Blaine S

Last night I took delivery of my new Cayenne. It is a huge departure from all of the other Porsches I know and love so it will be interesting to see how this adventure unfolds.

The build was as follows:

2011 Cayenne S Hybrid
Packages PU3 Premium Package Plus $11,650
Exterior Color P5 Classic Silver Metallic $790
Interior Color MA Standard Interior in Black $0
Exterior 1D6 Trailer Coupling without Removable Ball Joint $650
3FU Panorama Roof System $660
4GG Heated Windscreen for thermally and noise insulated glass $490
QJ4 Exterior Package in High-gloss Black $150
VW5 Thermally and Noise Insulated Glass with Privacy Glass $1,120
Performance 0M1 Extended Range Fuel Tank $0
1BK Air Suspension with Self-levelling and Height Adjustment with PASM $0
G1G 8-speed Tiptronic S Inclusive Auto Start Stop Function $0
Wheels C1Q 18" Cayenne S III Wheel $0
Interior 2ZH Heated Three-spoke Multifunction Leather Steering Wheel $0
4X4 Side Airbags rear $370
6A7 Fire Extinguisher $140
8T3 Adaptive Cruise Control $2,490
9JA Non-smoker Package $0
PE6 18-way Adaptive Sports Seats with Memory Package $1,815
Audio and Communications QV4 XM Satelite Radio $750

More pics to come.

MJones

Your first impressions?

Blaine S

I'll try and keep my posts balanced with some of the positives and some of the negatives I encounter.

First and foremost on the positive side would be the integration of the supercharged 6 with the 47 HP electric motor. I had some concerns after reading some of the early reviews that the transition wouldn't be smooth. This has not been my experience. Quite the contrary. I find it amazingly smooth. This may be the result of some tweaking of the software/electronics that govern the handoff but whatever the reason, the version I have is seamless. I really notice this with auto stop/start feature. Having just spent a week in a Panamera 4 and gas Cayenne S, there is a bit of a lurch when first setting off. With the electric motor kicking in first with all of its torque, it is just about gone in the Hybrid.

On the down side, I just don't find the exhaust note of the supercharged 6 not all that appealing. There is no question that the V8 sounds better. Also, most of the power comes on early and feels more like push than pull (if that makes any sense). Power is there, it has to be to move 5000 lbs to 60mph in 6.1 seconds, but don't expect the feel of a big power plant up front.

More to come.

cordsig79

are break ins the same for a Hybrid Supercharged engine? S

o is it fairly silent like other hybrids....to the point it may cause compliants from pedestrians who cant hear them and step into oncoming traffic? (if so, be careful around neighborhoods with kids, a cayenne would cause way more damage than a prius....F=m*a..)

w00tPORSCHE

Congratulations Blaine. Enjoy the beauty safely in good health. We would all love to see some more pics when you get a chance to shoot/post them. I love your build with the pano roof, 18-way adaptive sportseats , exterior package in black, air Susp with PASM. I too went with the fire extinguisher. I am curious as to why you went with the adaptive cruise control. What is your take on the visual haze effect related to the heated windscreen and how are you liking the thermally and noise insulated glass ?

rijowysock

congrats, all of us waiting for ours are jealous!

slwong23

Congrats, Blaine! Looking forward to seeing more pics and reading more about your driving impressions, as you're one of the first to take delivery of the hybrid. Love the classic color combo.

Dudley

Blaine,
Exhaust note on a Hybrid? You are one funny guy.
Maybe we should call Steff at Europipe?

Gorgeous car, congrats.

Mike in CA

+100!

ltc

I recognize Captain Kirk standing in the picture ...

Blaine S

cordsig79 - There is no additional information for the hybrid supercharged engine for break in and I believe it is the same. With regard to being silent, unless you are using the e- power setting which prioritizes the battery, you are using the gas engine almost all of the time and the electric engine is there mainly for assist. It is very different from other hybrids I've ridden in.

w00tPORSCHE - thank you, I will. More pics later today after I clean it up. The exterior in black looks great with the silver IMHO. As far as the adaptive cruise control, you have to drive it to believe it. Traditional cruse control is great if there is no traffic, but with the adaptive cruise you can set your speed, and work with light traffic as the system will slow you down to maintain a safe distance when there is a slower car in front of you, you change lanes, and you go back to your desired speed. It really allows you to use cruse control in a much wider variety of realistic driving conditions instead of just empty open highway. As far as the heated windscreen, I would definitely recommend seeing a car with it at night before you order it. I am on the fence right now because it does have a visible pattern that makes oncoming headlights "flare" much more than traditional glass. However, when there is no oncoming traffic, forward visibility at night seems fine. It can also easily be seen during the day. I think Rome encountered a similar effect with his new car. Again, definitely try before you buy on this option, some people are really not going to like the distortion. The insulated glass seems to be doing its job but a direct a/b comparison is difficult for me. That said, the car is so quiet, even compared to the Panamera. What you do hear with the Cayenne that you don't get much of in the Panamera is wind noise. Road noise is very very low.

rijowysock, slwong23, Mike in CA - thanks everybody, thus far I am very very happy with the car.

Dave - can I take your new Europipe and use it as a prototype? Just a few welds and it should fit

Lewis - Capt. Kirk indeed. Everybody at Inskip were great to deal with and I was very pleased that they could get the car in my hands before the Dec. 31 tax credit deadline.

ltc

I love the folks down at Inskip...Great dealership.

Blaine S

Here are a few more pics.

Dudley

Is that the supercharger, top center?

AppleChilli

Congratulations Blaine! Thanks for the pictures; looking forward to reading your impressions.