2008 Porsche Cayenne

Porsche may refer to the new Cayenne as the next generation of its sport/utility, but there's plenty that's familiar here. In fact, Porsche kept the wheelbase and track width identical to the previous model's. However, there are a few important changes under the skin and hood.

All three of the available engines benefit from Porsche's newly developed high-pressure common-rail direct fuel injection and constantly adjusting variable valve control. We spent the first part of our drive behind the wheel of a fully loaded Cayenne Turbo, which sports a whopping 500 horsepower for 2008. The all new, all-aluminum 4.8-liter twin-turbocharged, twin-intercooled V-8 gets 50 more horsepower than the previous 4.5-liter Turbo as well as getting upward of 10 to 15 percent better fuel economy. Not bad for a vehicle that our German hosts swore would get to 60 mph in less than five seconds.

Easy driving is quite manageable, until you put your foot into it and get above 2500 rpm--that's when the twin turbochargers kick in. Even then, the all-wheel-drive system and dynamic controls prevent the chassis from feeling unbalanced or jerky. Another plus: Porsche refuses to dumb down its steering system just because it's not in a sports car. Included exclusively on the Turbo model is one of the most amazing brake upgrades we've ever seen. The new system uses a rigid aluminum monoblock six-piston front caliper that looks like a piece of art--it's eight percent lighter, eight percent stiffer, and 30 percent larger.

Additionally, Porsche developed an active swaybar controller called Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control that continuously adjusts (stiffening and relaxing) a front and rear anti-roll bar to keep the Cayenne running smooth in the straights and flat through hard corners. On the downside, PDCC is a $3510 option that can only be paired with the air suspension ($2990). The cost is significant, but worth it if you plan to push your Porsche. All Cayennes use the newly reinforced six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, and Porsche will continue to offer a six-speed manual with the base V-6, now 3.6 liters, producing 290 horsepower and a stunning 283 pound-feet of torque. Our short run in a manual V-6 proved it responsive and energetic, and a vast improvement over the previous 220-horsepower 3.2-liter V-6.

The new Cayenne face is wider and more sculpted. The front hood has been recarved by widening the headlights and hood surface, while the rear end has more mass over the rear tires, making it look more like a 911 from certain angles.

Porsche left the four-wheel-drive system alone, keeping the dual-action switches for low-range and suspension ride height (when equipped with the air ride) beneath the stick shift in the console. In low-range, the active anti-roll bar controller completely relaxes, allowing the wheels to more easily flex to the terrain. Other cool additions to this new Cayenne are a power liftgate, backup camera, dynamic curve lighting, and a software program that helps eliminate trailer sway.

Base-model Cayennes will start at $44,295, while the midrange Cayenne S reaches $55,795 and the topline Cayenne Turbo starts at $94,595. More power, better fuel economy, some new technology, and a pretty face put the new Cayenne at the head of the class with the likes of the BMW X5, Acura MDX, and Mercedes-Benz ML. We predict a nasty dogfight in six-cylinder format, but when looking for a 500-horsepower peer, the new Porsche Cayenne is in a class by itself.