Test drive Porsche Cayenne S 955 2002 - 2007 SUV

Colonial goods

So at the beginning of the last century, many unfamiliar things brought from afar, including rare spices that were sold for frantic money in special shops were called. You could put Porsche Cayenne S
They say that the Porsche SUV was named after the old French colony in South America. From there comes the most desperate pirates of the Caribbean, bad illness and burning seasoning - Kayen pepper. Strange, however, associations of the company's marketers - after all, the name of the car can be connected separately with all these exotic things. Although this is right: it is just as shameless, desperate, as sharp. And for pleasure, gentlemen, we must pay ...
 
 
There were legends. I remember that there was no car yet, and rumors and gossip - more than enough. The fact that Porsche is preparing the fastest serial SUV in the world that the company does not have its own developments and it will simply bring to mind Volkswagen Touareg, that it will cost under $ 300 thousand - which they just won’t talk until the Parisian car dealership of the past The world premiere of Cayenne did not take place. Yes, then representatives of VW and Porsche admitted, the cars have common roots. But Cayenne is a highway, and Touareg is a real SUV. At one time, the autopilot even planned the pair test of these models. I wanted to build it like that: one - on the highway, the other on the off -road. It somehow didn’t work out with the paired test: during this time we had a chance to try two different Tuaregs, and Kayen somehow didn’t go into my mouth ... Looking ahead, I want to thank the circumstances for the fact that the double test did not happen because Porsche Cayenne is a unique car whose neighbor is quite difficult to choose. And the point is not only in the price, which for serial cars of this class, as a rule, is lower; And not in the elitism of the brand. All the uniqueness of Cayenne is in a unique combination of various, usually incompatible qualities.
Porsche Cayenne is available in only two modifications: S and Turbo - with the same engine. The power of the standard Cayenne S is only 340 hp, a turbocharged version - 450 horses. In addition, the basic configuration of the younger model does not provide for the installation of an adjustable chassis, which includes a change in the clearance and stiffness of shock absorbers. There are no some options: the skin on the front panel, the electric servo drive of the steering column, the interior decoration with aluminum elements. But it so happened that we got a complete picture of how the advanced Cayenne Turbo might look: we got a car for the test where most delicious options were installed for a fee - this is possible on Porsche, there would be a desire and required money.
Exotic cocktail. The Cayenne salon has a feeling of deja vu: we have already seen this, the question is - where? The fact of the matter is that in several cars. The instrument panel, the steering wheel, the central console is from Porsche. The same three dials floating on each other, a massive three -spitting steering wheel with transfers buttons, a rather modest console with a radio and niche for small things, a familiar form of an automatic transmission selector is similar to the Porsche Boxster cockpit. But it is enough to lower your eyes to the massive shelf, dividing the driver and passenger - and now we are in VW Touareg. Competitors do not lie: the influence of engineering developments from Wolfsburg is really felt. The drive and suspension management are located in the same places as in Touareg, only the control algorithm is made more elegant and friendly. By the way, from the Cayenne salon, a car worth more than $ 100 thousand, you could expect large bells and whistles, and only in motion you understand that they would all be absolutely superfluous: there is everything in the car to create maximum comfort, and a minimum of type that is distracting from the road of devices interactive display, DVD screens and other signs of expensive limousine. In a word, the complete absence of vulgar luxury and only the harmony proven by the algebra.
A motley tape. Such a solution of Porsche engineers can only be approved: in a car with such accelerated dynamics it is wiser to look only at the road. Sensations resemble a game with a remote control from a video recorder. Here we are standing in front of us, in the windshield, a picture of the city: pedestrians walk about their business, cars flicker. We click on the gas - and there is a feeling that the slow -down button is pressed: the pedestrians stopped, the cars no longer go, but slowly float somewhere in space. Time continues to really flow only inside Cayenne.
The question arises for the creators of this car: why put a sequental type box on a Cayenne? A six -speed automatic machine operates so well with an eight -cylinder engine that even thought does not come even more to spur the car. There is not enough relics in some mode for the car to rebuild from a row in a row, there is not even a hint. Cayenne with the same force presses the body into the seat and with a sharp acceleration of 30 km/h and with 130 km/h. It is enough to stroke the gas pedal - and the roofs of the cars walking in front merge into a colorful tape tied into a bizarre knot behind your car.
No matter how blasphemous it sounds, to ride Cayenne in the city is a complete nonsense. In a modern metropolis, it is simply impossible to enjoy all Porsche capabilities. This car was created for desert tracks with steep turns and height changes - only there you can evaluate the entire engineering genius of the Porsche team.
At the first moment, we are simply scared: according to all the laws of physics, a car of increased cross -country ability cannot enter such a speed in a bunch of steep turns. Sooner or later, the body will begin to swing with such an amplitude that, in accordance with the ideas of Mr. Newton, should turn over. The SUV, but not Cayenne - a more experienced colleague in communication with Porsche, lowered the body with one light movement of the hand and transferred the settings of shock absorbers to the Sport position. Yes, a little harsh, blows on the irregularity of the highway are transmitted to the body much more noticeable, but the car flies along the highway, as on rails. By the way, electronic protection against fools is also provided: at a speed of more than 125 km/h, automation reduces the road clearance by three centimeters and increases the rigidity of shock absorbers. The next critical line is 210 km/h. The car becomes still 11 mm lower and retains this position until the driver withstand the nerves at such a speed.
Well, you give! We slow down before the congress on the off -road. Now our task is to configure a car for an impromptu rally -raid. You can, of course, try to trust the electronics, but it is always more pleasant to feel your power over powerful equipment. For off -road driving on Cayenne, two suspension modes are provided. It is quite possible to move in the primer by raising the body from the standard 217 mm (by the way, an unattainable height for many SUVs with a richest history!) Up to 243 mm. If a broken track from KamAZ is ahead (interestingly, have you ever seen this at Porsche?), Then you can raise the body to an unattainable height - 273 mm. Such an SUV can boast of such an off -road gap.
 
 
Another movement with a tiny lever to the right of the driver - and we switch to a reduced hand gear mode. The gear rates are impressive - 1: 2.7. The absolute record holder has in this class - Land Rover Defender - the ratio of increased / reduced gear is 1: 3.32. Disconnect the system of track control, turn on the center differential (another movement lever forward) and slowly slide into Russian reality. The role of inter -normal locks is played by the proprietary system ABD - Automatic Brake Differential. In the case of loss, one of the clutch wheels with the surface, this electronic system throws the force from the motor to other wheels that have more confident contact. By the way, by order of the buyer at the factory they can establish a forced blocking of the rear differential, but even this option is poorly in demand.
Who said that Porsche Cayenne is not a real SUV and what is his place on the asphalt? We will reveal a short secret: we specially tested it in the same place where we went to VW Touareg two months earlier. Just yesterday there was rain, and the track turned into a liquid and slippery mess. I admit, the fears that Cayenne could not stand and get stuck, there were even a cable from the trunk. It turned out in vain. Porsche’s cross -country ability was even beyond praise: it pulls perfectly through dirt and sand, perfectly slows down the engine on steep slopes. The main thing is to clearly dose the effort on the gas pedal and not let the car burst into the ground under its own weight. And one more but: the standard configuration of any Cayenne does not provide for the protection of the crankcase. This is an option, and if the owner plans to use it on a fairly difficult off -road, then it is better to take care of such a finalization in advance.
The strength of the habit. We don’t need to reproach us for the enthusiastic style of this story and for the abundance of adjectives to an excellent degree, because Porsche engineers have for decades honed the production of expensive sports cars for decades, and therefore they did not exchange a too wide range - only a few cars, but which ones! In any Porsche, it is very difficult to find technical inconsistencies or errors. Although we have found something to complain about in Cayenne: to the operation of the hydroelectric mechanism responsible for changing the height of the suspension. The car body cannot drive up and down manually as much as you want. After the motor raises Cayenne from the lowest position to the highest, it needs to let it rest and cool for a couple of minutes. The branded instruction even warns about this, and for forgetful drivers, the corresponding reminder appears on the information display in the center of the dashboard.
In conclusion, we want to remind you: this is the only Porsche on which you can go on a trip five.
Text Nikolay Kachurin, photo Alexey Ilyin
 
Model/Modification Porsche Cayenne S
Manufacturer/country Dr. ING. H.C. F. porschekg/Germany
Bearing element of the body
ENGINE
Type/number/location of gasoline/8/V-shaped
Working volume (cubic cub) 4511
Power (kW (L.S.) at about./Min.) 250 (340) at 6000
Moment (nm at about./Min.) 420 at 2500-5500
TRANSMISSION
Permanent full drive, distribution of effort 38:62 between the front and rear wheels
Automatic gearbox 6-speed, sectral type
Transfer numbers (increased/lowered) 1/2.7
Brakes, safety
Front/rear disk, ventilated
ABS, Assisting electronic systems 4-channel psm course stability system, PTM electronic anti-circus system (includes ASR anti-operating system and engine distribution system between ABD wheels)
Front and side airbags for the driver and front passenger, inflatable curtains
Dimensions/mass
Length/width/height (mm) 4782/1928/1699
Wheel base/clearance (mm) 2855/157-273
Tires 255/55 R18
Mass weight/full (kg) 2320/3060
The volume of the fuel tank (l) 100
Maximum speed (km/h) 244
Acceleration to 100 km/h (sec.) 7.2
Fuel consumption (city/highway, l/100 km) 20.9/11.2
The price in Moscow from $ 104.6 thousand.
 
Moscow prices for additional equipment
Steel radiator protection $ 512.2
Bi-xenon headlights with a washer $ 1186
Electric glass hatch $ 1120
Pneumatic suspension $ 2969
OFF-ROD PACKENT (rear differential blocking, anterior islands of anterior oster axes, rear-time and gas tank protection) $ 3835
Folding rubber $ 1109
Comfortable seats (12 adjustments) $ 1072
Heating of all seats and steering wheel $ 858
Bose sound package $ 1276
Built -in phone with a confidential bond pipe $ 1253

 

A source: "Autopilot"