The 3.0 twin-turbo V6 packs 13 more horses than before with a round 500 Nm of peak torque that is produced from below 1,500 rpm. However, the power curves mean it can feel a little restrained low down, especially when the need to pull off an uphill overtaking manoeuvre is demanded. That said, there are four driving modes: Normal, Offroad, Sport and Sport Plus. No points for guessing which one I was in. I started in “Normal” because one key area of focus, I was told by the experts in the briefing, was the suspension setup. And, truly, the new Porsche Cayenne offers a superior ride over the mix road conditions and feels a little more supple and forgiving than its predecessor; to be clear, I’ve only driven the previous Cayenne on track, and the only one I’ve had on the roads back home was the earlier V6 GTS. So, yes, this felt positively sofa-like. Don’t let that make you think it can’t hustle.
The Porsche Cayenne Coupé weighs in at 2,085 kg but it corners like it’s on rails with the sport seats offering much appreciated side support. There’s a G-meter as one of the modes in the display but I had to keep my eyes on the road. Even with just 169 hp/tonne it can stick to the road thanks to its supreme traction and tune and dismiss significant distance within a blink of an eye. Standard Sport Chrono paket means 0-100 km/h is done and dusted in 5.7 seconds; as opposed to six seconds without it. The top speed is just shy of 250 km/h. The acceleration aside, what astonishes is the Cayenne’s agility and composure. It’s no 911 GT3 but its genes are more than evident.
Following a driver swap and the overnight halt at the sprawling and picturesque Polo Orchid Resort in Sohra, Cherrapunji, it was my turn to attack the winding slopes up and downhill in the Porsche Cayenne SUV with some pristine backdrops to test my focus. Same equipment, more or less, but this one had the optional Sport Chrono. More options include the special Crayon paint (Rs 4.94 lakh), panoramic sliding sunroof (Rs 4.03 lakh), and the tinted HD Matrix LED headlights and LED tail-lights, including light strip (Rs 5.66 lakh and 1.98 lakh respectively). The thing with the Cayenne is the larger boot. Where the Coupé offers 592 litres with the seats up and 1,502 litres with the seatback folded down, the SUV has a roomier 772 to 1,708 litres. It also weighs 30 kg less than the Coupé, while also costing about Rs 6 lakh less too at Rs 1.36 crore (base, ex-showroom).
It was attack more from the moment we rolled out of the gate, the early morning start—the sun rises before 5 o’clock—and empty roads meant “Sport” for barely a minute before “Sport Plus” was turned on using the dial on the steering wheel. A loud blat from the otherwise reasonably quiet exhaust in acknowledgement and off we went. The fat rubber and sharper responses meant while the weight was present, it was not all that evident. In the hairpins, yes, the bulk was telling, but the cornering G spoke otherwise. It belies its weight beyond belief—and it was at that precise moment as I exited the hairpin with a roaring V6 soundtrack that I wished Porsche India also bring in the all-new 474-hp V8-powered Cayenne S in as well. They may not be city cars, but, in this sort of isolated parallel existence, they excel and return an emotional fill of your money’s worth, not to mention giving every sense a thorough workout.
As we got back to Dispur, the roads worsened and overnight rain meant deep, hidden pot-holes. The “Offroad” mode has four sub-modes—Rocks, Sand, Snow and Gravel—and “Rocks” was selected. Maximum ride height (238 mm) and a higher 23.9° approach angle with a 21.2° breakover angle meant proper peace of mind, in the midst of some locally modified 4x4s with 285+section tyres protruding from the wheel-arches careening to the side to avoid any water contact. The Cayenne’s immense versatility in bad-road and no-road conditions is testimony to its all-road capability. Plus, you can take it to the track. After all, it is arguably the big, fat Sport Utility Vehicle.
Also read: Porsche Track Experience
Need to Know – Porsche Cayenne/Cayenne Coupé
Price: Rs 1.36 crore/Rs 1.42 crore (base, ex-showroom)
Engine: 2,995 cc, twin-turbo, V6, petrol, direct-injection
Max Power: 353 hp @ 5,400-6,400 rpm
Max Torque: 500 Nm @ 1,450-4,500 rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed, automatic, all-wheel-drive
Suspension: Double-wishbone front, multi-link rear, adaptive air springs
Weight: 2,055 kg/2,085 kg
