I'm not sure that Porsche wants you to
consider this new Cayenne S Diesel as an oil-burner because the diesel badging
on the rear nomenclature has been removed, yet it's the most powerful Porsche
diesel yet. At the heart of this Stuttgart steamroller is a 4.2-litre biturbo
V8 that pumps out 281kW and 850Nm of torque. Go anywhere near the throttle and
you can almost feel the air being sucked into the engine: surrounding flora
begins to Jean towards the radiator grille and I was surprised not to find an
entire Weeping Willow stuck to the grille at the end of the test drive. Despite
the maximum torque only being available between 2,000 – 2,750rpm there's no
noticeable let-up in urgency, even right towards the 4,600rpm red line.
The
four-wheel drive system gives the Cayenne S Diesel an abundance of traction and
surefootedness even under brutal cornering forces
There's also the sound that Porsche has
managed to concoct from the engine. Through some technical wizardry in the
exhaust pipes you could swear that you were in a pure petrol V8. The deep,
bassy grunt is not only heard from inside the cabin but step outside and you're
subjected to a growl of clean, uncluttered V8. I was so perturbed by this lack
of diesel clatter that I put my ear on the bonnet and asked for the ignition to
be turned on, and sure enough the familiar 'clack clack' of the diesel tick over
is audible - but only just.
Interior
in the Porsche Cayenne S Diesel is still the best in this class
Put that together with a cl aimed fuel
return of 8.3litres/100km and you've got a very potent combination of
responsible power. Of course, you can expect more than competent road manners
thanks to the Active Porsche Traction Management system, which distributes
power between the front and rear axles to maintain a perfect balance between
front and rear grip. It's also helpful during energetic cornering, providing
traction in the areas most effective for high levels of agility. While handling
well, with the optional 20-inch wheels on the test unit it also rides
impressively. The engine and eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission do their bit
in harmony, allowing occupants to simply enjoy the comfortable ride while
wafting along through the countryside overlooking other road users from the
elevated seating position.
Power
comes from a tuned, twin-turbo version of the VW Group 4.2-litre V8 diesel, and
is sent through a slick, eight-speed torque converter Tiptronic S gearbox
Possibly the most enticing aspect of the S
Diesel is the price rag - $84,170. For that you get a 2.3-tonne SUV that'll
shoot to 100kph in 5.7 seconds and carry on to a top speed of 252kph. The
interior is typically Porsche: draped in leather trim, beautifully crafted and
built to last.
This Cayenne makes the most sense to me so
far. I've never really understood why you need a guzzling big petrol engine in
an SUV when a diesel like this provides all the thrills you'll ever need.
