Australian Press Launch Event
The New Porsche Cayenne
Location: Barossa Valley, South Australia
Porsche. Redefining what it is to be a ‘sports car’.
Third-generation Porsche Cayenne- unlike the past.
I was invited to embrace the lifestyle and practicality of the newly developed third generation of the Porsche Cayenne. I remember the first time I ever saw a luxury Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), and that was the Porsche Cayenne. Since the launch of the first generation, back in 2002, Porsche has sold over 770,000 Cayenne’s.
Don’t think of the Cayenne as just an SUV. It’s a sports car, with the practicality and comfort of an SUV.
The third generation offers outstanding handling on any surface, improved comfort, practicality, plus significant performance increases across the variants.
On offer is the Cayenne, Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo. Of course, each of these are just as customisable, with a plethora of performance, interior and exterior options available, to make this vehicle truly yours.
Faster, smarter, stronger. The daily drive just got a whole lot more exciting!
PORSCHE LIFESTYLE
Part of experiencing the new Cayenne, we considered the following concepts:
Play Together. Taste Together. Flow Together. Share Together.
Play Together- Porsche performance and versatility testing in the Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley with an additional Hill Climb test.
Taste Together- Dining at Appellation (The Louise Restaurant), Hentley Farm and Maggie Beer.
Flow Together- Yoga, celebrating 70 years of sports cars.
Share Together- Gin Distillery course at Maggie Beer’s, en experience to bring home and share with the family.
These concepts were a great way to test out the key functions and truly experience the Porsche Cayenne the way it’s intended. The great thing about lifestyle is that we were able to experience the cars as realistically as an owner would.
We want to be able to show that a car is more than just something that gets you from A to B. It’s a part of your lifestyle. Take it where you want, travel, explore, share.
The Porsche Cayenne encapsulates that perfect every day car, offering so much versality and performance, no matter the terrain, weather or purpose.
FIRST DRIVE IMPRESSIONS
Design
It’s clear that this third generation is completely new. It looks nothing like the previous generations, especially when you have them side-by-side.
It’s manages to both be completely new, but yet somehow still familiar.
New chassis, new drive-train, new new new.
WIDE REAR END & INTEGRATED LIGHT STRIP
One of the most standard out design features (and my personal favourite) is the back taillights, that go from edge to edge of the boot lid. The three dimensional ‘PORSCHE’ logo additionally integrated onto the light strip.
ADAPTIVE ROOF SPOILER
Although each variant features a roof spoiler, the Cayenne Turbo is the first SUV in the world to offer an adaptive roof spoiler.
Other noteable design features:
- Fully galvanised hybrid lightweight construction in steel-aluminium hybrid
- Engine bonnet, tailgate, doors, side sections, roof and front wings in aluminium
- Four doors with integrated side-impact protection
- Extensive, aerodynamic underbody panelling
- Four-point LED daytime running lights
- Automatic headlight activation including ‘Welcome Home’ lighting
- High-level third brake light (LED) integrated into roof spoiler
- LED taillights with three-dimensional lighting graphics, integrated four-point brake lights and light strip
- LED interior lighting concept: switch-off delay, footwell illumination front and rear, ashtray illumination, glove compartment illumination, ignition lock illumination, front light console with reading spot lights, reading lights rear left and right
- Automatically dimming exterior and interior mirrors, interior mirror rimless
- Electrically adjustable and heatable electrically folding exterior mirrors (also via key remote), aspherical on driver’s side, including ambient lighting
EXTERIOR PAINT OPTIONS
Solid exterior colours: Black, White (standard)
Metallic paint finish exterior: Jet Black Metallic, Biscay Blue Metallic, Rhodium Silver Metallic, Moonlight Blue Metallic, Carrara White Metallic, Quartzite Grey Metallic, Mahogany Metallic, Purpurite Metallic ($2190*)
SPECIAL COLOUR: Palladium Metallic ($5990*)
*Price subject to change and variant offers
My favourite is the Biscay Blue Metallic, which we had the opportunity of driving during the launch.
Like I said, the Cayenne is nothing like the past.
Performance
As expected with any Porsche sports car, the performance is definitely one of it’s defining traits. Spine-tingling fun. Even if you are just going to the shops. Life should be exciting right?!
The new-gen offers even greater performance pleasure with the new 8-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission across all 3 variants, plus a choice of the new V6 or V8 petrol engines, pushing out 250 kW (340 hp), 324 kW (440 hp) or 404 kW (550 hp).
What do these numbers mean?
Well from a 0-100km/hr perspective following can be achieved:
- Cayenne- 6.2 seconds
- Cayenne S- 5.2 seconds
- Cayenne Turbo- 4.1 seconds
However with launch control activated, or in Porsche Terms ‘Performance Start’ (Sport Chrono Package):
- Cayenne- 5.9 seconds
- Cayenne S- 4.9 seconds
- Cayenne Turbo- 3.9 seconds
This is mind-blowing when you think about the size and weight of these vehicles. For perspective, without Performance Start activated the Porsche Cayenne Turbo is just as fast as a 2017 Aston-Martin DB11 with a 4.0 V8 Twin Turbo- but with PS activated, it’s even faster than the DB11.
Of course, clever engineering can help achieve these outputs, even when you are working with the Cayenne Turbo that’s 2.175 tonnes verses the DB11 at 1.76 tonnes.
Furthermore, compared to the second generation Cayenne’s, the acceleration time from 0-100km/hr shaves off anywhere between 1.5-0.3 seconds. Seriously, powerful upgrades.
On top of these performance upgrades, there’s plenty of technology to match.
For example, individual mode for personalised selection of sporty vehicle settings (e.g. change driving mode, chassis/ride height, suspension), integrated chassis controller with Porsche 4D Chassis Control and Vehicle stability system and Porsche Stability Management (PSM) with ABS, ASR, ABD, MSR, trailer stability management and many other TLA’s (three letter acronyms).
When it comes to performance, you just know that the Porsche’s are going to smash it out of the park. The third generation Cayenne is no exception.
Practicality
The Cayenne further maintains it’s status of being the perfect every day car, while at the same time more than capable of handling a weekend away and even a day at the track, if your heart so desires.
Comfortably fitting 5 adults, meaning you know children are going to be even more comfortable.
As for storage space, there is more than enough compartments available, although do note some features may differ in the each Cayenne offering.
Examples of storage compartments available: glove compartment (cooled by automatic climate control) – storage compartment in the centre console – storage compartments under driver and front passenger seat – door pockets and map pockets on front seat backrests – storage compartments in sides of the luggage compartment.
Bootspace here is also more than ample, with the ability to increase storage space to 100L with the rear bench seat moved forward, plus automatic tailgate for ease of access.
For your electrical needs there are:
- Three sockets (12 volt): front underneath the glove compartment, in the centre console at the front, in the luggage compartment at the side
- Two USB charge ports in the rear centre console.
- Two USB charge ports and connectivity ports in the front centre console storage compartment.
There is a lot more to talk about, but these are just some key examples to show how incredibly practial the Cayenne is.
Technology
Getting in the new Cayenne, it’s very clear there’s been a complete change to the cockpit. It’s very digital and technology forward. Futuristic is an understatement. There is A LOT to talk about here.
Competely new platform, similarly seen in Panemera.
Some of the favourite technology/ safety features in the new Cayenne:
- Auto start/stop function and coasting function (ALL)
- Porsche Traction Management (PTM): active all-wheel drive system with an electronically variable, map-controlled multiplate clutch, automatic brake differential (ABD) and anti-slip regulation (ASR) (ALL)
- Electric parking brake
- Automatic hold function
- Active bonnet system
- Driver personalisation for climate, audio and communication, assistance systems and other personalised vehicle systems
- ParkAssist (front and rear) incl. Surround View
- Connect Plus module including online navigation, Apple® CarPlay, LTE communications module with SIM card reader, wireless Internet access and comprehensive Porsche Connect services
- Porsche Communication Management (PCM) including online navigation module, mobile phone preparation, audio interfaces and voice control system
As you can see below, the interior space and ‘cockpit’ is even more defined, sleeker, and definitely easier to use. Besides the performance, technology has also had a major update.
Range & Manufacturer Pricing
Porsche Cayenne
- $116,300
- 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine, maximum power output 250kW (340hp), maximum torque 450Nm
Porsche Cayenne S
- $155,100
- 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, maximum power output 324kW (440hp), maximum torque 550Nm
Porsche Cayenne Turbo
- $239,400
- 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, maximum power output 404kW (550hp), maximum torque 770Nm
All come with 90L Fuel-Tanks and 8-speed Tiptronic S transmission.
Final Thoughts
Third generation Porsche Cayenne, technology forward, performance SUV.
Versatile, Practical, Dynamic.
There’s a lot to love and get to know about the new Porsche Cayenne. Stay tuned for an in-depth review, coming soon.
For now, be sure to check out 10 Things You Should Know About the Porsche Cayenne for a summary of some of the amazing things this SUV has to offer.
The third generation Porsche Cayenne is now officially on sale as of the 23rd of June 2018. Visit your local Porsche dealership to check it out, or for more information head to Porsche Australia.
What do you want to know about the new Porsche Cayenne?
#THENEWCAYENNE #PORSCHE
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Preview provided on behalf of Porsche Australia
Photography by Andrea Hobbs
ANDREA IN ARCADIA 
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