Year of Porsche Cayenne

The Porsche Cayenne is a five-seat mid-size luxury sport utility vehicle manufactured by the German automaker Porsche since 2002, with North American sales beginning in 2003. It is the first V8 engined vehicle built by Porsche since 1995, when the Porsche 928 was discontinued.

Porsche intended the Cayenne to be the new benchmark for SUVs[citation needed]. The Cayenne's frame and doors are sourced from Volkswagen, who uses the frames and doors for the Volkswagen Touareg model. All other aspects of vehicle design, tuning, production are done in house at Porsche.

The Cayenne's appearance was criticized on the BBC TV series Top Gear. The presenters concluded that whilst the car was well engineered and was a capable off-roader, it was an extremely ugly vehicle.

All 2008 engines feature direct injection. The charge-cooling effect of direct fuel injection permits a higher compression ratio without the risk of detonation, improving horsepower and torque. There are currently 6 engines available in the Cayenne:

• 3.0L 240PS V6 Turbo Diesel from Volkswagen
• 3.6L 290PS (273ft·lbf) VR6 from Volkswagen (Based on the unit offered in the VW & Audi but with modifications made to the intake, exhaust, timing systems and head)
• 4.8L 385hp (283kW) 369ft·lbf (500N·m) V8 (S)
• 4.8L 405hp (298kW) 369ft·lbf (500N·m) V8 (GTS)
• 4.8L 500hp (368kW) 516ft·lbf (700N·m) twin-turbocharged V8 (Turbo)
• 4.8L 550hp (404kW) 553ft·lbf (750N·m) twin-turbocharged V8 (Turbo S)

Cayenne (Base Model)

The Base model is powered by a 3.6-liter VR6 engine producing 290hp (220kW); modifications in the exhaust manifold allow power to peak at 6700 rpm. The Cayenne V6 pricing starts at $45,000, making it the lowest priced Porsche available.

Starting in February 2009, the Base model is also offered with a 3.0-liter V6 Turbo Diesel.

Cayenne S

The S is powered by a naturally aspirated 8-cylinder engine with a compression ratio of 12.5:1. A dry-sump lubrication system improves efficiency, while Porsche's VarioCam Plus variable timing extends the power band. The Cayenne S' 4.8-liter V8 produces 385hp (287kW) and 369ft·lbf (500N·m) of torque. Acceleration from 0-62 mph is 6.4 seconds and the top speed is 155 miles per hour.

Cayenne GTS

The GTS is powered with a 405 hp 4.8 liter V8 and features a new sport suspension and 21-inch (530mm) wheels. It slots between the Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo, is lighter than the Cayenne S, and has an aerodynamic body kit. Its unique feature is a second row of bucket seats instead of the Cayenne's standard bench. The Porsche Cayenne GTS has a 0 to 60mph (97km/ h) time of 5.7 seconds. A six-speed manual transmission is also offered.