Truble10

Metal Solid,
Remember Porsche built tractors before they built a sports car. So who is the so called ethusiast.
The Cayenne is a natural progression after the 959, 993 TT, and the 996 TT all being 4WD.
Oh, by the way I did not spend more on my daily driver. My 996 TT cost more.
I guess I'm not a real Porsche guy - I own a Cayenne.

Very logical thinking.

At least I'm happy.

adsc4s

Who's to say the commuter Cayenne is not a fun Porsche?

sharkie

The only true enthusiasts are the kids racing their contraptions in the Soap Box Derby.

M758

I am one who has railed against the Cayenne since i heard about it. I never been impressed by 450 hp soccer mom-mobile.

Before I was married I had 1998 Jeep Cherokee (no not a Grand) it was the old style one. I love it for what I was. A truck that could off road with best. In time I installed 4.5" lift and it could do things off road that would make you guys crap your pants.

Well I got married and sold it off. What I did replace it with? 03 ML320. My feeling were like this. I had not been off-roading in while and rarely used my Jeep's extreme capabilites. My wife wanted a vehicle that could carry alot of boxes and things for her business shows and would do 90% of the drivng. For me the vehicle had to have enough off-road capabilites to get me to fun camping spots, or remote hiking and mountain biking trailheads. A slightly used ML320 turned out be right vehicle for our needs. Gas milage is ok at best (17-19) and it is actually quite comfortable on the road. It also handles much better than expected. I do know that it a compromise from a MB or BMW wagon. Those would have been MUCH better for her needs, but would Not have been able to serve my needs for light (in my thinking, hardcore for most) off-roading. I have also been pleastly surprise with it's cargo capacity. This is mosly due to box shape and ability to lay standard 6foot folding tables flat. That ML is nice compomise car, but not an ideal daily driver or family transporter.

So ... This brings me to the pepper...
... I still see no reason why 95% of the people that own one have them. The fact that they are tall big is not good for hanlding. Why a pepper may by the "sportiest" SUV out there, I'd bet a standard E500 (maybe even E320) is much sportier than a Cayenne S.

So unless you have a need to compromise and make 1 vehicle do likes carry lots of crap, be a comfortable driver, be a rugged off-roader, can tow something, and carry the family then an SUV is really a waste especially one that cost as much as the S and TT. ( The V6 is waste a Porsche since it just too slow, not for normal car, but certainly for a new Porsche)

PS... the fact that 90% of SUV's go off-road means very few people need that ability. Take that "need" away and a good wagon or sedan meets most needs.
As for towing. Remember the days when you used a car to tow with?

Sun Ra

your wife is right. another great brand run into the ground with bad quality, too broad a product range and wretched reliability...altho' she probably thinks of them as taxis?

the Cayenne would certainly be a perfect one only car....especially for bad weather and dirt roads, and one of the best SMALL suv's. too small for my needs, so we're serial Yukon XL users...

Truble10

Joe P,
I appreciate your opinion. I happen to feel the same way about 944's. I never been impressed with them and have always favored 911's.

I still don't understand people who say this model or that model is not a true Porsche. I heard it with the Boxster and now with the Cayenne. While the 944 and Boxster do not appeal to me that does not mean there is not use for them.

I do appreciate a company that offers several products to choose from for many different people.

M758

Never said the Cayenne was not a Porsche. I do in many ways lament that fact that they built an SUV however. What bothers me more is that people buy these things at the rate that they do. I can't understand why 80% of SUV owners even have them. This applies to ALL SUV owner not just Cayenne people. Now I am not one to say people should not be allowed to buy them, but so many think an SUV is best thing since sliced bread. Well it ain't. It is compromise vehicle that does alot of things, but few of them very very well. Or least they are rarely a stand out in any one performance area.

Sport no, Luxury no, Power No, Cargo capacity no, People capacity no, Off-road (few yes, most no), Price No, Safety No.

Hmmm unless you NEED one vehcile to do 5 jobs I can't see how a SUV is valuable. Most folks think they need one, but alot would be much better off with either a sedan, wagon or proper truck. For the remaining 20-25% of SUV buyers... There are SUV's.

To me if bought a Cayenne for driving back in forth to work in non-snow region, never venture off road, have nothing to tow, and your only passenger is your wife on the way to nice dinner or maybe you 5 year old and you value comfort, handling and safety.... they why an SUV? I just don't get it.

You want to know why the die-hards are upset? Since Porsches were sold in the US they have been all about sports cars. Sure they sold a tractor back in the early days, but they quit that about the time cars started to pick-up. Sure Porsche engineering has been involved in alot other car projects, but until the Cayenne there was not mass produce car with Porsche badge that could be described as anything other than sports car. Sure the 928 is GT car, but that still had 2 doors and is quite sporty. Say what you want about the 944, Boxster or even 914, but they were all sports cars even if they had Audi/VW motor and parts.

Now that Porsche has branched in to making Trucks what does Porsche stand for? Certainly not "Sports car" any more. Heck they don't even race any more at the highest levels. So it begs a very serious question? What is fate of Porsche? While the Cayenne may allow it to remain independant has its production changed the Porsche DNA and heritage in someway? I don't know the answer to that. The guys PAG know better what is on the horizon. More non-sports cars? A pickup truck? A return to hard core sports cars like the 73 RS? Sure the Carrera GT is nice, but out of reach even alot of folks with GT2 & GT3's. Porsche never needed halo car since all its cars were halo cars. I think we start to see more non-sports car Porsche's out there then they mystiqe of Porsche may be erroding. If it just the cayenne then may be Porsche can weather this time and use Cayenne to pay for devepment of its core products.

I think some in this thread or maybe it was another brought out the old Ferrari approach. "We build street cars to fund our Racing efforts". I sure hope "Porsche builds the Cayenne to fund its sports car development and production."

rockitman

Mines a blast!!!

nicoff

Maybe I just don't get it. Why should I be upset about Porsche building a SUV, a tractor, or a 4-door car as long as they still can build fantastic sport cars?
Different things for different folks!

What I have noticed about the Cayenne is that most of its drivers act strange and do not respond back when a fellow P-car driver flashes its headlights. As more p-suv hit the road perhaps that tradition may die. Or maybe, that is a good thing because it may lead p-car drivers to flash ONLY to fellow p-car drivers and not to p-suv drivers. I guess that this could be a way for "true" P-car enthusiasts to keep p-suv owners separated from them. Who knows!

Truble10

M758,
You are correct - you don't get it.

97tt newbie

In regard to M758 and his issues with people not needing a Cayanne I have to agree--most don't. The problem I run into is that if I continue with that logic I not only don't need a Cayanne, I don't need my GT3.

None of these cars are terribly need based or sensable. They are just fun. And, I happen to have fun driving the **** out of my wife's Cayanne TT(PSM off). We surely could have gotten by in the snow here in Utah with an pepper S or a six cylinder......or a front wheel drive environmentally correct Honda hyrbrid! And to take it a step further, does anyone really need a 944?

Mikey

No she doesn’t care that they are taxis or cargo vehicles. The way I understand it most Europeans genuinely hate waste and resent exhibition of wealth. A big fat Mercedes is considered a symbol of both and considered anti-social behavior many places outside Germany. Porsche is kind of excused because of their motorsports image and limited numbers in Europe.

The frantic rush to build more cars by all German companies is probably a survival instinct. This will sound bleak … but Toyota is on the verge of becoming the world’s largest auto manufacturer (through piracy) and China will be next. The copy (Lexus) is better than the original (Mercedes) for most that don’t appreciate the difference. In 2050 the Challenge Stradale will be a museum piece like the British cars past, and the name Porsche may be just a faded memory.

PogueMoHone

You don't know what you're talking about!

Mikey

I won't argue with you then

Viken

Why not? I have several relatives and friends in various European countries/cities. I have heard this many times from all of them. I guess none of them knows what they're talking about?