Options for 2011 Cayenne
01-01-2011 | 04:20 PM
#16
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 142
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis, MN
We've had this discussion on another board too. This is what I wrote over there:
"I was in the same situation trying to decide between air suspension and PTV with my CS. I ultimately went with PASM and PTV. Having driven in both air and traditional suspensions, I felt the ride was fantastic with either, I really couldn't tell the difference, and this is in different PASM settings on both smooth and bumpy roads.
From my understanding, air suspension is valuable for off road, loading in and out, and if you want to raise it high to do work underneath the Cayenne. It will also kick in at high speeds to help with handling."
I also think that if you were towing something or hauling a rebuilt M96 engine in the rear the self leveling feature of the Air Suspension would help handling.
I agree that AS is a nice option, but I would argue that PASM has more impact on comfort and handling. If you go to the Porsche website, they talk nothing about comfort or ride when they talk about Air Suspension, they do talk about comfort and ride when they describe PASM.
From the Porsche website:
PASM
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/tec...lectedVariant=
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/tec...=PMTCayenneAll
Air Suspension
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/tec...=PMTCayenneAll
After driving in both steel spring and air suspension cars, I decided to spend the 2K elsewhere. These are all personal decisions, the only way to really know is to go and drive both for yourself. If you can't drive both, research the best you can and roll the dice. There really isn't a "bad" decision to be made.
"I was in the same situation trying to decide between air suspension and PTV with my CS. I ultimately went with PASM and PTV. Having driven in both air and traditional suspensions, I felt the ride was fantastic with either, I really couldn't tell the difference, and this is in different PASM settings on both smooth and bumpy roads.
From my understanding, air suspension is valuable for off road, loading in and out, and if you want to raise it high to do work underneath the Cayenne. It will also kick in at high speeds to help with handling."
I also think that if you were towing something or hauling a rebuilt M96 engine in the rear the self leveling feature of the Air Suspension would help handling.
I agree that AS is a nice option, but I would argue that PASM has more impact on comfort and handling. If you go to the Porsche website, they talk nothing about comfort or ride when they talk about Air Suspension, they do talk about comfort and ride when they describe PASM.
From the Porsche website:
PASM
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/tec...lectedVariant=
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/tec...=PMTCayenneAll
Air Suspension
http://www.porsche.com/microsite/tec...=PMTCayenneAll
After driving in both steel spring and air suspension cars, I decided to spend the 2K elsewhere. These are all personal decisions, the only way to really know is to go and drive both for yourself. If you can't drive both, research the best you can and roll the dice. There really isn't a "bad" decision to be made.
Last edited by Jsonorous; 01-01-2011 at 05:41 PM.
01-02-2011 | 12:04 PM
#18
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Austin, Texas
I'm also wondering if PDCC affects ride quality? The logic is that on non-PDCC cars, Porsche has to fit some beefy anti-roll bars. On asymmetrical bumps, that gives a higher spring rate. With PDCC, Porsche can lower the anti-roll rate, and only increase it when the sensors detect lateral g's or turning. Of course, theory is great but often fails!
