There are those who say a diesel engine doesn’t belong in a Porsche, which should be all about high-revving thrills and not tractor-like torque (and sound).
Perhaps they’re right and an oil-burner does dilute the Porsche mystique somewhat, but the same could be said of the Cayenne, which is a big and heavy SUV completely at odds with the marque’s heritage of light, low-riding cars. But whatever the purists think, the fact is the Cayenne has become Porsche’s best-selling model.
I also prefer my Porsches petrol-flavoured but I can’t help liking the 4.2-litre turbodiesel they’ve slotted into the engine bay of the Cayenne S diesel.
The V8 engine hails from cousins Audi and VW, but Porsche has managed to squeeze some extra juice from it, resulting in hearty outputs of 281kW and 850Nm. Whatever one’s feelings about the reportedly un-Porsche like nature of diesels, you can’t ignore big-hitting power like that.
MEAN BUT SMOOTH
It packs a mean but smooth wallop when you punch the throttle, like Mike Tyson bashing you with a pillow. In our Gauteng performance test the big Porsche nailed the 0-100km/h sprint in six seconds flat, which is impressive for such a heavyweight (at sea level it should go 0.3sec quicker), while the top speed’s a very useful (on the unrestricted German autobahn, anyway) 252km/h.
What you have here is an SUV that charges forward like a racehorse with a notable absence of turbo lag; the response is pleasingly immediate. It’s a formidable cruiser too and casually romps up steep hills with gravity-defying regard. And no, it doesn’t sound like a tractor and actually has a pretty enjoyable velvet-laced baritone, a la the late Barry White.
INTELLIGENT ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
This isn’t a thirsty racehorse and our test vehicle averaged a relatively economical 10.6 litres per 100km (8.3 is reputedly possible if you’re never in a hurry to get anywhere ).
Power’s fed via an eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission to an intelligent all-wheel-drive system that varies power delivery between the front and rear axles as needed, working hand in hand with Porsche’s traction management system to ensure great all-weather grip.
At nearly five metres long the Cayenne’s a portly thing but hides it fairly well, and does a relatively good job of avoiding the traditionally bloated and clumsy SUV feel. You can toss it through corners in a lively manner, and even more so if you choose the optional air suspension with active suspension management that allows you to stiffen the dampers.
The air suspension also offers normal and comfort settings, and in the latter mode the big Porsche has a serene ride that takes rough roads in its stride. Our test vehicle was fitted with the standard 18” alloys which perhaps lack the sex appeal of the optional (and pricey) 19’s or 20’s you can buy but, unless you’re planning to go racing in your Cayenne, the standard footwear offers the better ride/handling combination.
DIRT TAMER
These higher-profile tyres also proved the better choice when we took the Cayenne off-roading. Though many owners admittedly wouldn’t be caught dead driving their Porsche through dongas and mud pits, we found it’s actually a very proficient dirt tamer with its intelligent all-wheel drive, elevated ground clearance, hill-descent control, and lockable rear differential. With the optional air suspension it’s possible to raise ride height to a boulder-straddling 268mm, limiting your chances of getting stuck.
For R971 000 the gadget count is reasonable, if not over-endowed. The Cayenne S diesel comes with the requisite high-class leather trimmings and push-button conveniences, but you’ll have to pay extra for items such as navigation and a multi-function steering wheel. It’s also a surprise that a high-end vehicle like this comes without a tyre pressure monitor, as we discovered when a slow puncture in our test Cayenne’s front left tyre went unnoticed until we found it completely deflated one morning.
VERDICT
If money’s no object the 405kW Turbo S is the obvious choice in the Cayenne line up; it’s the big, bad, eat-my-dust bully of the family, all 2.2-million bucks of it. But if you’re on a bit of a budget the Cayenne S diesel’s the pick of the range for its budget-friendly fuel economy and still very hearty performance. - Star Motoring
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