speed21

Great write up Joseph!! Sounds you've got yourself a winner in general. I've only got a few more weeks at most and we will be taking delivery of our new Diesel S and I will report on that in more detail come that time after after a bit more seat time. But to satisfy the question about the engine. After my extensive test drive of this car a month back, back to back with GTS and V8S all i can say here guys is if you own either of these petrol V8s you are not going to be happy getting back into your V8 petrols. Joseph is right that the engine is in the league of the CTT and in some ways better because the torque is there in places where the CTT is still finding enough revs/boost. I also agree totally that the matching of the performance book specs precisely with the GTS is pure marketing BS to protect GTS sales because the power differences were so blatantly obvious. I'd love to P box these two to prove my point but i'm sure the results will show to be a no brainer anyway. When i get the time i will put the P box into the thing and give it a damn good hammering....but i can't see myself eating any words.

The guys at my dealership that recently came back from Phillip island race track after driving both the new CTTS and V8DS were more blown away with the engine in the V8DS, not discounting the CTTS being a truly awesome car. Just that they all said the diesel engine and the car (to them) felt a touch better for this car in many of the situations and had so much go where it was needed.....plus it car handled like you wouldn't believe as well. It must have been an awesome day for sure having these two on a circuit like that and being a Porsche day. So engine....well as i said if you own a GTS or V8S my advice is do yourselves a very big favour and don't ever drive one of these or you may have different thoughts about what you have afterward. Sorry..

Joseph O'Reilly

Same here- this replaced the 996 turbo in the garage because with kids, we didnt get to use it enough (no luggage space), so at least i jumped at the chance for a sort-of all in one solution vs the absolute lowest cost engine option, which would have of course still been adequate. my expectations were realistic in that regard given the obvious differences in weight and height, but the engineers have outdone themselves. in the co-pilot part of the track segment in leipzig, the tester went once around at a relaxed pace while giving a verbal intro to the car, and then we were off. The Leipzig track duplicates the most difficult curves from several world famous tracks, and the first time through the corkscrew at those speeds, my stomach churned and i thought forget wipe out, we're flipping. of course he didnt even ding a pylon, but that is the thing about these cayennes for me: they are so much more capable handlers than at least i ever imagined. of course they arent caymans or even 911s, but they arent a joke either.

although i havent missed the pdcc so far, i do think it is great that they offer the full complement of drivetrain upgrades on the base petrol v6, and the chance at the manual gear box too. i forgot to ask them at the factory why they dont offer pdcc on the diesel s.

Solstice

My apologies for forgotten to congratulate you. The CDS must be the worlds best SUV for Europe. The mix of A-bahn,the alps and price of fuel coupled with the range,effortless power, high speed stability, composure and control of the CDs is a marriage made in heaven. I lived in Sweden until I was almost 30 and travelled to the alps and riviera at least twice a year by car. I can't imagine any car I rather do that in than a Cayenne when carrying two weeks of luggage, skis etc and passengers. Even our V6 does this kind of duty with supreme comfort and control over most surface and weather conditions. We have already been to Whistler twice and many, many trips to local ski resorts and it's an absolute pleasure to be behind the wheel. As a daily commuter my wife tells me almost daily how much she loves her car. She prefer it over my M3 with a margin ( She just wishes it sounded like my car, shhh don't say GTS ). Enjoy!

gnat

I'm the same way about mine. The last two weeks I had to do a lot of driving (for me) and it happened to coincide with the BMW having a flat that she drug her *** getting fixed. That left me stuck driving her 996 for a week because she needed to run errands that she never did.. I finally got pissed and moved the child seat into the 911 so I could have my baby back this week. The 911 is fun, but I just love driving my CD. Some how I'm just more relaxed when I'm driving it.

On the flip side I took my boy out for an errand in the 996 and then she did again later this week and he started screaming bloody murder when we took him out of the car. When you unbuckle him he makes a break for the driver seat so he can "drive". Only 15 months and I guess we know his favorite car... Man he is going to hate me when his first car is a Yugo

grohgreg

I forgot to comment on your decision to spec Servotronic. After driving that loaner with the standard steering, I now feel completely vindicated for adding the Servotronic upgrade (aka PS+) during my diesel configuration. Even though the loaner has the same standard steel suspension as my diesel, body roll was more pronounced. I'm reasonably confident that the heavy steering combined with the annoying Goodyears are to blame. With Servotronic and the Michelin upgrade, there's far far less body roll.

//greg//

500

Enjoy your Diesel S!

CAlexio

In response to PTV.. I drove a cayenne turbo on an auto cross course at the Porsche driving academy. The difference that system made was a-mazing, from plowing pig to lithe racer.. But like putting magic ballerina shoes on an elephant.. What's the point?.. In anything but the most aggressive super-tight, tire shredding driving like that,, I can't see the value.

mcbit

^^^ Then why not buy a Touareg?

Needsdecaf

Not the same.

Gros Chien

Will it ever make it this side of the pound?

mcbit

My point being....there is always a point.

GVA-SFO

Kudos for your purchase Joseph O'Reilly,
I'm highly convinced that you got the real best of the line.
We have a 06 Cayenne S ("Titanium Edition", something that did not existed in Europe !) new since Feb 07, and has now a bit more than 100'000 miles. This is the best SUV that we ever had (after 5 Range Rover and 2 Grand Cherokee). I wish, (and strongly) hope that P will change it's mind, and bring the model you have in the USA, ..waiting for it. Imo the torque is king with an SUV, ..particularly, when you also tow.
For the options, (I think it is "secondary", ..and very personal) I'm a big fan of the air suspension, so, I will go for that, it is so nice to have the car always well horizontal, when you are towing.
I agree that the difference between "Comfort" and "Sport" are not as big as I would hope for, but still, we run most of our time in comfort mode. I can also mention that I also back-up to connect the trailer with the susp in "loading" mode (very low), and when right under the hitch, I switch to top high, ..so, I do not have to level the trailer "by hand" to connect ! Or, when crossing some bridges that have high side wall, I switch from low to high, ..to have the view in the water (i.e.: doing that all the time crossing the "Bay bridge, between San Francisco and Oakland !) ..well, beside the comfort, some fun with the air susp !
Back on the V8 burning oil, I suppose the torque should be super great. I have a good friend that has the sistership from the mother company with a V10, and this is terrific. I got the impression that it accelerate like if the car would weight ..like a feather ! The torque of a Diesel on a SUV is great to hide the weight of the car, making it perfect for such a car.
The big question remain : when P will bring this mode in the US market ?
(Funny to observe that at the mother company current US product line, no more V8, no more V10, and never W12 ! (Ah, just to mention for the ones that do not like the VW V6, ..the W12 is nothing else than ..two of them glued together ! ..And this is also what you "find" in the Bentley Conti GT, ..with two turbos !!)

Gros Chien

I was hopping that Audi would have the SQ5 turbo diesel in America but had to resign that it would never happen so I've ordered a non diesel one. But if P comes out with this S Diesel over here, this is my next SUV for sure.

Solstice

The CDS also have the full blown Porsche AWD system and not the Audi sourced Torsen diff system of the CD. The CDS is quite a machine for sure.

Needsdecaf

Yrs, and my point is that even with NO suspension enhancements, a Cayenne is still much better at driving than a Touareg.