Review: 2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)
The first clue that the 2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS isn't like other SUVs is the shifter, which works the six gears in a manual transmission. Another clue comes when you get it in the twisties, and feel its utter lack of roll in hard cornering. The Cayenne GTS offers the most sports car-like handling of any SUV, even surpassing the BMW X5 in this regard. We've heard comments around the office that the Porsche badge shouldn't be this high off the ground, but purism aside, our friendly neighborhood Porsche rep tells us that the Cayenne sells, giving the company a stable bottom line with which it can work on better and better 911s. Okay, we can accept that it's all for the greater good.
Although the transmission might be a little low-tech, the engine and suspension make up for it. The air suspension features all sorts of tricks to morph the Cayenne GTS from high-clearance, all-terrain vehicle to road-hugging canyon carver. Cabin tech is also present in the form of the Porsche Communication Management system, an all-in-one navigation, stereo, and phone unit--only, the phone part doesn't work in the U.S. Fortunately, this version of the system is on its way out, soon to be replaced by a whole new system featuring better controls and Bluetooth.
As something of a 911 purist, I've never thought much of Porsche's move into the SUV marketplace, but even I have to admit that--up until now--the decision has been a very profitable one for the company. Yet the couple I've driven were more than capable, and I have no doubt that the GTS is even better than before. But now with fuel prices as high as they are, Porsche's likely going to find their Cayenne brand considerably less appealing to their usually more affluent regular clientele. You can lipstick a pig all you want, but in the end it's still a pig. However if you recode the DNA of that pig...well, perhaps you've got a <i>chance</i> of selling more of them. The GTS is Porsche trying to up the ante, surely to cater to the more affluent parts of the marketplace that is less concerned about trivialities such as high fuel costs. I'm not at all sure that it'll be successful, but if rigs like the Range Rover can find a way to survive, then it's likely a performance-oriented SUV like the Cayenne GTS might find its niche as well.
Maybe. Too bad its image is such a dichotomy to being eco-friendly as a vehicle can be, all Hummers aside and ULEV II ratings notwithstanding.