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ONSALE April FIRST RIDE Early taster of updated Cayenne SUV shows plenty of promise
PORSCHE is gearing up to launch a facelifted Cayenne this year – and we’ve been for a ride in development mules as they’re put through their paces in California.
The next all-new generation is expected to be purely electric, but because there will still be markets that value the combustion engine, the current model could feasibly be sold in parallel with it for a few more years This explains why Porsche is making an effort to update the third-generation Cayenne SUV and Coupé. There are four major areas of focus: the design, chassis, powertrain and cockpit, including the infotainment system The last of these is still hidden, but a sneak peek reveals that the instrument cluster has gone digital and the centre console has been tidied up
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The design is also a bit of a mystery But even with our test cars’ dark disguise, it’s possible to see that Porsche has added numerous pieces of fresh sheet metal: the tailgate and bonnet are new, as are the side skirts and headlights.
Under the skin, Porsche has dropped the six-cylinder engine from the Cayenne S and opted for a larger, newly developed twin-turbocharged V8. This is significant, and not just because of the raw power figure (there is a gain, from 434bhp to 468bhp) It’s the torque that really makes the difference; the V8 produces 600Nm, up from the six-cylinder’s 550Nm, and it certainly pushed the jumbo SUV up the Hollywood Hills with greater confidence
Porsche has also improved the base Cayenne, increasing the power of the 3 0-litre V6 engine to 349bhp, as well as the entry-level PHEV This version combines the six-cylinder engine with an electric motor that has been boosted from 134bhp to 175bhp, plus there’s a larger battery than before
The suspension overhaul is impressive; the standard adaptive dampers feature a dual-valve configuration and can be adjusted separately for rebound and compression This should provide more comfort, and sure enough the Cayenne showed this, floating a little more over the road in normal mode
