John H. in DC Area

I wonder if Porsche will toe the line requested by the AG's or demonstrate that its statements of car-like handling for the Cayenne are more than bothersome hyperbole and puffery?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><strong>

From the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires:

Attorneys General Say Some SUV Ads May Mislead On Safety

By MARY ELLEN LLOYD

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
CHARLOTTE -- Attorneys general in 40 states and territories warned 16 automakers to stop airing advertisements that could mislead consumers on the safety of sport utility vehicles, or SUVs, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said Wednesday.

In a press release, Cooper said he and counterparts across the U.S. issued letters asking the auto manufacturers to review their SUV ads in light of a multi-state agreement with Ford Motor Co. (F) in December about SUV advertising. The letters ask manufacturers "to comply with the spirit and terms of that agreement," Cooper said.

In that agreement, Ford paid $51 million to settle claims by state attorneys general that the company's advertising failed to disclose the rollover risk involved with driving sport utility vehicles.

Cooper said letters went out to the North American chief executives and presidents of SUV makers DaimlerChrysler, BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche , Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, and Volkswagen.

"The attorneys general are particularly worried about SUV advertisements that blur the handling distinction between SUVs and passenger cars, tout cargo volume without explaining safe weight limitations and exaggerate the vehicles' high-speed maneuvering capabilities," Cooper said. "We believe that the failure to disclose this material information, or to wait until after the sale to disclose it, constitutes a deceptive and unfair trade practice under most state consumer laws."

Specifically mentioned in the letter as misleading are ads that describe SUVs as "car like," Cooper said. The letters point to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that SUVs are three times more likely to roll over than passenger cars.

A spokeswoman for Cooper said Florida's attorney general, who led the case in the Ford settlement, is also leading the effort to get other SUV makers' advertising in compliance. Other states involved include Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, she said.

-By Mary Ellen Lloyd, Dow Jones Newswires, 704-371-4033; maryellen.lloyd@dowjones.com

Updated April 23, 2003 2:02 p.m.

</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Should Porsche's advertising and sales pitches for the Cayenne change? I think perhaps its one of the few SUV makers that can provide performance statistics establishing that the Cayenne does indeed have car-like handling.

JeffES

Don't know... sounds like extortion by the AG...
but I would like to see a Subaru SUV... or even a VW...
Besides that... how does one separate out SUV's such as Land Rover - who has, to my knowledge, never advertised a "car like ride"????
Jeff

John H. in DC Area

I'll bet Porsche says, "We've received your letter. We've reviewed our advertising and we stand by it without change."

Then, with respect to the cautionary language the AG's want mentioned at or around the sales pitch, Porsche might say, "We're required to tell you that the SUVs made by the other manufacturers have a tendancy to roll when operated like a car, not the Cayenne."

swftiii

My question is what is "Car Like" handling. I'm willing to bet the Cayenne can out perform the majority of all cars out there --&gt; Don't even tell me that the big bomb buicks can out perform the Cayenne.

I would like to see an AG try to answer this question, in English, and in less than 5,000 words that are not legalees...

Bob S. 1984 Silver

In my many years of driving many marques, I have found handling to be an elusive thing made up of part engineering, part driver and part expectations. Since most people would not and should not drive the average vehicle at the limits, any truly experienced driver can make any car in relative terms look awesome re: handling and maneuverability. I have no opinion on the road characteristics of the Cayenne since I have not had the opportunity to drive one. That being said, I am confident that in the hands of a competent driver, it would appear to be an exceptional vehicle if the competition were less experienced even though driving more "proper" track vehicles. I just hope that in the enthuesiasm of ownership, those with less than advanced driving skills do not try the vehicle at its limits. The results could be lethal if not for the occupants of the Cayenne, for those the Cayenne happens to hit.