First look: More power and punch for Cayenne

PORSCHE has moved to quell any dispute over its leadership in the performance SUV stakes with its facelifted Cayenne, which was revealed this week ahead of its Australian release in March.

Power and performance are the main ingredients with the revised SUV, courtesy of direct fuel-injection, bigger-displacement engines and higher outputs – and, we should add, a claimed (but as yet unspecified) reduction of fuel consumption by up to eight per cent.

Joining the V8-powered Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo will be an "entry-level" six-cylinder model – the Cayenne – which, in a first for Porsche in Australia, sends the starting price below $100,000. To $94,700, in fact.

The Cayenne S now starts from $134,500 (up $4600) and the Turbo climbs to $215,200 – up from $207,100. There is no S version of the Turbo for now, by virtue of the fact that power and torque on the incoming standard Turbo has grown closer to the current Turbo S.

Rather than using an iteration of its acclaimed boxer six, the Cayenne relies on a Volkswagen-sourced 3.6-litre V6 – as seen in the Passat R36 that debuted at last week's Essen motor show – which in this case develops 213kW of power and 385Nm of torque.

Paired with a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission as standard, the V6 enables acceleration from 0-100km/h in a claimed 8.5 seconds. Top speed for the Cayenne six is 227km/h.

The most impressive numbers are found in the V8s. The natural-breathing V8 has increased from 4.5 to 4.8 litres and, with the added benefit of direct injection and "VarioCam Plus" valve control, produces 283kW (up 33kW) and 500Nm (up 80Nm).

On the road, the engine modifications shave 0.4 seconds off the 0-100km/h time – now down to 6.8 seconds – and allow the maximum speed to climb 8km/h to 250km/h.

Also now out to 4.8 litres, the twin-turbocharged version of the V8 produces 368kW (up 37Nm) and 700Nm (also up 80Nm), which translates to 0-100km/h acceleration of 5.1 seconds (down from 5.6 seconds) and a 275km/h top speed (up from 266km/h). By comparison, the current $241,000 4.5-litre Turbo S – now in run-out – produces 383kW and 720Nm.

Both the Cayenne and Cayenne S can be ordered with a six-speed manual gearbox, which is claimed to reduce the 0-100km/h time to 8.1 and 6.6 seconds respectively.

Porsche's "dynamic chassis control" system debuts on the SUV, while air suspension and the "active suspension management" system will be fitted standard to the V8s and are available as an option on the V6.

All models will feature Porsche's "traction management" permanent 4WD system, which distributes torque 38:62 front/rear in normal conditions, but via a multi-disc clutch can direct up to 100 per cent to either end. A "stability management" system, which includes brake assist and off-road ABS, will also be standard across the range.

2007 Porsche Cayenne pricing:
Cayenne (a)	$94,700
Cayenne S (a)	$134,500
Cayenne Turbo (a)	$215,200