RobertG

Ok, first off, I drove an S model Listed at nearly $70K!!!!!! (Rusnak in westlake added some options that should really be standard fair)
Now, I am a stick shift driver. I am NOT into automatics. So my left foot at first kept pressing the floor trying to find the clutch!
Fit and Finish was "OK" It wasnt Great.It wasnt any better than my Boxster S.
The Body style is STILL Fugly! The stereo is much better than what my Boxster has. I still don't fit in this beast all too wall. I fit better in my 69 911S!(more headroom, beleive it or not)
So, I drove up westlake village blvd towards Oakpark and back to get used to it. It does give you a solid Panzer Tank Feeling on the straight blvd. That feeling comes from the sheer weight.It doesnt feel like your typical SUV on normal roads. The ride was quite nice on flat smooth roads like Westlake Vil Blvd. Then, I doubled back and got on the 101 freeway via a nice long sweeper. This is where I started my patented, "Rob's wild and wacky road test". I punched the gas pedal (in automode) and I felt that typical (but somewhat muted in this SUV) Automatic tranny RPM lurch where it goes into lower gears to bring on the power. Then as I carried speed into the sweeper onto the west 101. With PSM OFF I got on the brakes to feel how the rear end would lift. Well it did. the front end dipped with the weight transfer and the rear end started to break loose. I then got back on the gas and settle the truck around. My first thoughts were. Really heavy front end. Good Brake response and somewhat easy to save from the beginning moments of spinning (mind you I have years of experience in spinning cars and SUVs for fun and profit). Exceleration from 50 mph to 85 mph is really good for a truck this heavy. I then got off New hampshire and doubled back onto the 101 frwy and let the rear end hang out (something I do in my ford exploder all the time). The inherent front end wieght bias coupled with the power really reminds me of a Ford Mustang. Its very tossable at low speeds when PSM is off. Then we got off the freeway at Westlake blvd and headed for Decker road. Decker road is a Porsche Road, No, its twistier than that. Its a Boxster road! This road is a good test of its handling and and braking prowess. I switched to Manual on the tranny, PSM still off because PSM stands for "[Oops!] Safety Measures". At the bottom of the hill are increasingly twisty turns that undulate and have some little jumps in them. In my Boxster and 911. I can catch air in some sections. In this SUV. It merely registers the the bump/jumps with a slight bounce, some rear wheel slippage and the rear end sliding out a tiny bit. All in all very sublimely. Not edgy sportcar-ish at all. Now, as we came up to the switch backs. This is where I found that it was still an SUV with ALOT of weight in the front. As you get on the brakes to set up the chassis for the turn and downshift. The front really dips down (just like my Mustang used to do on this road)then its begins to plow (big time,,,into the next lane)until got off the gas and the front end gets some grip back. On the normal roads body role isnt bad at all. But on these tight switchbacks the progressive springs are over matched and body role is very apparent (but, beware im driving it like my Boxster) Also I noticed that the steering was really responsive upto a point.The steering would turn as fast as my hands could turn and I did not feel that pressure block that I get some other SUVs. Until that is I have to reverse the turning then turning the wheel gets harder as I start over burdening the P/S pump. My exploder suffers from this really bad. But still compared to my Exploder. Its nothing to really compain about unless your trying to keep up with a Boxster on Decker Road. Now coming back I switched the PSM on. Wow! totallt different animal. The PSM is a life safer on twisty roads. It really takes the edge off and makes it safe for people who arent used to this kind of Power in a SUV. I think alot of Soccer mommies will be saved by PSM. I never thought PSM was all too useful in the Boxster or 996 But in this Pepper, PSM is mandatory! I believe fully that PSM will save lives in the case of the Pepper.
So in conclusion; Yeah, the Pepper did make me smile a few times. IS the Pepper S one of the top performing (ROAD Going,,,,i didnt test offroad) SUV's out right now, yes it is! Would I buy one? Only if they made it look a whole lot better and if they could increase knee room and headroom for me and after maybe 3years of road use.From SUV resale trends. A used Pepper should be a steal in a few years. From what I saw in the Cayenne S. IS it safe to say the Cayenne TT isthe ultimate in road performing SUVS? Oh yes, without a doubt. SHould material quality be increased ? hell yeah!. Will people that buy the Cayenne based on the name and arent used to the power find themselves wrapped around a telephone pole? Oh most definetly they will if they keep the PSM off or they try to follow a 996 or Boxster into the caynons. Could I feel that there was some superb engineering behind this truck? Yes, definetly.
Finally: Is it the Porsche of SUVs? Yes it is...But, is it truely a Porsche? No, it definetly is not. There were just too many compromises.
But, I really think Porsche needs to Rally Cross this truck. It needs to climb Pikes Peak!
WHen an air suspension S comes I'll road test that too!

adrial

Great post!

MetalSolid

If any 4WD is driven like a RWD it's gonna push on corner exit. To avoid 4WD push greater than normal corner entry speeds are required, using your trail braking/trailing throttle technique to get the tail around for a clear shot at the corner exit. I wouldn't recommend doing this though; leave it to pros like Walter...

RobertG

having had a 996 C4 and many 4x4 SUVs I'm fully aware how to drive a AWD/4WD at the limit on the track and in the canyons.

George from MD

A dealer brought an S to our DE at Summit Point yesterday. I think most folks were generally impressed but not by the looks. The price tag (reportedly $61K for this one- the sticker wasn't on the window) was a big turn off-especially when it was noted that the spare tire was optional and had to be externally mounted (wonder how much that is).

I too felt it was ugly as sin, but I thought the interior was very nice- much higher quality than I expected. The stereo was incredible. I also really liked the nav screen, the brushed aluminum around the cargo deck and the twin voltage outlets in the cargo area.

Didn't get to drive it (folks who did were impressed)... I really wanted to take the x and it head to head around SP- that would have been fun.

As it is I'm not interested in buying one- the x is a much better value in my eyes- and much better looking.
And a full size spare tire is standard equipment.

Anir

Robert,

Thank you for an excellent review. It appears that the Cayenne remains a technical success, aesthetic nightmare, and quality control question mark. In all fairness, your impressions will likely be even better with the air suspension (as you suggested).

MetalSolid,

Your command of all things automotive continues to amaze. <img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/worship.gif" alt=" - " />

M758

Great Review! Thanks for the info.
Finally something concrete about the C other than looks!

MetalSolid

Robert,

I think you may have miss understood me. I'm no Cayenne supporter; I was simply trying to suggest beating up even more on that truck, as I know you're totally capable. Sorry if I offended you.

Anir,
Wish I could say the same about you. <img src="http://www.snjvogan.com/faces/moon.gif" alt=" - " />

Anir

MetalMan,

I'd like to invite (no, beg) you to bring yourself and your sunburned gremlin hiney to the track so you can show us lesser mortals the way that a master controls understeer.

RobertG

i have to say that the Pepper really does plow in the tight canyon corners. This observation leads me to beleive that the driver will have to really work at it when attempting to get around a tight autocross course.

MetalSolid

Anirritation,

Jumping the gun, as usual. When have I said or even implied that I'm an expert driver? On the contrary, I said I leave that kind of driving to Walter Röhrl.

But I'd love meet you at the track and compare lap times.

Anir

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by MetalSolid:
<strong>But I'd love meet you at the track and compare lap times.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Sounds great! I should be able to learn a lot. I've been suffering with a lot of understeer in my AWD 993, and I'm hopeful that your insight into Cayenne dynamics will translate into some real gains for me.

I'll be at Mid Ohio with OVR PCA in April, Road America with Chicago PCA over Memorial and Labor Day weekends, and Putnam a few times. Hope you can make it.

I noticed that you apologized to Robert for being "misunderstood". This seems to happen to you a lot since arriving at Rennlist. Ever wonder why?

MetalSolid

Anirritation,

I'm in California, Buttonwillow and Willow Springs are my road courses of choice. Ever been to Laguna Seca, you wouldn't need insight just your wit - or lack thereof ?

If I type something that's misunderstood I'll apologize because this isn't real-time face to face conversation. I for sure haven't apologized more than twice, and I for damn sure have never needed to apologized to you, nor would I.

Robert,

In my youth when I lived in your part of Cali I drove Decker a lot in my '89 VW Golf GTi, so when you tell me you're catching air through that canyon I know you're an expert driver.

Carrera51

I also got to sit in the Cayenne S at Summit Point. First thing I noticed was the HUGE brakes. Of course, wouldn't expect anything less in a Porsche. I found the driver's seat quite comfortable, the sound system excellent, nicely positioned controls.

The C was brought out in a green group run session. I was hoping my student would catch it, but didn't quite get there before the session ended. The consensous seemed to be that it could be driven around the track safely, that it didn't overly obstruct the view of those behind it, and though just an "S" it had plenty of giddy-up. It also sounds (based on the chatter in the pits)like PCA is going to leave it up to the individual regions to decide whether or not to allow these things to participate in track events.

My impression was that for $61K (for this particular one) many are going to look at the MB, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus etc. My father commented that he paid $18K less for his ML430 in 1999 and felt that there was not enough he liked about the C to justify the nearly $20K difference in price.

George from MD

Mark, Do you think it should or should not be allowed in current DE events? I personally would be very much against it's being on the track with the rest of the "sports" cars as I would think its mass and height could lead to frightfully disproportionate injuries in the event of a multi-vehicle incident. I hope that PCA will sponsor events more suited to its purpose than being driven on a race track (i.e.; off road stuff)- assuming there's interest of course.