Ian Lamming compares the very first Cayenne with the latest incarnation as Porsche celebrates 20 years of making SUVs
IT still feels wrong taking a Porsche off road but as the Cayenne negotiates the rough moorland track it is every bit as capable as any off-roader.
No surprise really as the founder of the company began his engineering career making both all-wheel-drive machines and electric vehicles. Ferdinand Porsche designed and built a four-wheel-driven electric vehicle for the k. u. k. Hofwagenfabrik Ludwig Lohner & Co. in Vienna in 1899 and presented it to the public during the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, so the company certainly knows a bit about 4WD technology.
But what is surprising is that this particular Cayenne, which is splodging through mud, shrugging off deep ruts and laughing in the face of rocks and gravel is 20-years-old – it certainly doesn’t feel it – and its lusty 340bhp, 4.5 litre, V8 remains a joy two decades on.
To be frank, Porsche was finding life a bit of a struggle when the decision was taken to expand the range. Renowned for its iconic 911 sports car that just wasn’t enough to make ends meet back in the 1990s.
Open-top Boxster came along first to bolster the beleaguered balance books and then, to put the cat among the pigeons, in 2002 Porsche introduced not only its first five door but a sports utility vehicle – surely not – the E1 Cayenne.
It proved to be a masterstroke. Two decades on and the Cayenne has proved a sales sensation for Porsche – the model is now on its third generation and in 2021 sold more than 80,000 units globally.
But Cayenne never was a normal off-roader as it somehow harnessed Porsche’s sportscar heritage and blistering performance with the go-anywhere ability and practicality of a sterling SUV.
E1 shared a platform with the Volkswagen Touareg, but development of this was very much led by Porsche.
New features included Porsche Traction Management – a system that in normal conditions split power 38:62 front to rear but could send up to 100 per cent of the power to a single axle if required – and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) – which continually regulates the damping force – in combination with air suspension.
Increased ground clearance of up to 273 mm (with the air suspension raised), coupled with its low-range transfer box and fully locking centre differential, meant Cayenne was a veritable hot chilli pepper when it came to going anywhere and those same traits gave it fantastic traction on the road.
Moving swiftly on through E2 to the current E3 model range, it’s amazing how they vary in personality. The Cayenne look prevails and it has only subtly changed over the years retaining that traditional Porsche nose.
Starting at the top, you have the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid which comes with a 4.0 turbo-charged V8, and a hybrid electric motor. Combine those and your get close to 700hp and incredible handling. If it wasn’t for your lofty driving position you would swear you were in a sports car, from the way it sounds, handles and rides to the way it brakes and grips around bends. It is awesome but controlled, polished and refined.
Move to the Turbo GT and things go lairy…but in a good way. The same turbocharged 4.0 V8 dumps the extra weight of thebattery pack and hybrid gubbins making it a lot lighter. It snarls more, it blips the throttle when you slow down and it squirms under power like you won’t believe. It’s shouty and angry and totally brilliant – my favourite of the bunch because it makes you feel alive.
Then there’s the best-seller, the Cayenne V6 E-hybrid, which still churns out close to 500bhp and offers a great driving experience.
Each interior is glorious too – they even smell nice thanks to swathes of leather and/or Alcantara.
Inside is a superb mix of traditional looking dials, including a lap-timer, and haptics-fantastic touch screen and switchgear. The key functions are always close to hand with secondary ones just a prod, swipe and dab away. It’s a brilliant set up and I love the birdseye view Google Earth-type satnav.
The very first Cayenne 20 years ago was a peerless platform on which to build and build Porsche did so that the latest generation is better than ever. It may still feel wrong to take it off road but it feels right in every other way.
Fact File
Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT
Engine: 4.0 litre V8
Power: 640hp
0-62mph: 3.1 secs
Top speed: 186mph
Combined MPG: 20
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
CO2 g/km: 319
Price: £156,695.00 (including extras)
