first Cayenne test drive!!!

[Obin Robinson]

Autoweek did an excellent job:

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=reviews&loc_code=index&content_code=03900960

some excerpts:
"So it goes like greased lightning in this Turbo trim. What about on the curves, climbs and descents of the soggy, forested hills southeast of town? Before we started out, Porsche design chief and accomplished racer Harm Lagaay smiled—there was a lot of smiling that day—and told us, “It’s even better off the autobahn in the hills and turns. In such conditions it drives like a sports car.” And again, we tried it as such at limits that might have had any other SUV trimming trees, and he’s more or less right.

Talking torque, 0 to 62 mph can happen in the Turbo in just 5.6 seconds according to Porsche. We believe it may even do it faster. Throttle response at just above 2000 rpm is phenomenal thanks in large part to the 460 lb-ft of torque (same amount as the 911 GT2 but at 1250 fewer revs) available to 4750 rpm. Particularly on uphills coming out of tight hairpins, getting up good speed right away was a matter of twitching the ankle only slightly. Along the same lines, overtaking can be done with the very same confidence we expect from any 911. The best part is that the four-tip exhaust sounds just like you’d pray a Porsche SUV might sound.

Interior comfort befits this package and its asking price. The leather all around is comfortable and sturdy in the German tradition and stitching is flawless. During the entire day’s demanding drive, we never once heard a creak or a crack, and cabin noise was down near Lexus LS 430 levels. Passenger space in every dimension is more than pleasing, headroom and rear legroom particularly so.

Speaking of happy anticipation, Porsche foresees 15,000 units from the new Leipzig plant for 2003—the first full calendar year of Cayenne production. Come 2004, Porsche will bump up to the projected 25,000 units. Porsche tells us that nearly all of the 15,000 units have been reserved with deposits at Porsche dealers.

Other bits of Cayenne news include no plans whatsoever for a pickup version on the same architecture, that being left to the kids at Volkswagen should they so desire to do one (they say not). In addition, for the 2004 model year Cayenne will have available a full-length opening thermal-glass roof. "



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that "munch munch crunch gulp" sound is the sound of about a hundred thousand people eating their hats. that horrendous laughter you hear is me laughing at naysayers while saying "i told ya so" from a few thousand miles away.



obin

[CJFusco]

I never said the Cayenne wouldn't be a great SUV... I just said it was daft for Porsche to be building an SUV in the first place.

Glad to hear it lives up to the hype, though... can't wait for the first Carrera GT tests!