TomM99

My Cayenne finally arrived!!! I've had it for 4 days. First impressions are similar to some of the earlier comments. Shifts are quite notchy. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd gearing is bit too short, but I'm slowly getting used to it. The torque is good at 3000-4000 rpm in 3rd up to 4th (can't go past 4200 rpm due to break-in period). When the Sport button is engaged, the rpms whip-up very quickly so I think I will leave it off until after the break-in is over. The V6 is definitely not lacking in around-town acceleration. In fact, it’s quite good. The service rep also suggested that I consider changing to a viscosity 90 fluid to help alleviate the notchniness. By all accounts, this sounds like a very good idea.

Just out of curiosity, can anyone comment on whether the notchiness of the Cayenne's shifting is a characteristic of Porsche sports cars too (with manual transmissions) and not just something that is unique to this Porsche 'truck'?

GBX

Congrats! Mine should be here in a few weeks but I was fortunate to find one to test drive before ordering and I found the shifter to be very similar to the 997 911 I've driven. I think the notchiness you're referring to is def characteristic of all porsches!!

Enjoy your new ride!

John in Bismarck

I just bought an 08 Cayenne V6 with manual transmission last week. I absolutely love it, and thank Porsche for offering a manual in a vehicle like this. First gear is a little low, and the shifts are a bit long and notchy, but considering this is a 5,000 pound vehicle that is supposed to be able to tow 7,000 pounds, it is fine. A week of practice with it has made a big difference, too.

I have owned many manual transmission vehicles over the years, and the Cayenne is better than any truck I have had, and better than some of the cars. It's certainly not as smooth and precise as my 05 Boxster, but I wouldn't expect it to be.

Enjoy your stick shift. I sure enjoy mine!

Cpa4S

give it a few weeks, the notchyness is because you are still thinking about shifting imo. in a few weeks it will be more zen like and natural.

mt-sfo

I've got to agree with Cpa4S - I've had my '11 manual trans cayenne for about 6 weeks now and the notchiness is definitely starting to diminish.

norsecarnut

I test drove both the 09 GTS 6spd and the new v6 6 spd and really enjoyed both in shifting as well as overall drive. Very fun.

ovrTHhill

To my V6 manual tranny friends, welcome to the best years of your driving experience. Ordered our '11 Cayenne in July '10, it arrived in December. Ya know that little Sport button on the panel below the shifter, ya did order the limited slip rear axle didn't ya? Well, that Sport button, I use it at all times. I never enter 1st gear unless pulling a hill. The Sport function allows the best fuel delivery option, and ya don't have to keep your foot in it to get on down the road. Responsiveness, torque, fun, well I can't imagine anything more fun than an SUV that hunkers down and gets with the program of driving for the pleasure of the moment. We love our Cayenne, its our space shuttle, read, it shuttles us through space from points A to B with the least effort and the most driving pleasure one can ever hope to have behind the wheel of an automobile.

Porsche rips the competition a new one. As for mileage, I fill the tank and then maybe 600 miles later, I do it again. Sorry, but for those who haven't a clue what driving fun can be about, eat your hearts out tiptronic thingeee. Three pedals on the floor, what being in the sweet spot is all about. Tranny shifting, smooth as butter, but with clear location placements, ya never wonder which gear you're in.

Love the space, adjustability of seating options, a third seat would have been nice, maybe something like the fold away affair Chevy put in the back of the '64 Imapla wagons. Thing is, this machine has it all over anything else on the market. Sorry, have driven them all, nothing comes close, nothing.

Nope, ya can't have three pedals on the floor in an Audi clone. Thank you Porsche for staying in there with the SUV concept. We love our 911, but it only takes the two of us and not much else. The 356 project, well, one day, we'll be singing its song also.

FadaGuy

In 2010 I purchased a 6 speed 2008 Cayenne GTS. I love every second of driving that vehicle. I prefer the manual tranny to driving an automatic. I know this is an old post, so you should know by now

BKCO

Does anyone know the yearly sales figures of 6spd 958 Cayennes?

I had heard it was somewhere around ~70 allocated to the US each year they were produced. Considering there are over 15k sold per year here, that is a fairly small percentage

GBX

can you still get them? I thought they stopped with the facelift.