The game changer

MANILA, Philippines - This isn’t your garden variety Porsche. In fact, it sits on a segment all its own, if you were to strictly follow Porsche hierarchy. Developed first in 2002, the Porsche Cayenne was met with much skepticism by traditionalists and with guarded caution by skeptics. But then that’s par for the course. The vehicle’s arrival would be akin to opening up a private club to a new set of members. Here was a Porsche, not just with four doors, but more importantly with a ground clearance that thrusts a figurative middle finger up the sport car fanatic’s behind. Porsche actually expected the backlash, knowing full well that this was one vehicle that would open up new doors – and subsequently opportunities – for the company.

Fast forward to late 2009. After selling close to 200,000 units worldwide, the Porsche Cayenne had accounted for roughly 44% of total Porsche vehicle sales. Apparently, the new club members were an eager bunch. And they seemed to be growing in number.

Which brings us all the way to 2010. With this in mind, Porsche developed and launched early this year the second generation Cayenne at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The second generation variant, a much more aesthetically sound rendering of the Porsche SUV idea, seeks to woo in even more new Porsche owners into the fold. Along with the Panamera, it represents a new way of thinking that’s sweeping the Zuffenhausen, Suttgart headquarters of this famed German automaker.

“The Porsche Cayenne is a game-changer. It has made us see past our niche market and has given us leeway into a whole new market segment,” said Christer Ekberg, managing director of Porsche Asia Pacific, during a chat with The Philippine STAR at the Porsche World Roadshow, which was held recently in Singapore. “Realistically, it has been a fantastic addition to our model line up as it has increased our sales numbers dramatically. This new variant promises to take that a step further.”

We were in Singapore specifically to get our hands on the Porsche Cayenne. While the Porsche World Roadshow does give any attendee the chance to drive the entire Porsche model line-up, the all-new Cayenne’s significance in the Philippine market had us wondering if indeed this variant is worth all the fuss. After driving the Cayenne some 60-odd kilometers in and around (as well as slightly out of) city premises, we tend to agree with Ekberg’s latter statement.

With only the 3.6-liter V6 and 4.8-liter Twin-turbocharged variants available in the Philippines, we insisted on driving either of the two (we meaning James Deakin and this writer). Fortunately, we were able to wrangle the latter. Unfortunately, we were only allowed to drive it under real driving conditions, as mentioned earlier. In other words, the controlled conditions test track was reserved for the actual sports cars. Still, we did get our impressions of the vehicle. And they are filled with superlatives.

Without a doubt, the new Porsche Cayenne is one of the most comfortable SUVs we have ever driven. Power delivery is typically Porsche, which means there is very little to complain about. The abundance of Porsche-specific niceties also gains a plus mark from the Philippine STAR duo. So comfortable was the vehicle, in fact, that our two other passengers representing other media outfits from the Philippines gladly handed over the driving duties to Deakin and this writer. Truth be told, the only real beef we had with the new Porsche Cayenne was its comparatively quieter cabin. We know we’re barking up the wrong tree here as the Cayenne is touted as a family man’s Porsche, but we did come straight from driving the 911, Cayman and Boxster variants. A more pronounced reverb of that angry Porsche growl would have been nice.

Still and all, the new Porsche Cayenne is a huge departure from its predecessor comfort-wise. Never has a Porsche been so comfortable. Were it not for its sticker price, we’d even venture to say that this is one vehicle that could be perfect for Manila’s pothole-infested terrain. The Porsche soft-roader might have matured tremendously in a span of just a few years. But that’s probably because its target market has demanded its quick maturity. And if this new Cayenne variant performs in the sales game as Ekberg has prophesied, then the goal will have been met.