The Adventure of the Porsche Cayenne
The new Porsche Cayenne is here and it’s determined to ferry us all quickly into the future. But before we go let’s go back to a simpler time. Ah yes, 2002. We had all survived the Y2K bug and are starting to feel good about our reliance on computers again. The Mars Odyssey found signs of water ice deposits inspiring future billionaires to look up at the stars and imagine a future terraforming low atmosphere planets and speaking of lighted-headed stars the first season of American Idol kicked off embedding itself as a cultural icon and deluding a generation into thinking they could sing.
Amidst the fervour, Porsche drops a bombshell on the automotive realm, introducing its prodigious brainchild – the Porsche Cayenne. Born from the union of sports car prowess and SUV practicality, the Cayenne was Porsche’s audacious leap into the unknown.
A sports-car-inspired SUV, you say? The idea left purists wide-eyed and flabbergasted, raising eyebrows higher than Argentina’s inflation rate at the time. However, the Cayenne wasn’t just a casual detour for Porsche—it was a daring but calculated new pathway which blended off-road ruggedness with on-road flamboyance, creating ripples across the SUV landscape. The Cayenne defied conventions, rewriting the rulebook, and leaving spectators, critics, and fanboys alike, utterly gobsmacked.
As the years rolled on, the Porsche Cayenne continued to evolve and adapt. It embraced the electric zeitgeist with plug-in hybrid models, pushed boundaries with the Coupe variant, and kept setting the tarmac ablaze with its pursuit of speed, luxury, and innovation.
Fast forward to today, we found ourselves face to grille with the engineering and style that is the 2023 Porsche Cayenne E3II. The facelifted model parked before us, shimmering in a subtle yet elegant coat of Quarzite Grey Metallic, is more than just a luxury SUV. It’s a statement. One that the most particular motoring reviewer I know, my eight-year-old daughter understood right away. While driving through downtown Auckland she found great pleasure in opening the Panoramic roof and yelling, “This is the life!!!” As much as I admired her exuberant critique, I did have to explain that the incoherent high-pitched scream of a child might be a little concerning for those without an appreciation of the context. What needs no context whatsoever though is the wonderful deep syncopated orchestral tone of that 3.0-litre turbocharged V6.
Our particular test vehicle courtesy of Porsche New Zealand, came adorned with a cavalcade of standard and optional extras. Including the multifunction GT sports steering wheel which gives a gripping sense of control, heads-up display, 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, Tinted HD-Matrix LED Headlights, BOSE« Surround Sound System and oh that Panoramic roof system.
Inside, ambient lighting bathed the cabin in a subtle glow, illuminating the meticulous craftsmanship of the interior. There’s also a really cool combination of solid touchscreen controls and good old physical buttons with an incredible machined finish. The 18-way adaptive sports seats, wrapped in premium leather provided a tailored embrace.
In the tech department, Porsche’s infotainment system takes centre stage. The 12.3-inch central display is responsive and intuitive, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto playing nice. There’s also an optional passenger display with privacy mode. Luckily this wasn’t added as it would have been even harder to extract my daughter from the vehicle once we arrived home.
The adaptive air suspension proved its mettle, cushioning the ride over the notoriously treacherous Auckland potholes. Switching between modes it handled the terrain with the grace of a ballet dancer tiptoeing on a gravely stage.
The optional Sport Chrono Package brought the drive mode switch on the steering wheel, allowing us to toggle between ‘Normal’, ‘offroad’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Sport Plus’. Each mode transformed the Cayenne into a different beast, from an eco-conscious cruiser to a tarmac-devouring monster.
It’s fair to say that the Cayenne legacy is safe with this latest generation. And as we glance at the rear-view mirror, tracing the tyre marks of its journey, one thing is clear—the Cayenne’s adventure is far from over.
As my daughter so eloquently puts it, This is the life!!!