Porsche buffs Cayenne, adds direct injection
Newswheel staff :: 06 December 2006 :: Filed under SUV, Porsche, Porsche Cayenne, Europe & UK
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Think different…
The Cayenne SUV. Not known for its beauty, perhaps, but still recognisably Porsche. Or at least it was until yesterday when the Stuttgart-based sports car specialist wheeled out this face-lifted model, four years after the original mud-plugging Porker hit the road…
Heavy-handed front end rhinoplasty aside, styling changes to the Cayenne include more heavily contoured wheel arches and a rear diffuser. Overall, Porsche claims the styling changes significantly improve the car’s aerodynamics.
Turbo model (left) further distinguished from the boggo Cayenne courtesy of the largest grille in Christendom. Classy…
However, it’s actually the tech specs, not the dodgy panelwork, that deserves closer inspection. First up is the introduction of direct injection. All three engine options now sport the more advanced fuelling technology, which Porsche reckons boosts fuel economy by eight per cent (NEDC) and up to 15 per cent in the real world.
First up is a much more powerful V6 mill. Displacement is up to 3.6-litres from 3.2-litres and power swells from around 250bhp to 286bhp. The result is a respectable zero to 62mph sprint of 8.1 clicks and an all-out of 141mph (the old 3.2 model managed 9.1 seconds and 133mph). UK prices for the Cayenne V6 kick off at at £37,100. So, that’s a near-300bhp Porsche ute for well under £40k…Love it or loathe it, that certainly looks like a lot of metal for your moolah.
As for the V8-powered Cayenne S, it’s been given a 300cc bump in capacity, as well as that direct injection tech, and now cranks out 385bhp, 45bhp up on the old model. 62mph comes up in 6.6 seconds (6.8 for the outgoing ‘S’) and the fun stops at 157mph (150mph). All of which will cost you a minimum of £46,610.
As ever, the daddy of the Cayenne range is the blown Turbo model. Again, the V8 jumps to 4.8-litres and receives direct injection technology. Porsche has also wound the flagship Cayenne up to fully 493bhp, 50bhp up the original car. Torque is a suitably silly 516lb/ft (previously 457), while the improved zero-to-62mph capability of 5.1 seconds and 171mph Vmax (previously 5.6 seconds and 165mph) should be more than enough to keep the opposition subdued. The only slight snag is the price. At £74,650, you’d better pretty keen on shaving a second or so off that 100kph sprint, compared with the far, far cheaper V8 model.
Apart from the refreshed engines, the other big news is the first appearance of Porsche’s new active suspension technology, known as Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC). In simple terms, it’s an active anti-roll system that is also capable of increasing ride height in the name of improved off-road performance. Time will tell how it compares to the likes of Mercedes ABC system - and whether PDCC is scheduled to appear on the company’s core sports car models.
The new(-ish) Cayenne goes on sale 24th February 2007. Over and out.
