Sorry, no T-shirts, hairy legs or cliff diving. Just a PSE that I had installed on my '11 CS this week. From my previous post on this subject some folks were looking for feedback. So for them and anyone else who's interested here are my impressions.

Appearance

You can see for yourself in the pics below. I like the round semi-polished stainless quad tips a lot better than the original rectangular dull silver finish dual ones. Just looks more sporty, IMO. I think the stainless will hold up well, better than painted or anodized black tips, because it can easily be re-polished to look like new. Regardless, I like the added bright-work.

How does it work

You can also see in the last pic below how there are two pipes exiting the muffler (on each side), where on the stock exhaust there is only one. The additional pipe has a vacuum operated actuator associated with it (vacuum keeps the pipe closed). There are basically two ways that the actuator will operate and open the flap for that extra pipe. One, you can engage Sport mode and the exhaust will stay open. Or two, even when Sport isn't engaged, when you get on the throttle heavily the exhaust will open temporarily.

How does it sound

This is the point of the exercise, right? It's also, of course, hugely subjective. I've heard other exhausts that people raved about and thought to myself that I could probably live with that for half an hour, so maybe that gives some insight into where I'm coming from. Let's just start with me saying that if you're looking to have a Cayenne that sounds like a '60's V8 muscle car or idles like a motorboat on steroids don't buy this exhaust.

At start-up it has a nice rap as no vacuum has yet been applied to the actuators. It then settles down into a normal exhaust note. Press the Sport button and it gets louder but not a lot. The main thing that you notice is that an additional register of bass is added to the sound; a nice healthy baritone burble, but still subtle. Under normal driving conditions, where before you could barely hear the exhaust over road and wind noise, there is now a nice subtle (there's that word again) but noticeable and pleasant rumble. Being a Porsche designed piece there is, of course, no hint of resonance, boom, or any other annoying sounds.

When you get on the throttle and the revs climb the character changes. There's nothing subtle at all about the snarl that comes out of the quad pipes. But it's the sound you would expect from the sport exhaust on a sophisticated high performance European V8 not the sound you get from putting glass packs on your 440 Plymouth GTX (been there, done that.)

Final thoughts

I love this exhaust. It adds a dimension to my CS that was a lacking before without routing the neighbors or shattering windows, and makes me want to get up from the computer and go for a drive right now. I also have a PSE on my Carrera S, and like it so much that I should have known better and ordered it on the CS in the first place; I could have saved about $800. But I thought, who needs a sport exhaust on an SUV? I was wrong. It's great. If you're thinking about getting PSE on your Cayenne, do it, you won't regret it.

 

Excellent write up! It is quite difficult, to describe sound and loudness, but you did a great job.

PSE has always been known as "the gentleman's sport exhaust"..

 

I was thinking of getting this. How hard is the installation? I'm definitely a DIY guy so if its not too hard I would like to do it myself. I heard there was some programming involved with the dealer though so i'm not sure if this is a DIY installation.

 

I talked with both my SA and the tech about the install. I asked the SA about why the VIN was required when ordering and he confirmed what you said about having to integrate the exhaust control functions into the Cayenne's computer and Porsche's centralized database. The tech spent most of a day on the installation (his first for this exhaust so he wanted to take his time). He mentioned that it was fairly complex but not as difficult as he thought at first. The programming issue might be a DIY showstopper unless a dealer was willing to work with you on it.

 

Mike-

Been waiting for your review and impressions, thanks for posting. Finally, I have an explanation for how it works (i.e. electrical or vacuum) so I guess cars are plumbed from the factory I would assume?

Thanks again, I think its time to order one...

 

Thanks Mike. Very helpful. I will be ordering one soon.

 

Thanks, thats good to know. If I had my druthers, I would install myself and take to the dealer for activation, however thats a big piece of tubing from the factory cats back to the can. I am curious how Suncoast would even ship such an odd piece unless the new one has clamps at the muffler.

Curious, how many hours were you billed? I assume they booked it at X hours but the tech took his time.

Thanks

 

You're welcome! Just FYI, j080808, there is a new vacuum line back to the mufflers which T's to the actuators. It was installed by the tech, not pre-plumbed at the factory.

Edit: I deleted while correcting and editing and reposted: oops

 

There are two pipes welded to the PSE muffler that extend about 3 feet toward the front of the car. At that point there are clamps which attach the PSE assembly to the exhaust pipes. I confess I didn't crawl under the car to look ahead of time but I remember the SM saying that there was going to be cutting involved. I'm thinking that the stock exhaust may be one piece from the cats back to the muffler? If so, they cut off the old muffler to attach the new one. If not they just unclamped the old one and attached the new.

I negotiated a flat price for the total installation that included parts (my dealer matched Suncoast's price) and labor. Based on the original price that they quoted me which included MSRP on the exhaust, and how much they dropped after the parts discount I'm guessing book labor was in the range of 6 hours.

 

The PSE will be a great asset for what is already a brilliantly spec'd vehicle.... and U my friend are such a great asset for Rennlist. Thank you for yet another great post. The PSE will be quite muted on mine given the noise insulated glass option.so I finally get to save some $$$ but avoiding that option :-)

 

i am a fan of the sport exhaust. it adds such a good dimension to the cayenne's

 

Great review! I want this even more now. If i could only hear it on the V6...

Interestingly enough, while suncoast says its available for the V6, its not listed as an option on the configurator. Wonder if they will put it on from the factory????

 

Thanks again Mike! Ordered and getting installed Thursday.

 

Any opinions of how this compares to the Fabspeed exhaust?

 

any chance you could get a video up showing sound in sport and non-sport mode?