turbo is where its at.

 

no doubt, after having 2 - CTT & 996TT I could never go back, well maybe good deal on GT3RS

 

5.3 is a reach for the new S, the car reviews out there have it at high 5's. I've raced a friends and he only kept up with me (08 turbo) to about 20mph and once i got in boost it looked like he was driving in reverse. I had to listen to him talk **** all day about how his NA 5.3sec S was going to give me a run for my money. After that his words exactly "i should of bought the turbo". Also got to run a Pano V6 loaner for kicks and it was a total pig.

5.3 vs 4.9 (with 22's) should of been a good race but it was an *** kicking in the worst way.

Also the GTS was 5.9 with manual here in the USA and 6.something for the Auto.

 

I wouldn't so far as to say loaners are junk, because I am sure some readers opt theit cayennes out exactly the way you would find a loaner sometimes.....

But yes, the loaners normally dont have the pdcc or stuff like that, and are relatively option free. If you were to base an impression on a loaner car, it's a warped perception. On my 2008 GTS, I think the car is amazing in every way besides acceleration, but I knew that when purchased new that at 5,400 feet above sea level I would not only notice a 20% decrease in power from sea level but I also wouldn't get that pull away power a turbo offers.

The new 2011, is an amazing ride.
I haven't been able to drive ALL models, I did only drive the turbo, becuase I knew my next would be a turbo. And the one that I drove didnt have the PDCC, but it did have the PVT and obviously air susp as most US models do, especially all turbos.

But in short it is an amazing vehicle capable of almost anything and for it to produce the specs it does in a cayenne shell, wow.



And I read above where the Cayenne S, or GTS, or anything NON turbo was compared to the new X5 50 or x6...... uh BOTH those BMW's are turbos and they have almost no lag and start around 1,500 rpm at 450lbs torque. They are amazing in their own right....

But this will sound incredibly snotty of me, but I have always thought, those who buy a comparable BMW do so because they cannot afford a PORSCHE. ridicule all you want for the comment, but after driving the 2010 BMW x5 50 for 3 days, and the 2010 x5 M for the same amount of time, (when I was contemplating purchasing these over the new 2011 Cayenne) they are not even the same machines. Granted if you compaye HP to HP maybe the turbos are somewhat similar, but the fit and finish and the level of customizations the Porsche has vs the BMW makes these vehicles in completely different catagories. The new Cayenne is superior in every way to the new x5. Dollar for dollar, you get a lot more bang for your buck in the BMW, but again, it's a BMW and their reliability worries me a bit as well vs Porsche, which I haven't had any issues with my GTS whatsoever.

happy hunting all.

 

i agree about the X5m, i almost pulled the trigger on one but the limited off road ability really turned me off to the BMW along with the terrible service i received on my M6. The Cayenne TT seems to be the best of both worlds which is why i sold my GTS and got one. Also PDCC is a MUST on a CTT, it really does change the dynamics dramatically.

I wasn't calling the loaner Pano junk, just a pig. What i meant by that was that the car was much to heavy for the 6 cylinder motor, maybe the turbo 6 from the 997 would of been a better choice.

 

Everyone raves about the turbo...

I don't care what kind of car or SUV you're talking about - If it needs incredible power to impress...it's simply not that impressive.

I like Cayennes. I love the looks of the new one, and I love the fact that it bankrolled Porsche AG. But, as a P-car owner and enthusiast, I'd love to see a regular V6 or V8 Cayenne objectively outperform Range Rover, BMW etc..
Example: the Panamera runs its exhausts in the transmission tunnel so that the interior can be positioned lower to the ground.... Jag, Merc, Bimmer don't do that. That is Porsche. In fairness to Porsche its VW who design the Cayenne chassis and then Porsche tunes it, so they deserve some latitude.

I would love the Cayenne to be 100% porsche. But in the end, that's what the other models are there for....

DRP

 

I (as a current BMW owner) certainly am not dissing BMW X5/X6 or the economic status of their buyers. I'm just saying that the vehicles are priced quite differently, so that people will make their purchasing decision accordingly and won't do much cross-comparison.

For all I know, most people still drive Toyota / Honda / Ford around, and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

I test drove the new 2011 CTT last weekend with the dealer and a fellow 6speeder. We both had huge expectations of this car considering the threads new owners started praising its acceleration and etc. My buddy and I where not very impressed with the acceleration. The speedo shows the speed climbing very quickly but you just dont feel it. In my C2S I really feel the acceleration even though its not much quicker then the CTT.
I think it was sayboy who said somehting like ....that after driving his new CTT his GT3RS felt like a slug. So after reading comments like this, I had very high expectations. But I have test driven other cars that felt unimpressive at one dealership/test drive and then felt like a totally different animal on another dealership/test drive.
Hopefully it was just a bad test drive, but I did floor it from a low speed and at highway speeds. We also noticed then when accelerating hard from 1st gear there is a long delay before it shifts into 2nd, enough to make your head lunge forward....bad feeling!

 

@ Drspeed
If you do some research you will discover that it was Porsche who designed the chassis and V8 engines of the Cayennes. VW and Audi then adopted the chassis for their versions.

My 2003 Cayenne turbo is a heavy vehicle and requires a powerplant that can deliver the appropriate power to move it.

The turbo engine that Porsche created for this task still impresses me and many others.

@zzzspeed
The new CTT SUV is being compared to your C2S. There is a reason for that.

 

No offense taken here, but I think I am going the BMW route. Stayed tuned...

 

I am a Porsche and BMW fan at the end of the day. I test drove the x5 5.0, x5m, and 2011 cayenne s. I have owned Ranges and ML 63 etc. I went with the cayenne S because here it is for the snow! Also, it was and is the closest suv to feeling like a car IMO. It is still heavy, but far less so than other SUV's out there. Test drives of it were not as impressive until I really got on it off/on ramps etc. That said...in a straight line it is quick but its no turbo or X5m etc. It is a very linear and clean feeling thrust, but nothing like the turbos of the CTT or X5M, but that is why they have those. I have a fast car, I was going to get a fast SUV, but as mentioned this one is for the snow. Also, the thing I like about the 2011 cayenne S is not only does it ride like a car, but it feels like one inside. Almost cocoon like, yet spacious! They did a great job with that. My RR is so comfortable but it is huge in comparison and it feels it. I went back and forth between X5 and Cayenne. They were the only options for me. It was a hard decision because they are my favorite marks too. Although I dont really care about status. If I really loved any brand's car/suv I would buy it. To each his own I guess. But BMW does make a hard decision harder by offering so much for less AND the maintenance. Just nice to have. The only option I would definitely get is the PASM if you want to save I would say go ahead but dont get a Cayenne without the PASM.
D

 

just a thought, doesn't Porsche limit the Turbo for 1500mile break in period? I bought a CPO Turbo but i thought i read that you have to take a new CTT in after 1500miles to be delimited. If this is true then that would explain the poor test drives.

I know when i bought my M6 is was a dog until the break in period was over and they unlocked the 500hp mode.

 

BMW reliability is definitely an issue, and X5 isn't exactly reliable. BMW has various issues with the fuel pump on the turbo models, and the "free maintenance" doesn't really offer much - if you plan to keep the car for long term, you'd better do more than the 15K oil change interval. Recent BMWs are also getting heavier and softer (see the new 5 series).

 

+1 totally agree on the heavier and softer trend at BMW which translates to cheaper to make and broader customer appeal - fooey! BMW is in the process of loosing its soul regrettably. That's why I was so excited to try the new Cayenne - the 400 lb. diet. But alas, if I had to replace our X5 4.8 sport tomorrow, it would be with an X5 5.0.

-1 on the reliability. We're on our 2nd X5 and the only unscheduled visit was for the replacement of a mirror motor (it wouldn't fold in). And I am quick to bring a car in for anything. Also the free maintenance has been limited following the economic meltdown, but back in 06-07 my dealer was replacing stuff on my 550 that didn't need replacing, so I disagree that its useless. Also, you can extend it to 6 yrs. 100k miles for $1500 at purchase... It's compelling - especially after my $280.00 oil change on my 997.2.

Can't go wrong with Cayenne or X5

 

How many miles are on your X5? I think for any vehicle less than 50K, that's a moot point. And if you just search for HPFP, there are tons of threads complaining about the BMW - obviously none of your BMWs listed have turbos.

I'm sure there'll be magazine comparison tests of X5 vs. Cayenne driven on the track in the coming months.