It’s safe to say that pretty much every person that goes into automotive journalism does so because they want to drive exotic cars such as Lamborghinis and Koenigseggs. Matt Farah recently got the chance to do just that with…
…the Porsche Cayenne Diesel.
Think of the vehicle this way: It’s a diesel SUV sold in a hybrid-crazy country, a four-wheel-drive rig from a brand known for decades for only making high-performance sports cars. As Farah puts it, this Cayenne is “utterly against what Porsche’s brand has been about for the last 75 years.” That’s exotic, even within the Stuttgart company.
The Teutonic oil-burner develops 240 horsepower and 406 lb.-ft of torque from a 3.0-liter, turbocharged, diesel V6 and offers five travelers a 600-mile range…as well as lots of buttons. Although the Porsche has the same engine as the Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7 TDI models, it outpaces them when driving up a sticker price. Farah says if the truck, which starts at $56,600, is loaded with options, it can reach into $90,000 territory. Ouch! That kind of money does buy a wealth of amenities, though. The tatted gearhead points out his tester’s automatic headlights and wipers, adjustable differentials (for various road surfaces), touchscreen navigation and comfortable seats, from which a driver gets superb all-around visibility. However, the rear window is small, so the back-up camera comes in handy when reverse is selected.
Such niceties could not save the Cayenne Diesel from being deemed “the worst value” among competitors such as the Q7 TDI, the Mercedes-Benz ML350 BlueTEC, the diesel Touareg and the BMW X5d, all of which offer similar performance, features and room.
So, what are Farah’s picks? The VW, for its lower price tag on the same powertrain, and the Bimmer, for its power delivery and prowess on rough terrain.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
