Driver's Notebook: Sport Über Vehicle
February 1, 2008
Porsche purists have often
treated the Cayenne as an illegitimate child, a 2.5-ton affront to the Stuttgart
family name.
Yet most car companies can no longer survive on purists alone.
And there’s no denying that the Cayenne, which accounts for approximately one in
three Porsche sales, has been warmly adopted by drivers well versed in Porsche
character and performance—but want it in an all-wheel-drive SUV.
Porsche is pitching the 405-hp Cayenne GTS as its sportiest
utility yet, dynamically superior to even the 500-hp Turbo. Both are part of a
second-generation Cayenne lineup that includes a V-6 model and the Cayenne S,
the latter powered by a 385-hp version of the GTS’ 4.8-liter V-8.
At the heart of those GTS claims is a stiffened chassis and
unique suspension, along with a body that looks Turbo-esque with its flared
wheel arches and chunky 21-inch wheels and tires. And in the spectacular,
cliff-hung Algarve region of Portugal, the GTS did what the Cayenne has always
done, only better: Speeding, stopping, and changing direction with more pure
feel and confidence than any rival SUV.
On sale in February, starting at $69,300, the GTS will become
the first luxury performance SUV in North America to offer a manual
transmission. That news made headlines, but stop the presses: The 6-speed stick
may cut the zero-to-60 mph dash to 5.7 seconds (versus 6.1 seconds for the
6-speed automatic) but it’s awkwardly matched to this roughly 5,000-pound beast,
with long throws and a rubbery action. The Tiptronic S version, in smooth
contrast, was able to run all day in automatic mode, or effect slick manual
changes via steering-wheel buttons or the console lever.
A larger, freer-flowing air intake bumps the direct-injection
V-8 to 405 hp and 369 ft lbs of torque. Top speed is 157 mph, and acceleration
benefits from a reduced final-drive ratio of 4.1:1, versus 3.55:1 in the S
model. Pressing the "Sport" button sharpens throttle response, reduces exhaust
backpressure to play up the V-8 rumble, lowers ride height, and loosens the
stability control’s electronic leash.
A GTS with a conventional steel-spring suspension has been nixed for the
States. Instead, U.S. buyers will see a GTS with a standard
air-suspension—featuring comfort, normal, and sport settings—paired with
Porsche’s active stability management. An active anti-roll bar system with
hydraulic motors, dubbed Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, is a must-have option:
It braces the Cayenne in fast corners to keep its body uncannily
flat.
The air-suspension GTS offers a
standard 7.7 inches of ground clearance, riding 0.8 inches lower than a Cayenne
S. It automatically hunkers down another .35 inches when it reaches 77 mph, and
again by 0.2 inches at 130 mph. Drivers can manually select two off-road
heights, including a boulder-worthy 9.9 inches, or drop to a limbo-low setting
for stationary loading.
Inside, the seats, dashboard, and doors are smartly bound in
leather, with a luxurious Alcantara headliner and inserts on seats, doors and
center armrest. Front sport seats are more thickly bolstered. And the rear’s two
distinct, deeply contoured chairs are hugely improved from the flat, slippery
bench of the first-generation Cayenne.
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