First Review - Porsche Diesel Cayenne

Well, I remember when I was looking for a car back in 2009, the time to deliever X5 35d to Europe was between 12 and 14 months - all depends on the market, how popular certain engine is, how many slots there are for certain market, the location of the factory, etc.

Originally Posted by AutoUnion

Yeah, the local dealers don't really ever have Cayennes in stock. Build slots are taken for months in advance.

I can see why why MLs and X5s sell so much. BMW and MB can deliver cars in weeks whereas Audi/VW/Porsche take months. I wanted a Touareg TDI, but it would have taken 4 months, versus 4 weeks for the X5d.

The guy emailed me back and said he has one I can test drive. Going to swing by there in a couple hours when I am heading home. His online inventory actually lists several of them but just one has actual pictures, so guessing that is the one I can drive. Of course the weather is crappy today so I more than likely will just get to see how it drives in Seattle like conditions.

Is Cayenne all wheel drive? If yes, perhaps wet weather would be an interesting test of its traction.

Originally Posted by BB_cuda

Is Cayenne all wheel drive? If yes, perhaps wet weather would be an interesting test of its traction.

It is, actually I think all of the SUV diesel options available are.

Drove it and can't say it overly impressed me. I have not driven other diesel SUVs though, so perhaps it is more impressive than I think. The amount of power it has is okay but the way it kicks in feels like it comes in a little too late. Zero exhaust sound and barely even any engine noise, this was the sales guys selling point. I'd still consider one but was really hoping it was going to surprise me and it did not. Perhaps had I not been driving my 335d today then I'd had lower expectations.

is it single turbo or twin turbo? somebody from the forum wrote it is twin, but i am not convinced

generally, audi/vw/porsche/skoda/seat diesel engines are a few years behind bmw diesel

When I first got in the car he gave this sales pitch about how it uses two turbos and how they are variable vaned to allow near instant acceleration and peak power around 1800 rpms. I then asked if it has two turbos and he said yes. Perhaps it is twin but not sequential(?), all I know is it has initial throttle hesitation that my BMW definitely lacks.

Interesting ...... can you comment on the differences between it and the Audi SQ5 , ..... seems like the same engine but the Audi looks more sportier ( perhaps a more aggressive look), and also coming to the US.

Thanks

Pedro

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Well the Q5d is a smaller car, slightly shorter wheelbase, and about 600 pounds lighter than the Cayenne so it should perform quite well. The Cayenne is really closer to the X5 and (of course) the T-egg in size etc.

Originally Posted by pedser

Interesting ...... can you comment on the differences between it and the Audi SQ5 , ..... seems like the same engine but the Audi looks more sportier ( perhaps a more aggressive look), and also coming to the US.

Thanks

Pedro

Sent using Bimmer App

Q5d won't be out until MY14, so mid next year. Cayennes are already on lots

I'd sure hope the smaller Q5 out performs this. But I think the thing I did not like with the acceleration would still be present. My guess is only the X5 would not. I have been spoiled.

Interesting. Perhaps BMW dials in more "tip-in" to its diesel throttle, giving it the feeling of acceleration and power. This is commonly done in the car business. This would also explain how the 335d doesn't get the expected fuel economy that many VW and Mercedes diesel owners enjoy, since exaggerated throttle tip-in may lower fuel economy. But I am also comparing single turbo cars (VW and my old E320 CDI) to my new sequential variable vane twin turbo 335d, so the first small turbo may be the difference here.

PL

Originally Posted by Pierre Louis

Interesting. Perhaps BMW dials in more "tip-in" to its diesel throttle, giving it the feeling of acceleration and power. This is commonly done in the car business. This would also explain how the 335d doesn't get the expected fuel economy that many VW and Mercedes diesel owners enjoy, since exaggerated throttle tip-in may lower fuel economy. But I am also comparing single turbo cars (VW and my old E320 CDI) to my new sequential variable vane twin turbo 335d, so the first small turbo may be the difference here.

PL

My guess is more the engine in the 335d starts making boost sooner than the engine in the Cayenne. What I experienced was beyond just a throttle tip in lag. It was closer to what some might even call turbo lag. It was not horrible but it was most definitely noticeable. With the dealers selling point of the SUV having instant throttle it just made me want to say hey lets hop in my car because it does in fact have what you just said and this SUV does not.

It was not a bad driving SUV and it perhaps is a great driving one when compared to the competition within it's class. I just have not driven the others to compare too. I have a certain expectation of Porsche though and don't feel that it was met with this.

Well the 335 is about 800 pounds lighter than the Cayenne so I suspect that might have a fair amount to do with the responsiveness. Another thing is that in line 6 cyl engines have always had a more responsive, smoother feel than the V types. Sadly I can only think of two manufacturers who produce in line 6's for cars anymore -- BMW and Volvo.

I think if the X5d drove like how this thing drove then people would actually complain on here over praising it. There is under powered for weight and then there is not getting any real power at all until a point which is more the definition of lag. But to each their own, others might drive this thing and absolutely love the engine setup, I just expected more out of Porsche.

I am too lazy to look for this information, but I think PC diesel is just single turbo; apart from that as I wrote on this forum a few times, Audi/VW diesels are behind BMW diesel technology, they switched to commonrail a few years after BMW

Originally Posted by kanar200

I am too lazy to look for this information, but I think PC diesel is just single turbo; apart from that as I wrote on this forum a few times, Audi/VW diesels are behind BMW diesel technology, they switched to commonrail a few years after BMW

You probably are right. Straight from Porsche's website:

The turbocharger in the Cayenne Diesel features Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG). The gasoline-flow from the engine is channelled onto the turbines via electronically adjustable guide vanes. By changing the vane angle, the system can replicate the geometry in all types of turbo, large or small, and thus achieve the optimum gasoline-flow characteristics. As a result, even at low engine rpms, the turbine speed is maximized. For a significant increase in boost pressure, excellent cylinder charging plus greater power and torque

Check over on the X5 board (E70). "Emissions" who writes for Autoblog, and posts on the 'fest, is up in Alaska now doing the 2 day press tour/junket/roll out for the Cayenne US spec diesel. He should have some interesting comments for those interested.