For the Air Susp and RAS, I would strongly recommend trying to do a test drive rather than listening to us. Everyone's preferences are different.
For example, on my build I do not have the Chrono Package, an $1100 option. Every time I glance at the dashboard I see a gaping hole where the clock should be and every time switch to Sport mode I wonder if Sport Plus would be more engaging.
You are lucky you have the patience to build your own, so take full advantage.

 

RAS:
if you are used to smaller cars and live in a city it could be nice. the cayenne is long and wide. i kind of wish my car had it living in very a dense urban environment. if u dont have it, in a city there will be situations where u will need two lanes clear to pull out which can be a pain. you may occasionally clip a curb which isn’t fantastic however the 21 inch wheel and tire combo help w that.

the other solution if u don’t get RAS is:
learn to drive. may be easier said than done in some cases. my girlfriend is latina and used to small cars. try telling her how to drive. she is good at paying attention and having good reflexes but still, u get the idea. RAS may be very worth it is all i am saying. she hates parking it, she will have me park if she can.

 

We had a base Cayenne(2019). It was a fine vehicle that handled well but needed more ***** for my tastes which is why we have a 2025 Cayenne GTS on order.
There are many, many, Base Cayennes in dealer stock now. You may find something that suits your needs and desires ready for immediate purchase avoiding the BS involved with ordering a vehicle from an overseas factory.
Good Luck with your purchase, I'm sure your wife will be more than pleased with her new Cayenne.

 

Config looks very nice. I happen to like the insulated glass and have ordered it multiple times in different vehicles. It does reduce road noise a bit...

 

Whether you find an in-stock Cayenne that meets your requirements depends on how particular you are. I just spent about 40 minutes looking at the window stickers of a massive number of new Cayenne base and Cayenne S on nationwide Porsche finder. I didn't find a single Cayenne base that has all the safety and convenience features my 2022 base has. Most Cayenne base I found were fairly basic. Most had the Premium Plus package and some had a few other options. I found only two Cayenne S that have everything I have now and those two had the several additional features I would have got if I had done a factory order. One is in the Algarve Blue Metallic the OP said he wants, has an MSRP of $151,280 and is at a Porsche dealership in Phoenix. The other is in the white metallic I would want, has an MSRP of $165,700 and is in North Bethesda, MD. Both of these vehicles have a number of features I wouldn't have ordered but I wouldn't kick them out of bed for that.

Personally, I would rather never buy from dealer stock again but that's what I did when I settled for my Cayenne after not being able to order a Panamera equipped like I wanted due to parts shortages in 2022. I did a factory order of the Toyota Sienna that the Cayenne replaced and it was a wonderful experience getting exactly what I wanted (in only 30 days) which in that case was just about everything available. I've since wondered if the Cayenne I bought from dealer stock was a special order that a buyer backed out from. I've been following local dealer inventory since I bought mine and have not seen another new Cayenne base equipped as well as mine.

This all would be a lot easier if Porsche didn't nickel and dime the customer for so many features and included more as standard equipment. This is a useful exercise for me since I've had several close calls with traffic light and stop sign runners that might have totaled my Cayenne if I hadn't stopped in time. If my Cayenne was totaled today and if I wanted another one, I would be hoping to get that metallic white Cayenne S with the $165,700 MSRP in Maryland.

 

I am nowhere near that particular but do not get married to my vehicles as I turnover every 12-30 months. I could not imagine a $165,700 stickered Cayenne S. Sounds like somebody checked every box there was and then some. Depreciation on that unit would be absolutely brutal. The '25 Carrera White Cayenne GTS I have on order which I rarely do stickers 139K.

 

Here's a link to that $165K Cayenne S in Maryland for your entertainment : https://finder.porsche.com/us/en-US/...&order=closest

 

smoking package: you get that in the dc area lol - here in the NW you never see it on a car.

 

When I ordered my Cayman S in 2014, I was encouraged to get it because it gave you an extra 12V plug-hole. I don't think I ever used it haha. I certainly wouldn't order it now.

 

In theory, driving a Cayenne with these options makes sense. In practice, it's not always easy to find one at a dealership. Of course, I will try. Maybe I'll get lucky...

 

I'm curious about the 18-way sport seats. Are they more comfortable than the 14-way because they are more adjustable? Or, are they just more functional for sporty/aggressive driving?

 

I have them and I think they look better. I like the seats to look as much like a 911 seat as possible. They are the most comfortable car seats I have ever had but to be fair I have not really compare next to the 14 way ones. The blatters in the side bolsters in the seat and back are a really cool toy to play with and they hold you in. Given their only $430 I would give it a strong recommend.

 

this is one where you should be able to easily sit in both. i bought my car out of state and the sales guy almost insisted i sit in the same seats before moving forward. we sat in both, and both my girlfriend and i preferred the comfort seats, we felt they were more comfortable. but different people will have different preferences. i am 6 2, 275 lbs. my girlfriend is 5 9 155lbs. if you are a guy who is 5 8 and smaller you may want the sport seat because the bolsters move in and out and have the ability to hold you tighter. however if you don’t find the tighter bolsters comfortable, then it is a waste potentially. also the comfort seats have head rests that move forward and back as well as up and down. woman who wear pony tails etc like being able to move the headrest back. the 18 way seats have fixed head rests and i like the look of it, but the moveable ones are more comfortable for me.

 

Interesting. Well, I'm 5'8, 160 and my wife is 5'2, 125. So we're not big people lol.
She doesn't wear a ponytail though...ever .
But yeah, there should be cars with both types of seats on the lot that we can try.

 

you may prefer the 18 way simply because they have the ability to hug better and if ur both smaller you will feel more secure in the sport seat i would think.