for a track car.
The GTS gets the most aggressive suspension setup of the
entire Cayenne range. Porsche has tuned the ride to be pretty stiff in normal
mode. A stab at the sport button lowers the air suspension and really stiffens
up the ride. We're talking 911 levels of stiffness here. The steering also gets
weightier (that's a fun way to say heavier), which is a nice touch. I tended to
put it in sport a lot.
On the highway in normal mode, the steering is nice and
light and the suspension is super compliant. It's a great cruiser.
Engine: 4.8-liter V8P
Power: 420 HP at 6,500 RPM/380 LB-FT at 3,500 RPMP
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
0-60 Time: 5.4 Seconds
Top Speed: 162 MPHP
Drivetrain: All-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 4,597 pounds
Seating: 5P
MPG (cty/hwy): 14/21
In terms of SUV handling, this thing gets a 17 out of 10. I
have never, ever driven a truck that handles like the Cayenne. There are two
decreasing radius two lane on-ramps that I frequently drive on to get to the
highway. This is my normal opportunity to pass a whole gaggle of cars around
the outside that have drivers that aren't sure what handling is. I didn't think
the Cayenne would be any good here.
I was so wrong. The freaking truck was so planted around
these corners. It also instilled more confidence than many performance cars I
drive. Seriously. The GTS is on another planet when compared to other SUVs.
The Cayenne is so poised through the twisties that you'll
totally forget that you're driving an SUV, which can be dangerous. Body roll is
minimal and grip is plentiful. Honestly, the tires (my test car had Pirelli
winter rubber on board) are what let it down.
I could have driven it faster, but that's when the achilles
heel would arise: exceeding the Cayenne's limits. No matter what you are told,
this is still a heavy, tall truck. If you turn off the nannies and something
goes wrong, it'll go very wrong.
I was initially disappointed with the eight-speed box in the
GTS. I was longing for my
beloved friend, PDK. But over time I realized that PDK just wouldn't be
suited to the Cayenne at all. The auto box is smoother and more forgiving. It's
also better for fuel economy.
In sport, it did return very quick, PDK-esque shifts and
downshifts were also fast and rev matched. My qualm is that there is only one
Cayenne where PDK would be appropriate, and it is the GTS. I did come to
appreciate just how smooth and fast the eight-speed auto was, but I still
prefer PDK.
source: http://jalopnik.com/5981922/2013-porsche-cayenne-gts-the-jalopnik-reviewby Travis Okulski
http://www.boscheuropean.com
No comments:
Post a Comment