Home of the New 2008 Porsche Cayenne
News from Concours Motors
By David Mathews
An interesting automotive event occurred in March 2003. Although the vast majority of red-blooded American drivers didn’t know or hadn’t noticed, what took place forever changed the complexion of one the world’s most distinctive automotive manufacturers. It made this manufacturer the world’s most profitable. And, within three years, it became the world’s best in terms of initial customer satisfaction. Significant, eh?
What happened? Porsche introduced the Cayenne S and the Cayenne Turbo…five passenger Sport Utility Vehicles. BLASPHEMY!! Had Porsche’s ‘Think-tank’ lost it collective Teutonic mind? A sports car company…the ultimate sports car company…now making a ‘mom-mobile’??? What were they thinking? How could it be? It will simply never work. Nobody will buy them. Good looking? Yes. Fast? Well, yes. Stable? Ah, yes. But something just doesn’t seem right.
Actually, something…everything…was very right. And with more than 140,000 Cayennes sold worldwide, no one can second-guess the success Porsche has enjoyed with this vehicle.
Now, four years to the month since its introduction, the new generation Cayenne is available. This new trio of bad boys will no doubt set the automotive world on its ear…again.
The standard Cayenne, available with either a six-speed manual or six-speed Tiptronic S, will enjoy a boost in horsepower from 240hp to 290hp…a welcome improvement.
The Cayenne S, equipped with a new 4.8l V8, produces 385hp.
The mighty Cayenne Turbo, no slouch at 450hp, now generates 500hp and 700 foot pounds of torque…enough to leap tall buildings in a single bound!
And would you believe…each does its fireworks display with less propellant?
“Form follows function” a principle Porsche follows with religious fervor, is very evident in the 2008 Porsche Cayenne. Enhanced performance, greater fuel efficiency, and better utility combine to make this the best SUV available.
All models feature Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) this year. An improvement from the intake manifold injection system found in most cars, DFI injects the fuel/air mixture directly into the combustion chamber at up to 1,740 PSI. Direct Fuel Injection translates into better performance and better fuel mileage.
Porsche Stability Management (PSM) is also improved for 2008. This next generation PSM provides pre-filling of the brake system when the accelerator pedal is suddenly released. In a sort of pre-emptive strike, the pads then apply a light pressure to the brake rotors in preparation for a quick stop. Simultaneously, ‘brake assist’ is activated…a series of instantaneous events that apply full braking pressure and ABS activation to reduce braking distance to a minimum.
OEM tires have been improved to provide longer service life and greater all-around performance. All 2008 Cayennes are now available with 19-inch all-season tires.
Certainly there are many other improvements and enhancements for this SUV superstar. In two weeks I will be headed to Cabo San Lucas Mexico for OJT. It is a dirty job, but someone has to do it. In any case, I will have more to report next month about the exciting new Cayenne.
Listen here…we have a great selection of both new and pre-owned sports cars. Boxsters, Carreras and Caymans…all are ready to go. Stop by. Have a cup of coffee. Bring your checkbook.
Article posted on: 07-Feb-06
