Cayenne Turbo Powerkit Review - Finally
Back in 2004, Porsche promised me to get one of the first Powerkit equipped Turbos for a testdrive. Unfortunately we had a few disagreements along our "negotiations" regarding the throttle/shifting hesitation issues and apparently somebody in Weissach got mad on me and "forgot" the testdrive. Well, maybe they forgot it by "purpose" because the throttle hesitation isn't gone at all. 
Today, we finally had the chance to drive a Cayenne Turbo with 500 HP powerkit and our expectations were high but not as high as before because I really had my issues with Porsche and the guys who were responsible for Cayenne development.
To make a long story short, here we go with the short review.
First at all, I don't like the Cayenne body kit too much. It makes the Cayenne look more sporty but it looks as aftermarket as it can be. In my opinion not a very stylish look but to each his own I guess. Especially that "thing" under the exhaust looks horrible and I can't say I'm a friend of painted air inlets.
Second, this powerkit equipped Cayenne Turbo still had 19'' winter wheels mounted, so I wasn't able to go over 240 kph during my testdrive. Also handling performance was a bit affected due to the winter tires but more later in this review.
After I entered the Cayenne Turbo Powerkit, I was looking for some clues in the interior that this is the most powerful Cayenne available right now from the factory. But there is no clue, the car looks completely stock from the inside. This is a bit of a disappointment because a little "hint" would have been nice. From the outside however, the bigger front brakes are a first grade eye-catcher, despite the "pimp-my-ride" look of the whole thing with the bodykit (which is not a standard option for powerkit equipped cars).
Turning on the engine didn't unveil anything about the powerkit either, the sound is similar to the Cayenne Turbo sound, only at higher rev figures, there is somehow a difference probably caused by the stronger air "sucking" noise.
After the car started moving, I had the surprise of my life. The powerkit equipped Cayenne Turbo felt almost like a 911 with a very direct steering, much better than on the Cayenne Turbo without powerkit. The first turn, even at a slow speed, unveiled a very direct and sporty steering feel which is really similar to a sports car. The standard Cayenne Turbo has a similar steering feel too but it gets a bit numb after a certain degree of turning the steering wheel. Another surprise came along when I took the first narrow curve at a higher speed, resulting in a very neutral (no signs of under- or oversteer but the tires were squeaking horribly) driving behaviour. I was impressed.
Side-roll is comparable to the standard Cayenne Turbo when driving very hard but in changing curves (fast right-left-right combos for example), the Powerkit car feels more stable and doesn't feel like a truck at all, offering a very direct and easily controllable steering feel.
And all that with winter tires, I'm pretty sure that with summer tires, this car would blow away the standard Cayenne Turbo like nothing, even in the hands of a less experienced driver.
The bigger brake is also worth it's money, it provides the same brake feel like on the standard Cayenne Turbo but with a much bigger reserve at higher speeds. I did some sort of emergency braking from 240 kph to around 120 kph and the brake didn't feel different at all, no signs of fatigue or any problems at all. Rock solid. Doing the same procedure with the standard Cayenne Turbo results in a very nasty brake "rubbing" and the steering wheel shakes and rattles, making it very difficult even for an experienced driver to keep the truck on track. Porsche says that the standard brake has been tested and it is sufficient for the Cayenne Turbo but I can assure you that after testdriving the powerkit brake, there is no substitute and Porsche would do themselves and their customers a big favour if they'd install the bigger brake as a standard option. Not to speak about the driving safety gain which could be obtained by doing that.
Now let's get to the most interesting part, the engine.
First thing: yes, the power gain can be felt, especially at higher rev figures. Yes, there is definetely more torque and the maximum displayed boost pressure is now at 0.8 bar instead of the 0.6-0.65 bar displayed on the standard Turbo.
The wastegate(?) hissing is also a bit louder, providing a very nice sound but there is no sound increase from the exhaust, both Cayenne Turbo sound almost the same, especially at lower rev figures.
The acceleration at higher speeds is impressive, I made a little video to show you this and I'll post it later on.
The shifting has been improved substantially, the powerkit Cayenne Turbo stays much longer in the same gear, it downshifts much faster and to a much lower gear compared to the standard Cayenne Turbo and the kickdown function is much more aggressive, it comes in like a very strong kick, resulting in a very fast acceleration and at the same time a downshift of three or even four gears. Most of the time I was driving in the second gear at speeds below 90 kph, very nice. And without manual intervention. Very sporty shifting behaviour, I wish I had it on my Cayenne Turbo.
BUT: the long time discussed THROTTLE HESITATION is still there and although the shifting seems to work very fast and with a much better setup, it still can't make the throttle lag disappear completely. It feels better compared to the standard Cayenne Turbo ONLY because the gears are usually chosen a gear or so lower and this provides of course more rev, resulting in a better acceleration and faster overcome of the throttle lag. This is very sad because without the throttle lag/hesitation, the Cayenne Turbo Powerkit would have a PERFECT setup for such a truck.
And VERY disappointing is the fact that from standstill, the throttle hesitation is as bad as on the standard Cayenne Turbo, maybe even worse. This setup may be some sort of protection for the gearbox/drivetrain but it is very very annoying. I also tried this with PSM turned off, it shows the same behaviour like on my standard Cayenne Turbo and even if it starts from 1st gear, there is no change in throttle hesitation from standstill.
Personal conclusion: in my opinion, the Cayenne Turbo 500 HP Powerkit is really worth the money, even if something below 10000 Euro would have been more appropriate because the engine upgrade itself consists of a modified software and "bigger" intercoolers only. Almost all parts could be obtained separetely from through the parts department, only the engine software, the gearbox control unit and suspension control unit may pose acquiring problems.
I urge Porsche to review the standard Cayenne Turbo brake and install the powerkit brake on ALL Cayenne Turbo instead. Or at least they should offer a retrofit kit through Tequipment because this brake is really THE brake I would have wished to have on a REAL Porsche from the start.
I still don't understand why the throttle hesitation hasn't improved, apparently there is an unknown factor Porsche doesn't want to unveil. Considering Porsche's "aggressive" and very unfriendly approach towards me lately regarding the throttle hesitation issue, I'd say that there is a lot of money or something regarding safety at stake, I can't find a better explenation. That said, I can highly recommend the Turbo Powerkit but owners still have to live with that very annoying and sometimes DANGEROUS throttle lag. People who prefer ride/shifting comfort, should keep their hands off the Powerkit. The shifting is much more aggressive and most of the time, a very low gear is enganged to provide enough acceleration. Some people may not like this setup, be warned!
Pros & Cons
Pros
Cons
If Porsche is capable of getting rid of that throttle hesitation/lag, the powerkit Cayenne Turbo would be PERFECT.
I also would like to mention that the tested car had the "thicker steering wheel" option and I can highly recommend it. It definetely provides a better grip and better steering feel. Enjoy the pictures and if you have questions ,don't hesitate to ask.
Today, we finally had the chance to drive a Cayenne Turbo with 500 HP powerkit and our expectations were high but not as high as before because I really had my issues with Porsche and the guys who were responsible for Cayenne development.
To make a long story short, here we go with the short review.
First at all, I don't like the Cayenne body kit too much. It makes the Cayenne look more sporty but it looks as aftermarket as it can be. In my opinion not a very stylish look but to each his own I guess. Especially that "thing" under the exhaust looks horrible and I can't say I'm a friend of painted air inlets.
Second, this powerkit equipped Cayenne Turbo still had 19'' winter wheels mounted, so I wasn't able to go over 240 kph during my testdrive. Also handling performance was a bit affected due to the winter tires but more later in this review.
After I entered the Cayenne Turbo Powerkit, I was looking for some clues in the interior that this is the most powerful Cayenne available right now from the factory. But there is no clue, the car looks completely stock from the inside. This is a bit of a disappointment because a little "hint" would have been nice. From the outside however, the bigger front brakes are a first grade eye-catcher, despite the "pimp-my-ride" look of the whole thing with the bodykit (which is not a standard option for powerkit equipped cars).
Turning on the engine didn't unveil anything about the powerkit either, the sound is similar to the Cayenne Turbo sound, only at higher rev figures, there is somehow a difference probably caused by the stronger air "sucking" noise.
After the car started moving, I had the surprise of my life. The powerkit equipped Cayenne Turbo felt almost like a 911 with a very direct steering, much better than on the Cayenne Turbo without powerkit. The first turn, even at a slow speed, unveiled a very direct and sporty steering feel which is really similar to a sports car. The standard Cayenne Turbo has a similar steering feel too but it gets a bit numb after a certain degree of turning the steering wheel. Another surprise came along when I took the first narrow curve at a higher speed, resulting in a very neutral (no signs of under- or oversteer but the tires were squeaking horribly) driving behaviour. I was impressed.
Side-roll is comparable to the standard Cayenne Turbo when driving very hard but in changing curves (fast right-left-right combos for example), the Powerkit car feels more stable and doesn't feel like a truck at all, offering a very direct and easily controllable steering feel.
And all that with winter tires, I'm pretty sure that with summer tires, this car would blow away the standard Cayenne Turbo like nothing, even in the hands of a less experienced driver.
The bigger brake is also worth it's money, it provides the same brake feel like on the standard Cayenne Turbo but with a much bigger reserve at higher speeds. I did some sort of emergency braking from 240 kph to around 120 kph and the brake didn't feel different at all, no signs of fatigue or any problems at all. Rock solid. Doing the same procedure with the standard Cayenne Turbo results in a very nasty brake "rubbing" and the steering wheel shakes and rattles, making it very difficult even for an experienced driver to keep the truck on track. Porsche says that the standard brake has been tested and it is sufficient for the Cayenne Turbo but I can assure you that after testdriving the powerkit brake, there is no substitute and Porsche would do themselves and their customers a big favour if they'd install the bigger brake as a standard option. Not to speak about the driving safety gain which could be obtained by doing that.
Now let's get to the most interesting part, the engine.
First thing: yes, the power gain can be felt, especially at higher rev figures. Yes, there is definetely more torque and the maximum displayed boost pressure is now at 0.8 bar instead of the 0.6-0.65 bar displayed on the standard Turbo.
The wastegate(?) hissing is also a bit louder, providing a very nice sound but there is no sound increase from the exhaust, both Cayenne Turbo sound almost the same, especially at lower rev figures.
The acceleration at higher speeds is impressive, I made a little video to show you this and I'll post it later on.
The shifting has been improved substantially, the powerkit Cayenne Turbo stays much longer in the same gear, it downshifts much faster and to a much lower gear compared to the standard Cayenne Turbo and the kickdown function is much more aggressive, it comes in like a very strong kick, resulting in a very fast acceleration and at the same time a downshift of three or even four gears. Most of the time I was driving in the second gear at speeds below 90 kph, very nice.
And without manual intervention. Very sporty shifting behaviour, I wish I had it on my Cayenne Turbo.
BUT: the long time discussed THROTTLE HESITATION is still there and although the shifting seems to work very fast and with a much better setup, it still can't make the throttle lag disappear completely. It feels better compared to the standard Cayenne Turbo ONLY because the gears are usually chosen a gear or so lower and this provides of course more rev, resulting in a better acceleration and faster overcome of the throttle lag. This is very sad because without the throttle lag/hesitation, the Cayenne Turbo Powerkit would have a PERFECT setup for such a truck.
And VERY disappointing is the fact that from standstill, the throttle hesitation is as bad as on the standard Cayenne Turbo, maybe even worse. This setup may be some sort of protection for the gearbox/drivetrain but it is very very annoying. I also tried this with PSM turned off, it shows the same behaviour like on my standard Cayenne Turbo and even if it starts from 1st gear, there is no change in throttle hesitation from standstill.
Personal conclusion: in my opinion, the Cayenne Turbo 500 HP Powerkit is really worth the money, even if something below 10000 Euro would have been more appropriate because the engine upgrade itself consists of a modified software and "bigger" intercoolers only. Almost all parts could be obtained separetely from through the parts department, only the engine software, the gearbox control unit and suspension control unit may pose acquiring problems.
I urge Porsche to review the standard Cayenne Turbo brake and install the powerkit brake on ALL Cayenne Turbo instead. Or at least they should offer a retrofit kit through Tequipment because this brake is really THE brake I would have wished to have on a REAL Porsche from the start.
I still don't understand why the throttle hesitation hasn't improved, apparently there is an unknown factor Porsche doesn't want to unveil. Considering Porsche's "aggressive" and very unfriendly approach towards me lately regarding the throttle hesitation issue, I'd say that there is a lot of money or something regarding safety at stake, I can't find a better explenation. That said, I can highly recommend the Turbo Powerkit but owners still have to live with that very annoying and sometimes DANGEROUS throttle lag. People who prefer ride/shifting comfort, should keep their hands off the Powerkit. The shifting is much more aggressive and most of the time, a very low gear is enganged to provide enough acceleration. Some people may not like this setup, be warned!
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very powerful
- Aggressive and fast reacting kickdown
- Very direct steering feel, sportscar-like
- Improved shifting behaviour, downshifts faster and more gears, "keeps" gear longer, doesn't upshift too fast
- Very neutral handling even in fast turns, very stable
- Fuel consumption still the same (as high as always )
Cons
- Cost (too much money for a new software, two new intercoolers, two control units and a bit of suspension and brake hardware)
- Throttle hesitation as bad as always, no real improvement (feels better though due to the new shifting setup and lower gears at the same speed)
If Porsche is capable of getting rid of that throttle hesitation/lag, the powerkit Cayenne Turbo would be PERFECT.
I also would like to mention that the tested car had the "thicker steering wheel" option and I can highly recommend it. It definetely provides a better grip and better steering feel. Enjoy the pictures and if you have questions ,don't hesitate to ask.
They were in charge of transmission development on the Cayenne/Touareg platform and all the software and transmission control units come from them.
) but why not offering the brake/suspension mods for free on the standard Cayenne Turbo? It is not a matter of money in my opinion but of credibility. If Porsche builds a Cayenne Turbo which is too much real SUV-like (although still better than other competitors), they loose credibility in my opinion. They already lost my trust regarding the brake and especially throttle response, do they really want to loose even more trust from Cayenne Turbo customers? Porsche has to get their priorities figured out because right now, the standard Cayenne Turbo is a great SUV but not even close to what Porsche would be capable of. After driving the powerkit Turbo, this is a fact, not just a suspicion. 
