bbs993tt

I had the opportunity to test drive a 6 speed GTS yesterday. It can be summed up by........WOW! The manual gearbox is unusual for an SUV but was lots of fun and really adds to the experience. You can really drive this thing like a sports car.

The motor revs very freely and with low gearing you're at 7000rpm in first gear in no time at all. Seats were very supportive and comfortable, sounds coming out of the exhaust were appropriately menacing.

Cram a big enough motor in anything and it will get up and go. Put big enough brakes on something and it should stop on a dime. But to me, the strongest suit of this vehicle was the handling. It seems to defy physics when going around curves. I took a long sweeper at slightly over the speed limit. Unfortunately, the sweeper had the kind of bumps that would make the body of an SUV want to separate from the chassis and just give in to centrifugal force. Not so in this thing. It just hunkered down and stayed on its line.

Great vehicle!

RR

I've been thinking about buying one.

How does the clutch action feel. Are you able to release the clutch just by pulling your toes towards you, while your heel remains on the floor, like a sports car, OR do you actually need to lift your knee and your entire leg to release the clutch?

bbs993tt

I don't recall there being a lot of travel in the clutch pedal. Definitely closer to a sports car than say a Ford F150. It was a nice feeling gearbox. I'd say it boils down to what kind of driving you're going to do with it. If you're going to use it more like a sports car that you can haul a bunch of crap in, go for the 6speed.

RR

Thanks for the info. I think I will give the 6 speed a shot..l.but I probably won't be ordering until the fall, I guess it will be an '09 then.

R

mudman2

A regular Cayenne will eat the big sweepers at terrific speeds, you can loose most cars without trying, thats what the "holy crap" handles are for hahaha

johnfields

I got to drive a GTS manual for about 30 minutes last week. The dealership that I purchased a 2007 911 S cab almost two years ago wants to replace my 2004 Cayenne S. I am sold on the manual. Sold the wife too (the hill assist feature got her). About to order a 2009.

Not exactly a 911 but it has some of the DNA or maybe it is just the most engaging SUV out there. Three labrador retrievers can fit in the back going to the lake etc.