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Porsche Cayenne with new V6 engine still a first-class wagon
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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FISH LAKE, Yukon -- A slab of ice three feet deep covers mile-wide Fish Lake, pitched into snow-coated pine forests near Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory of Canada.
The ice is so thick that it supports the weight of multiple vehicles as we work the slippery surface to test the tire grip and road-hugging traction capacity for a new V6 version of Cayenne, the sport-utility wagon from Porsche of Germany.
Cayenne with V6 power joins a lineup which already includes the S edition with a 4.5-liter V8 rated at 340 hp and a super-powered Cayenne Turbo pumping 450 hp.
This V6 version is designed to drop the price point substantially for Cayenne, while still maintaining Cayenne's agile and sporty handling traits and the considerable list of Porsche-engineered mechanical equipment.
The MSRP for Cayenne with the V6 engine dips to $42,900, as compared to $55,900 for Cayenne S and $88,900 for the turbo-charged edition.
And the V6 version looks almost identical to the more powerful and costly Cayenne models.
View it head-on and Cayenne's face resembles Porsche's primary sports car, the 911 Carrera Coupe, only it's hiked up higher due to a four-wheel-drive (4WD) suspension. The hood swoops down between corner flanks marked by uniquely shaped headlamp clusters and underscored by a narrow linear grille, stacked air ports and square-corner foglamps.
Fenders flare around the big wheelwells like muscles bulging on an athlete's broad shoulders, while the flat roofline gives way near the tail with a sharp descent to taillamps to forge a silhouette that seems tilted forward in a suggestion of speed.
Wheels and tires differentiate the three trims, with the base Cayenne mounted on 17-inch stock wheels while S and Turbo issues start with 18-inch rollers, and all offer optional wheel packages culminating in whopper 20-inchers with 275/40R20 rubber.
Cayenne's new six-pack engine begins with a 3.2-liter cast-iron block built by Volkswagen for the Touareg SUV, which shares a chassis with Porsche's wagon.
Engineers at Porsche reworked the plant by adding a new intake system with dual overhead camshafts and a continuously variable intake valve timing.
They modified the output to boost its towing capacity and applied a new engine cooling system, then adapted the exhaust system to tune pipes to play the distinctive tune of a Porsche.
The engine delivers up to 247 hp at 6000 rpm with torque running to 228 lb-ft between 2500 and 5500 rpm.
It comes with an automatic six-speed transmission that performs quiet shift sequences in a sporty manner, thanks to the addition of Porsche's Tiptronic clutch-less manual shifting feature.
Porsche's track-timed tests of the V6 Cayenne indicate it can travel from zero to 62 mph (100 kph) in less than ten second and reach a top speed of 133 mph (214 kph).
On dry pavement, our own tests of the Cayenne V6 on the two-lane Klondike Highway demonstrate that despite a curb weight of nearly 2.5 tons this version still feels feisty at lesser speeds and, when you punch the pedal to kick around slower traffic, it moves quickly through the passing lane.
Like S and Turbo models, the V6 version of Cayenne carries the intelligent Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system, which channels all of the engine's energy through a permanently engaged 4WD mechanism with inter-axle differential lock and low-range gearing for trekking across rugged terrain on dirt trails or plowing a straight course through slippery snow and ice.
Tire traction for Cayenne is further enhanced by the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system that automatically corrects lateral skidding.
Brakes consist of six-piston aluminum monoblock calipers with 13-inch inner-vented discs up front and four-piston monoblock calipers in back clamping to 13-inch inner-vented discs.
Standard controls include an anti-lock brake system (ABS), plus automatic brake differential (ABD) and anti-slip regulation (ASR) linking to the PSM device that coordinates with all other controls plus the PTM 4WD system.
This alphabet soup of acronyms for traction and stability controls on Cayenne is what leads us to the Yukon's frigid landscape to see just how effective the devices can be in correcting a wagon's bad behavior.
Usually, the PTM system channels 62 percent of the engine's torque to turn the rear wheels with the rest sent to the front wheels.
In situations with low traction, however, such as the frozen surface of Fish Lake, the PTM can re-direct up to 100 percent of the engine's power to front or rear wheels.
The sophisticated PTM, keyed to an on-board computer and various lateral and linear motion sensors tied to the PSM device, monitors the vehicle's forward progress and -- if dangerous oversteer or understeer skidding is detected while turning -- acts automatically to correct the unstable pavement maneuver without direct or conscious intervention required from the driver.
In effect, the equipment works as a complex tool for safety, and we see on the ice that it's remarkable for maintaining predictable traction as we steer the wagon through a left-right-left chicane wiggle on a curlicue course across the lake.
For even more control to regulate suspension height and ride quality, Cayenne earns an optional air suspension system combined with a new variable shock absorber damping system dubbed Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).
The air-charged device can raise the wagon up from its normal 8.54 inches of ground clearance to 10.75 inches, or drop it down to 6.2 inches for easy entry.
Meanwhile, the cabin of Cayenne provides first-class accommodations with premium fixtures and multiple air bags including curtain-style side air bags stretching above doors for front and back seats.
There are two firm and bolstered bucket seats up front and a bench in back with space for three adults. The rear seatback splits and folds to expand cargo space in back.
Standard features range from leather upholstery to 12-way power controls for the two front bucket seats, power door locks and windows, heated exterior mirrors with power retractable feature, front consoles on floor and ceiling, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and an audio kit with in-dash CD player and 12 speakers.
Options include special trim and wheel packages, hardware for off-roading, bi-xenon headlamps, navigation and communications equipment plus a CD changer for six discs.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2004 PORSCHE CAYENNE Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size 4-door SUV wagon
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size 4-door SUV wagon
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| Wheelbase: |
112.4 inches
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| Overall Length: |
Cayenne: 188.2 inches
Cayenne S: 188.2 inches
Cayenne T: 188.3 inches
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| Engine Size: |
C: DOHC 3.2-L V6
S: DOHC 4.5-L V8
T: DOHC 4.5-L V8 Turbo
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| Transmission: |
Auto/6 Tiptronic
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| Drive: |
4WD PTM
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc
ABS/ABD/ASR/PTM/PSM
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side) + 4 (side curtain)
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| Towing Capacity: |
7716 pounds
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| Gas Mileage: |
C: 15/19 mpg
S: 14/18 mpg
T: 13/18 mpg |
| Price: |
C: $ 42,900, S: $ 55,900, T: $ 88,900 |
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