Crown

I've been looking at used Panameras as a new daily for 12 months until my 991 Carrera S arrives next January. I had settled on a suitable car after speaking to several dealers but when I rang one to tell him I was going for a car at another dealer we got chatting and I discovered he has a brand new Cayenne Diesel arriving in two weeks which was going to be their demonstrator but they now have a second car coming in they are going to use for that instead so this one was available. There is a 9 month waiting list for these cars in the UK so they easily fetch full list price even with 5000 miles on them so it was a no brainer to say "I'll take it please"

With fuel prices rising to silly level the potential for up to 40 mpg is very appealing and far better than the mileage I'd have got from a Panamera. The full spec's are as follows :-

  TOPCLR  R6  Sand White    

  INTERI  MA  Black standard interior

  OPTION  STD  Floor mats   

  OPTION  SX2  Park Assist 

  OPTION  0M1  100 litres fuel tank 

  OPTION  9VL  BOSE® Surround Sound System 

  OPTION  UF1  Universal audio interface  

  OPTION  4X4  Sidebags rear   

  OPTION  2ZM  Three-spoke multi-function steering wheel      

  OPTION  4A3  Heated front seats      

  OPTION  1N3  Servotronic      

  OPTION  1BH  Porsche Active Suspension Management     

  OPTION  3FU  Panoramic Roof System       

  OPTION  4GH  Heated windscreen    

  OPTION  4KF  Privacy glass     

  OPTION  CZ4  21-inch 911 Turbo II wheel with wheel arch extensions    

  OPTION  0TD  Floor mats       

  OPTION  7X2  ParkAssist at front and rear  

  OPTION  QJ4  Exterior Package in Black       

  OPTION  7T1  Porsche Communication Management  

  OPTION  3J7  Porsche crest on headrests     

  OPTION  9W1  Telephone module       

Congrats Iain  Smart choice  

RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection

 I've driven the new Cayenne Diesel quite a few times lately and its very good as a daily driver. It copes well with corners (taking into account that its an suv) also for city driving its not lacking in power at all. The sound of the engine is not as smooth as you'd want in a cayenne but since its an utility vehicle its not really that much of a bother. Overall I think its a great choice. 

 Oh forgot to mention that the full tank lasts ages !!  and you'll save a pretty penny from petrol, and that is always a good thing 

I need to save the fuel pennies as I've got those thirsty Ferraris to run

For real world driving the diesel Cayenne is the "sensible" choice here. The residual values on it are frankly amazing due to the limited supply coupled with high demand.

I was about to pull the trigger on an 8 month old Panamera V6...... I know that will offend our German members who think the car should only come with a V8 turbo but I was really impressed at how fast and relaxed a drive the V6 is. It feels barely any slower than the V8S as the V6 is a much lighter engine. As we don't have unrestricted autobahns here the top speed is irrelevant to be honest so the V6 made sense, particularly at the price I was being offered a highly optioned car for. However when I found out about the new Cayenne it really was an easy decision as the depreciation will be minimal and it's a great car for a daily.

ISUK:

I need to save the fuel pennies as I've got those thirsty Ferraris to run

For real world driving the diesel Cayenne is the "sensible" choice here. The residual values on it are frankly amazing due to the limited supply coupled with high demand.

I was about to pull the trigger on an 8 month old Panamera V6...... I know that will offend our German members who think the car should only come with a V8 turbo but I was really impressed at how fast and relaxed a drive the V6 is. It feels barely any slower than the V8S as the V6 is a much lighter engine. As we don't have unrestricted autobahns here the top speed is irrelevant to be honest so the V6 made sense, particularly at the price I was being offered a highly optioned car for. However when I found out about the new Cayenne it really was an easy decision as the depreciation will be minimal and it's a great car for a daily.

This months comes a Panamera V6 4WD tested in one local sport magazine, and the accelaration figures to 100Kph were the same as Panamera 4S, loosing just 0,4sec to 0-1000Mts. Journalist was actually very surprised by this model and said the difference in performnace for Panamaera 4S was absolutely marginal. He also mention the V6 2WD may be even e faster than Pana 4S at much better price.

Nice choice on the Cayenne ISUK

J.Seven

ISUK:
I was about to pull the trigger on an 8 month old Panamera V6...... I know that will offend our German members who think the car should only come with a V8 turbo but I was really impressed at how fast and relaxed a drive the V6 is. It feels barely any slower than the V8S as the V6 is a much lighter engine. As we don't have unrestricted autobahns here the top speed is irrelevant to be honest so the V6 made sense, particularly at the price I was being offered a highly optioned car for. However when I found out about the new Cayenne it really was an easy decision as the depreciation will be minimal and it's a great car for a daily.

We once drove with two Cayenne (old model) to the Leipzig factory. One was a V8, the other the V6. I can only agree with Iain, the V6 could everthing the V8 could - apart from the consumption. 

And it didn't feel any slower.
 

The secret of life is to admire without desiring.

 I also drove the previous (facelifted) V6 Cayenne on a Porsche driving experience on the track. I was very surprised/impressed with the performance. Had no problem keeping up with the Caymans and Boxsters on a wet track.

 You guys are scary !!! So you all say the V6 is the way to go on a Cayenne or Panamera 

I would of not even considered one second , nor even test-drive the V6 .....

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

Gnil:

 You guys are scary !!! So you all say the V6 is the way to go on a Cayenne or Panamera 

I would of not even considered one second , nor even test-drive the V6 .....

If you put your preconceptions to one side for a day and take a demo car out for a drive you may be in for a real surprise. The smaller engined cars are no slouches and you have to ask yourself when in normal daily driving you are really going to notice a second's difference in acceleration figures or how often you travel with your car fully loaded with passengers and their belongings to notice any real power defecit? Porsche have tuned the exhaust note extremely well on the V6 as well so you don't lose out entirely there either.

The traffic here is so bad most of the time that it's impossible to drive at anything close to the potential of the V8 or turbo engines so the loss of a couple of cylinders becomes irrelevant. Three dealers have told me that the V6 and diesel model sales easily eclipse the larger petrol engines now in the Cayenne and the V6 in the Panamera is their best selling variant of that car. They expect the forthcoming Panamera diesel to be a major success.

Having owned a Gen 1 V6 Cayenne for 2.5 years and 35k miles then a Gen 1 facelift V8 S model I can honestly say that apart from the occassional burst of lively overtaking the biggest difference I noticed between the two cars was the cost of fueling up the S and the much greater depreciation I suffered when I sold it. I for one am happy to keep the performance V8's in my two seat toys and have fewer cylinders in my daily 

 I am more then happy to read your good driving impression with the V6 but I am also surprised . I would of not expected that . 

If I go for one, I'll make sure to test drive the V6 and/or the diesel . But I was under the impression that these two engines where under powered for such a heavy car.

As a DD , I agree with you, one does not need the power of the Turbo ( unless you live in Germany ) 

My brother downgraded from the CT gen 1 to the CS gen 2. He is more then happy .

I just come from a bad experience in buying a  french family van ( only because of practical reasons ) and hating every meter driven in it, as the diesel engine is so disappointing ( but praised by the press and the dealer ) . The under powered diesel engine give you a sensation of traction, but in fact nothing moves !

Maybe I should reconsider my DD ( Carrera S ) too many cylinders  Oh...but Porsche will offer a 4 cylinder Carrera !! 

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 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

Sorry if this is against the spirit but a pal just got a new Cayenne deisel and let me have a good test drive. It has plenty of grunt for a daily driver certainly not lacking in that respect. I was amazed at the seating postion and general view of the cockpit and dials it was really superb and almost Porsche like, certainly unlike any other 4WD SUV.

Handling also was quite amazing, I knew they had shaved a lot of weight with the new design but the deisel is still a 2300kg pig and it doesn't feel it to hustle along.

One rather large "but" here...... the thing just looks so crap, anonymous, uninspiring just a bland looking thing even with the sexy turbo alloys which just seemed to disappear on this dark blue thing......Maybe buyers want to blend in totally (I know my pal didn't particularly and his previous X5 Sport was a much better looking thing) and respect for you if that is your bag but whenever he pulls up in it (particularly dirty) I am amazed how plain it looks 

2009 997 GT2

Gnil:

 

Maybe I should reconsider my DD ( Carrera S ) too many cylinders  Oh...but Porsche will offer a 4 cylinder Carrera !! 

Steady..... 6 is the minimum acceptable cylinder count

TB993tt:

One rather large "but" here...... the thing just looks so crap, anonymous, uninspiring just a bland looking thing even with the sexy turbo alloys which just seemed to disappear on this dark blue thing......Maybe buyers want to blend in totally (I know my pal didn't particularly and his previous X5 Sport was a much better looking thing) and respect for you if that is your bag but whenever he pulls up in it (particularly dirty) I am amazed how plain it looks 

To be fair it's possible to make the majority of mainstream vehicles look anonymous if you spec a fairly bland colour like dark blue.  It's pretty easy to make the Cayenne look interesting as this jet black diesel proves IMHO.

ISUK:

To be fair it's possible to make the majority of mainstream vehicles look anonymous if you spec a fairly bland colour like dark blue.  It's pretty easy to make the Cayenne look interesting as this jet black diesel proves IMHO.

 

I think it looks pretty good in the pics but on the road it just blends in...... Dare I say it the old shape GTS model looked a bolder beast with more presence, but maybe that is not what buyers want - have to say bit loud for me as an SUV

2009 997 GT2

If the main objective of the buyer is to get noticed someone can always choose this nice yellow. It suits the new cayenne lines very well.

It's a safe colour too in that it helps reduce accidents on dull days and in fading light.

That no one will want it at resale time, is a minor drawback.

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"Form follows function"

Nah, rear looks boring, just like any japanese SUV...

Gnil:

 I just come from a bad experience in buying a  french family van ( only because of practical reasons ) and hating every meter driven in it, as the diesel engine is so disappointing ( but praised by the press and the dealer ) . The under powered diesel engine give you a sensation of traction, but in fact nothing moves !

--

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

If you don´t mind my asking, what French car was this and what engine it had?

J.Seven

J.Seven:

Gnil:

 I just come from a bad experience in buying a  french family van ( only because of practical reasons ) and hating every meter driven in it, as the diesel engine is so disappointing ( but praised by the press and the dealer ) . The under powered diesel engine give you a sensation of traction, but in fact nothing moves !

--

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

 

If you don´t mind my asking, what French car was this and what engine it had?

J.Seven

 It' s the 2 litter diesel ( 140 HP ) in the C8

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

Great choice ISUK! It's a great daily, and 40MPG is great. You'll commute in comfort and then flip for a very good resale seeing as demand is so high in the UK. Well done!

indeed shifting is ancient technology - so is a fuel burning engine..  I happen to like both :) 

Rossi:

We once drove with two Cayenne (old model) to the Leipzig factory. One was a V8, the other the V6. I can only agree with Iain, the V6 could everthing the V8 could - apart from the consumption. 

And it didn't feel any slower.
 

I get it...you're not a SUV fan. 

The new V6 engine in the Panamera is a treat, the VW V6 in the Cayenne facelift (older model) is horrible and not even close to the V8. Maybe the V8 you drove was manual and the V6 Tiptronic, hence a difference in perception. Trust me, I drove both, even back to back and the V6 isn't even close to the V8.

Regarding the Cayenne Diesel: I would not buy a Cayenne Diesel, I would rather buy a X6 40d instead for less money, better performance and same fuel/DIesel consumption.

The Panamera V6 is a different story, with Sport Chrono Plus and PDK, this car is really enjoyable. Caution: This is not valid for the Cayenne V6, the extra weight of the Cayenne, almost 300 kg, reduces the driving fun substantially.

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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

RC:

Rossi:

We once drove with two Cayenne (old model) to the Leipzig factory. One was a V8, the other the V6. I can only agree with Iain, the V6 could everthing the V8 could - apart from the consumption. 

And it didn't feel any slower.
 

 

I get it...you're not a SUV fan. 

The new V6 engine in the Panamera is a treat, the VW V6 in the Cayenne facelift (older model) is horrible and not even close to the V8. Maybe the V8 you drove was manual and the V6 Tiptronic, hence a difference in perception. Trust me, I drove both, even back to back and the V6 isn't even close to the V8.

Regarding the Cayenne Diesel: I would not buy a Cayenne Diesel, I would rather buy a X6 40d instead for less money, better performance and same fuel/DIesel consumption.

The Panamera V6 is a different story, with Sport Chrono Plus and PDK, this car is really enjoyable. Caution: This is not valid for the Cayenne V6, the extra weight of the Cayenne, almost 300 kg, reduces the driving fun substantially.

Sorry, I don't listen to a truck driver.

Please just leave it as it is: you think the Cayenne V6 is horrible, I said when we drove both in comparison there wasn't much difference. And no, they were both equipped with the auto gear box, so it's you to trust me, where we drove them, which was mainly on the autobahn and some city driving, difference between these two was marginal, except for consumption. 
 

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The secret of life is to admire without desiring.

Maybe you drove a super secret V6 with more power and more torque ? 

Seriously...I actually think you didn't really care and didn't pay too much attention. 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW

RC:

The Panamera V6 is a different story, with Sport Chrono Plus and PDK, this car is really enjoyable. Caution: This is not valid for the Cayenne V6, the extra weight of the Cayenne, almost 300 kg, reduces the driving fun substantially.

 

Panamera V6 is a Porsche engine (V8 minus 2 cylinders)

Cayenne V6 is a VW engine.

This makes all the difference IMO.

If I wanted a budget Cayenne I would get the diesel (here it is 15.000 Euro cheaper than the V6 too) or wait for the small SUV.

"Form follows function"

It's simple economics at work here.

Buy a Cayenne turbo which will cost close to £100k with a nice spec. Rarely find an opportunity to use it's power and performance in everday driving, be prepared to be forever filling it up at a fuel station crying whilst watching the fuel pump counter whiz round until it shows lots of £ss, then take it back to the dealer 2 or 3 years later to trade it in and blow your brains out with the depreciation...... which is epic on the turbo.

Or buy a diesel which has lots of real world usable torque, gets good MPG, is cheaper to tax and insure, provides the same interior space and retains a far higher percentage of it's original value.

With the huge purchase price difference (£40k or thereabouts) buy a very nice, low miles used 997 C2S Gen 1 or a new Boxster S for a bit of weekend fun.

I agree on the Porsche V6 in the Panamera being a far better engine than the VW sourced one in the Cayenne. The V6 Panamera 4 really is the sweet spot currently in that model range IMHO. I expect that the diesel will be even better as it combines improved MPG which will give it a stronger value as a used car.

Rossi:

ISUK:
I was about to pull the trigger on an 8 month old Panamera V6...... I know that will offend our German members who think the car should only come with a V8 turbo but I was really impressed at how fast and relaxed a drive the V6 is. It feels barely any slower than the V8S as the V6 is a much lighter engine. As we don't have unrestricted autobahns here the top speed is irrelevant to be honest so the V6 made sense, particularly at the price I was being offered a highly optioned car for. However when I found out about the new Cayenne it really was an easy decision as the depreciation will be minimal and it's a great car for a daily.

We once drove with two Cayenne (old model) to the Leipzig factory. One was a V8, the other the V6. I can only agree with Iain, the V6 could everthing the V8 could - apart from the consumption. 

And it didn't feel any slower.
 

I respecfully disagree, in the US we dont have unrestricted autobahns either but merging into a California freeway in a new V6 Cayenne is nothing short of disappointing and even dangerous.

I drove all 3 variants a couple of months ago and was looking forward to the new higher HP engine of the V6 but it was very disappointing and I was floored also by the difference in handling between the V6 and the S and the TT. The V6 drove like any other japanese SUV and nothing like a sports car, not to mention the lack of power on the highway. The S was much better in the handling dept and significantly faster and more responsive. The TT was so different from the V6 and S both in power and handling that you cant even start to compare. The CTT felt just a smidge less planted and a bit slower than my previous 07 997TT! 

as far as consumption, if I was driving the V6 I can garantee that its consumption would be worse than an S only because I would have to be on it all the time to make it move.

Needless to say I went with the CTT and with its 8 speed transmission and now at 5000 miles I am averaging 16.5 mpg in town and 21 mpg highway. Find me another 500hp SUV capable of that.

The V6 is a great compromise but saying it has the same performance as the S is very far from the truth, sorry.   and as far as CTT depreciation, thats what leasing is for.....

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2011 CTT

2005 F430

2010 Audi S5

 Your perception of the differences in handling is interesting.  Is it really true that there is a difference in the suspension setup among the various powertrain choices, apart from the choice of air-suspension or other suspension options?  You believe the V6 suspension is mediocre, the V8 suspension somewhat more sporty and the Turbo suspension is on a par with the 911 TT?  I too have noticed differences among various Cayenne models, but what I have noticed I could always attribute to the suspension options on that particular car.  As to sportiness, I found the less expensive steel sprung Cayenne to be more responsive than the PASM setup.  In fact the Porsche Sport Driving classes in Birmingham, AL used steel sprung Cayennes for the racetrack and PASM models for the off-road training. 

GM Austin:

 Your perception of the differences in handling is interesting.  Is it really true that there is a difference in the suspension setup among the various powertrain choices, apart from the choice of air-suspension or other suspension options?  You believe the V6 suspension is mediocre, the V8 suspension somewhat more sporty and the Turbo suspension is on a par with the 911 TT?  I too have noticed differences among various Cayenne models, but what I have noticed I could always attribute to the suspension options on that particular car.  As to sportiness, I found the less expensive steel sprung Cayenne to be more responsive than the PASM setup.  In fact the Porsche Sport Driving classes in Birmingham, AL used steel sprung Cayennes for the racetrack and PASM models for the off-road training. 

The V6 and S I drove both did not have PASM and still the S felt more planted, the 6 was leaning way too much on turns. The CTT handling is not the same as a 997 TT obviously but it is close and much better than a lot of other sport car brands, when you press both sport buttons (engine and suspension) and you lower the car, the CTT hunkers down and drives almost like a sports car and it actually looks funny doing that because of the lowered height.

Adding options to improve the handing of the V6 like PASM and larger/wider wheels will bring the price closer to the S and thats why I ruled out the V6 since I hated how it leaned on turns and disliked the average braking feeling as well. The S was ruled out after I experienced the accleration of the CTT and I am usually not easily impressed.

My opinion is that the new S is the best compromise of peformance and cost, not the V6.

2011 CTT

2005 F430

2010 Audi S5

Yes, the S is definitely the best compromise of performance and cost, the V6 just sucks. 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 997 Turbo, BMW X5 M, BMW M3 Cab DKG, Mini Cooper S JCW