German sports car maker Porsche is the only auto company this year to post overall higher SUV sales than it had last year. And Porsche has only one SUV: the Cayenne.
Even more surprising, perhaps, is the fact the Cayenne is shining at Porsche's U.S. showrooms, while sales of the brand's road-hugging and iconic cars have dipped from last year's levels.
While the Cayenne is a tall and heavy SUV with room for up to five passengers, it's also distinctly Porsche, with amazing agility, impressive stability and an interior that can be swathed with luxury items.
For 2008, the five-door Cayenne is refreshed in front, spruced up inside and has reworked engines with more power than before.
There's also a new GTS model that's the only 2008 SUV in the United States that pairs a manual transmission to a V-8 for the few drivers who want to manage their 405 horsepower and 369 foot-pounds of torque manually.
Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $44,295 for a base Cayenne with 290-horsepower V-6 and manual transmission. The lowest starting price for a Cayenne with automatic is $47,295, while Cayennes with V-8 start at $58,795.
All Cayennes come standard with all-wheel
Porsche's SUV stretches its pricing around that of other luxury SUVs. For example, the 2008 BMW X5 starts at $47,025 with a V-6, while the more sports-car-turned-SUV model, the 2008 X6, starts at $63,825 with 400-horsepower V-8.
The mere development of an SUV at Porsche years ago launched hot debate among sports car enthusiasts who felt the company was veering away from its heritage. But it's difficult to argue with the fact the Cayenne has become the best-selling Porsche in North America and helps the company smooth out cyclical sales of sports cars.
Indeed, since the Cayenne debuted in 2003, more than 200,000 have been built and sold.
The test Cayenne, a GTS with manual transmission, at first felt like an SUV that was way overdone.
There was suede-like finish on the ceiling, and carpeting in the cargo space that was so plush, I couldn't imagine putting bags of topsoil back there.
The GTS featured a boisterous exhaust note, gargantuan 21-inch wheels with performance tires and lots more power than necessary to drive around town. If I didn't watch carefully, I was up on the back end of a car ahead of me in seconds, and then as I tagged behind, I felt like I was bored silly.
The ride also felt stiffer than in most other SUVs, even when I set the suspension to a comfort mode.
But the Cayenne GTS only had to go around curves and carve up mountain twisties for me to change my mind.
The GTS - a mid-range model with naturally aspirated V-8 and a starting price of $70,195 - was agile in the turns, well-balanced and unflappable.
In normal driving, the all-wheel drive system is engineered to deliver 62 percent of the power to the back wheels and 38 percent to the front to provide more of a sporty, rear-drive handling.
Body control was so good that body lean and/or tippiness was nary a thought.
The Cayenne's steering was light and responsive, too, so I never had to go through a lot of steering motion. Indeed, this SUV moved purposely and stably in all steering inputs, and until I sought to park the Cayenne on city streets, I didn't fuss that this SUV is nearly 17 feet long.
But the addition of the six-speed manual transmission was less of a selling point. It was a pain working it in congested traffic, and the clutch pedal - as expected in a Porsche - required significant leg force.
The gearshifter in the center console also had a lot of play in it and long throws, which didn't engender the sporty shift feel that I expected.
In fact, the shifter reminded me more of one from General Motors Corp. than one from a German car company. On the window sticker of the test GTS, Porsche reported the six-speed tranny is from Japan.
Still, there was no disappointment in the engine power. The 405 horsepower from the 4.8-liter, double overhead cam V-8 never seemed to be fully tapped during my test drive, making long highway runs effortless.
The 369 foot-pounds of torque peaks at a comfortable 3,500 rpm, providing delightful zip.
The Cayenne is capable off road, but the 21-inch wheels and performance tires on the test GTS weren't designed for that.
Most safety equipment is standard in the Cayenne, including electronic stability control, curtain air bags and front-seat, side-mounted air bags. But a rearview monitor that displays what's directly behind this tall-riding vehicle is optional on many Cayenne models.
Despite the Cayenne's six years of sales in the United States, the federal government has no crash test ratings. With an average 13,700 sales per year, the Cayenne is a low-volume model compared with most other SUVs.
Fuel mileage is poor with just an 11-mpg rating in city driving. The Cayenne tester ranked in the bottom fifth of new 2008 SUVs, and premium gasoline was the required fuel.
Consumer Reports lists the reliability of the Cayenne as average.
In February, 5,573 V-6 powered Cayennes from the 2008 model year were recalled. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said a fuel line might contact the engine cover, resulting in chafing and the potential for a fuel leak.
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2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS
BASE PRICE: $43,400 for base with manual; $57,900 for S; $69,300 for GTS.
AS TESTED: $90,190.
TYPE: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, five-passenger, mid-size, luxury sport utility vehicle.
ENGINE: 4.8-liter, double overhead cam V-8.
MILEAGE: 11 mpg (city), 17 mpg (highway).
TOP SPEED: 157 mph.
LENGTH: 188 inches.
WHEELBASE: 112.4 inches.
CURB WEIGHT: 4,949 pounds.
BUILT AT: Germany.
OPTIONS: Porsche dynamic chassis control $3,510; stone gray leather interior trim $3,170; GTS red paint $3,140; Porsche communications management $3,070; Bose surround sound system $1,665; Bi-xenon headlights with washers $1,560; moonroof $1,190; XM satellite radio $750; trailer hitch $630; light comfort package (includes automatic headlights, automatic rearview mirror and programmable approach lights) $610; front seat and steering wheel heater $560; floor mats $140.
DESTINATION CHARGE: $895.
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