Standing outside Leith Porsche, it was hard to believe that just a week before everything within sight was covered in snow. Instead, we were being treated to a gorgeous day and an opportunity to test-drive the 2014 Porsche Cayenne GTS.
As Porsche’s first SUV, people weren’t sure what to think of the original Cayenne when it debuted in 2002. This is the premier German sports car manufacturer, so why would they feel the need to design a midsize crossover? No one was asking this question for very long after they actually got to drive one, yet we still had the same doubts going through our heads beforehand. Perhaps it’s just the way the dealership is arranged, but when you pull up, the 911s, the Boxsters, and the Caymans are all in a row, right out front. The Cayennes are more out of sight, sort of like a well-kept secret.
Our sales representative that day was Robert Brooks who has been a part of the Leith family for five and a half years. He brought our featured ride around, a Cayenne GTS in Classic Metallic Silver with bright red calipers. Even as a crossover, it still looks like a sports car. It has the curvaceous Porsche hood and large, rounded headlamps. LED daytime running lights are integrated into the air intakes that flank the wide grille. The car has a wide-bodied stance that narrows on its way up to the roof, and an integrated spoiler juts out over the rear window.
Robert opened the trunk to show us the available cargo space. Porsche does not make compromises, so there is no option for a third row in the Cayenne. There’s a retractable cover to shield luggage or groceries from direct sunlight, as well as folding chrome clamps to secure anything you don’t want sliding around – a serious risk if you don’t have a full trunk, as you’ll find out. The second row will fold down for extra space, and a storage compartment underneath conceals a spare tire. The Cayenne is the only Porsche that comes with a spare. While other models include a repair kit and air compressor, the spare’s presence in this one represents a tacit acknowledgement that people who take their Cayenne off-roading could actually do some damage to a tire.
Under the hood, this GTS had a 4.8-liter V-8 engine with direct fuel injection and VarioCam Plus technology. It makes 420 horsepower and 380 pound feet of torque, which is power enough to go 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds and pull a best-in-class towing capacity of 7700 pounds. Standard to the GTS is Porsche’s Tiptronic S transmission, an 8-speed automatic capable of detecting various styles of driving and responding for maximum fuel efficiency and driver comfort. As in any Porsche, the multifunction steering wheel can control gears manually, up with the push of a thumb or down with the pull of an index finger – an ambidextrous system to boot. Fuel efficiency is at a premium as well, thanks to an Auto Start Stop function.
As part of his training to be a Porsche Brand Ambassador, Robert visited the Barber Motorsports Park outside Birmingham and enrolled in Porsche’s sport driving school. It made sense for him to take the first turn at the wheel so that he could show us how the Cayenne is supposed to be driven. He put the key in the ignition, found to the left of the steering wheel. As he turned the car on, he explained Dr. Porsche’s thinking in terms of older races, when starting the car and putting it in gear were actually part of the race itself. While drivers of other vehicles had to turn the key and work the shift in sequence with one hand, Porsche drivers were able to start the car with their left hand and put it in gear with their right. The ignition has stayed to the left on every Porsche ever since.
You remember our misgivings about driving the Cayenne? Well, Robert said that what he most often hears from people stepping out of one for the first time is that they forget they’re driving an SUV. It certainly doesn’t sound like one. Robert turned on the Sport exhaust mode immediately and exited the parking lot, heading for a convenient roundabout to show us the Cayenne’s cornering. There are handles all over the inside, and that’s for the best because you can really take someone for a ride in this car.
We got a chance to ride in the front and the back, and we can attest that both are equally comfortable. As we said, Porsche makes no compromises. The GTS trim includes an Alcantera headliner and Alcantera centers on the leather seats. The second row can slide forward and back, and even reclines, while the front seats have the option for heating, ventilation, and eight-way adjustability with memory settings. We also opted to pull back the sunscreen to enjoy the full breadth of the panoramic sunroof.
Our test-drive route is classified, so we can’t tell you where we went, but we can tell you it included highway and neighborhood roads. Robert whipped through his half of the course, putting on a clinic for us. He said that down in Birmingham, they had an off-road motorcycle track that they took the Cayenne on. Before this we wouldn’t have believed him when he said they got air in this thing, but now we have no doubts. Once he could tell we were excited enough, Robert pulled over and switched seats with us.
It’s a basic tenant of Porsche design philosophy that their cars should be as light as physically possible. The engineers prioritize lightweight over power, and it’s amazing that they are able to balance the two so perfectly. The Cayenne feels lighter than some sedans and compacts we’ve driven. Most of the other cars in its own class outweigh it. Robert said that he’ll have customers come in who have tried other midsize crossovers, and they say the Cayenne is like the baby bear’s bed from the story of Goldilocks: It feels just right.
We hit the highway early on our drive, and we were reminded how much we like two-lane entry ramps. Usually on test-drives like this one, we’re driving a car that is powerful enough to pass anyone else before the merge, and the Cayenne is no exception. Robert had to remind us to watch our speed, saying, “The only difference between going 75 and 100 is the road goes by a lot quicker.” It feels the exact same, and speed is not electronically limited like in other cars. The power and responsiveness of the Cayenne is enough to make you lose your inhibitions, so some caution is advised. Some.
Steering on any Porsche is legendary, but the Cayenne’s has been totally revised and updated for flawless precision. One of Robert’s customers actually commented once that he was all over the road going down the highway, to which Robert said, “Well it’s going where you tell it to.” The Cayenne has a low center of gravity that helps it take corners easily, and the turning radius is magnificent for a larger car.
Handling also came up when we asked Robert about safety. Porsches are built with the autobahn in mind, so they’re capable of surviving high speed crashes from any angle. Of his customers that were unfortunate enough to be in an accident, Robert said he had never heard of any that were injured. He also made note that he’s rarely heard of a Porsche instigating a wreck. When you have superior brakes and handling, it’s much easier to avoid accidents than the alternative.
To be frank, we really did forget that we were driving an SUV by the end of the test-drive. All this is to say nothing of the Cayenne’s off-roading abilities. Air suspension and Tiptronic transmission make regular streets feel like coasting on clouds, but they’re also more than a match for tougher terrain. We didn’t get the chance to go mudding ourselves, but we think back to Robert’s story about the off-road test track in Birmingham and don’t have any trouble believing it.
Back at the dealership, we got out and looked around again, admiring the perfect day. It was a much needed taste of spring in February, and yet as nice it was, the Cayenne was more beautiful to us just then. If you want a sports car that can also handle rough roads, a full cargo, or a carpool, we recommend you take this one for a spin.
We also want to thank Robert Brooks for making our test-drive possible. Not only is he one of the nicest people you’ll meet, but he’s also a true ambassador of the Porsche brand. As always, we urge you not to let our words be the final arbiter of your judgment. Feel free to visit Leith Porsche for your own test-drive. There is no other car on the road like a Porsche. You owe yourself the experience.
Comments are closed.