2008 Porsche Cayenne

Detroit - Porsche has officially taken the wraps off the all new Cayenne. Showing all three variants, the V6, Cayenne S and the turbo, Porsche hopes to continue with the success they had with the previous generation of performance SUV. The body redesign has definitely made the new Cayenne much more pleasing to look at. The previous car had an awkward front end that really didn't work with the rest of the car. The intakes and headlights were entirely too large and there just appeared to be too much visual mass above the wheels. The new Cayenne appears much more aggressive and agile. The headlights are swept back more and the intakes are better integrated into the front bumper and the entire shape of the car.

The big news mechanically is a switch to direct injection on all power plants. The V6 increases from 3.2 to 3.6 liters and delivers 290hp and 283lb-ft of torque and delivers greater fuel economy than the previous engine. The V8 in the S model now delivers 385hp and 369 lb-ft of torque while delivering a 15 percent improvement in fuel economy. For the performance minded SUV driver the Cayenne Turbo now offers 500hp and an astounding 516 lb-ft of torque out of the twin turbo V8. Even with a 0-60 time under 5 seconds and a top speed of over 170mph Porsche still claims a fuel savings of up 11 percent over the previous model that delivered only 450hp and took a few ticks over 5 seconds to sprint to sixty.

To match this new found straight line performance the Cayenne now comes equipped with Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control(PDCC). This system uses active anti-roll bars to all but eliminate body roll while cornering. While the V6 and Cayenne S still ride on conventional steel spring suspension, the Turbo will receive and air suspension controlled by Porsche's PSM. To aid in cornering dynamics and improve turn-in response, 21 inch wheels are now optional on all Cayenne models. Not only will drivers see an increase in responsiveness, but the new 21 inch wheels are actually the same weight as Porsche's 20 inch wheels.

While passengers had very little to worry about in the previous Cayenne, Porsche has taken vehicle safety to yet another level. Incorporating active roll-over sensors the vehicle can now activate seat belt tensioners and deploy side curtain air bags if a roll over is determined to be immanent.

New luxury items include a power rear tailgate that even incorporates an owner programmed limiting function to avoid hitting low ceilings as well as a new interior trim package. A black and Chestnut Brown color combination is now available in what Porsche calls, natural leather.

All in all, it appears the new Cayenne is an improvement on already impressive SUV. If you are looking for as much sport as utility in your vehicle, then this may be the SUV for you.