I am on the fence between the 2011 S V-8 (of course) and the Cayenne V-6 Tip. Will order one or the other next week. Read all the treads and have test drove both. As info, 20% of my driving will be with my track car with an open trailer.

1) For folks owning the V-6 - do you find lack of power driving up mountainous roads while towing a 6,000 load?

2) For S and V-6 owners - what has been experience with gas mileage while towing a track car? Or large boat? I suspect V-6 would be about 10 mpg, while V-8 could be 14 or more.

3) For folks that bought the V-6 - why do you chose that over the V-8 - even if you could afford the 14K price difference?

My gut feeling is the V-6 has enough power and torque what I need done well. Surely more HP and torque is great with a V-8. But not necessarily looking for high performance from this SUV.

TIA.

 

Hey I could have purchased the Turbo and went with the V-6, The turbo did not impress for the price difference, the S is a much better value against the V-6 but in the end the V-6 is an outstanding motor.

I can't contribute to towing 6000 pounds, it sounds rough on a V-6 to me. My feel is similar to yours the V6 has enough power and torque to get the job done, surely the S will do better but is that worth the price difference?

 

I unfortunately can't help on your first 2 questions, but I can comment on the 3rd. While I can afford the CS, it was more than I wanted to spend. The $15-20k wouldn't kill us- it was the thought of spending 20-25% more on what my mind was ready to spend on a car is what I couldn't get over. As such, my wife and wallet both feel better.

The V6 is my first P car, and I couldn't be happier with it. I won't be towing with it, but if I were as often as it sounds like you'll be doing, I'd think hard about the CS. I'm sure the V6 will work just fine towing- I've seen threads on the this using the older V6 models, but the V8 will obviously work better.

Just my .02 worth. Good luck- it's a fun process!

 

I kind of went the other way, although I started out looking and budgeting for the base, I ended up with the CS. After driving them both, I decided that over 5 years I could justify the added expense.

I'm coming from a 3.2 V6, that is what probably sent me up to the V8. The 3.2 seems underpowered for that much weight. The 3.6 V6 is an improvement, it ups the power 50 hp to 300.

 

Having been in an loaner 11' Cayenne 6 that was given to a friend, I would not want to be towing 6k lbs up a mountain with it, it still felt merely adequate to me in normal driving. It's not only really the hp, but the large torque difference across a flatter band that makes the S not just considerably faster but more efficient when towing. Go with the S

 

Thanks for feedback, much appreciated. I'll decide by Monday, as still on the fence.

How much torque and power are different priorities for us Porsche drivers. I drove a loaner V-6 (without trailer) and it had plenty of street power for me. If I was following a V-8, clearly the V-6 will lag behind a bit for power up hills while towing. Question is whether that is a concern to me. Just like my lower HP 911 trying to catch a cup car on the track.

Clearly towing 6,000 lbs will put more strain on engine/trans, but will only keep truck 3 years and will exceed the severe maintenance schedule to keep mechanicals strong. Burning slightly more gasoline while towing is not an issue. Most importantly, to me, it is not a towing safety issue; as the new V-6 it is rated for a trailers weighing up to 7,700 lbs. The 2011 includes larger wheelbase, frame, and PASM can handle the any unexpected heavy rain, winds, etc. But like some said, more torque and HP are always good. I agree. Whether I would regret a V-6 for 10% of the driving I guess is a personal choice and win win for nearly anyone.

Fortunate to have these choices.

 

I drove both the V6 and the V8 back to back and ended up placing a custom order for a V6. Money was not an issue. I could have gotten an S and not lost a wink of sleep being concerned about the money I spent. The truck is going to be for my wife. I looked at it in terms of what the truck was going to be used for by my wife and me. We live 3 miles outside of Washington DC. The truck will be used for weekend trips, Grocery shopping, bad weather and a dd for my wife( I have a 2010 Cayman as a DD). The V6 has plenty of power uniess you plan on driving in the 3 digit range. The main difference I noticed was the rumble of the S when you hit the gas pedal hard. The truck had a nice throaty sound and responded very quickly. The V6 is more tame, however gets the job done not just as quick. The interior, braking and handeling were identical. I believe you would be happy with either of the two trucks. In terms of resale I would not buy the S for that reason alone. Porsches do not have the best resale value buy what makes you happy and enjoy.

dave-t

 

Lot's of good replies.

I've driven the V6 and loved it! Problem is I've always wanted a V8 for the extra added ease. I'd take a moderately equipped V6 over the V8 and be happy, if I weren't so in awe of the V8.

If you are just going to use it for towing why not look at a Ford or Chevy or Diesel? Plenty good alternatives out there vs. going for a Cayenne to do the business. If a blend of lux is what you're looking for, I completly understand, but a beater will do the job much better, plus you save more money in the process.

 

Thanks for response. I test drove about 8 SUVs, some are really drive and climb in like a truck, the Cayenne to me provided most comfort and is personal, but the style was huge for my wife and me.

 

I recently test drove a 6 and made a custom list of options to order the vehicle. Now, I'm having second thoughts over whether I should go with the eight. It's not so much over power as it is smoothness of operation and engine noise. I noticed the demo seemed to run a little rough until it warmed up and stumbled ever so slightly when the auto start kicked in after stopping the vehicle. The day was not particularly cold - mild, in fact. The price is a few thousand shy of a "base" V-8, but the options I would like push the price of the 8 up considerably. Any information and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

 

When I towed my Supra wakeboarding boat with my 3.2 6er in DFW area of Texas I was on fairly flat highways and it just added a few seconds to the intial launch having a 6er. The manual told me to turn off PSM, I assume to engage 1st gear for torque and to not burn up 2 gear or gear 6 on highway, similar to old timey OD tips, Im guessing.

I mainly used my 6er as my mobile office too for field sales job, racking up 52k miles in year one I think? I just rolled 100k and have slowed down to just hunting, road trips, and heading out to the scenic roads in Hilly Austin Texas where I moved too.

I dont believe a V6 3.2 is advisable for mountain heavy towing.....maybe 3.6 could be.....torque torque torque.......I would recommend an alternate unless its like 3 times a year and your putting the boat onto a slip in the water after winter or your track towing is not mainly in the mountains either.

For a straight driving classy looking machine with addictions only to gas, oil, and tires........V6 is your friend.........I would step down to the 06 CS model with 50k miles and make sure the TSBs are done and other noted defaults if you need a PIG to tow, only go V8.

 

I turned off the auto-stop/start function in my 6, but tried it for the first time today, didn't care for it. Did you test the V8 with this functionality? Given that the engine shuts off and restarts, I would expect it to be similar- a little jumpy. It didn't stumble by any means, but you do have to wait for the engine to restart (like a 1/2 to a sec at most) before you can actually move- and I could definitely feel this happening. If you're hitting the gas pedal before the engine starts, it does jerk the car a bit upon moving. I don't think the feature is meant for spirited driving by any means, rather easing off the brakes and easing onto the gas. I doubt I'll ever turn it on again. If I really want to utilize such a feature on my next car, I'll buy a hybrid.

After options, my 6 was just shy of the base price of a CS. I didn't want to spend the extra $ to move into a V8, as the options, I'm sure you probably know, quickly shoot the cost up. Very happy with it so far, plenty of go for my purposes.

 

Thanks for the info. Wish I had driven the CS, but didn't. I don't much care about the auto-start, either. Would leave it off, except maybe in an extended traffic jam. The 6 is plenty powerful for me, but I didn't spend enough time in it. My main concern about it is vibration, shaking, etc., cold or hot. Also, would be curious about the noise level at interstate speeds.

 

I don't notice any vibration or shaking... if I did, I would be a little concerned.

As far as road noise, much of that will depend on the wheel set up you choose. I'm on the 19" all season goodyears that came with it. The cabin is fairly quiet, I don't notice anything unusual. I personally like the hearing the growl of the 6, and I'm sure the growl of the V8 would be even more pleasing to the ears.

 

I recently had a Panamera loaner for a few days
Before i drove off the tech guy warned me not to be surprised by the auto-stop function(apparently it must have surprised a bunch of peeps)
My experience was nothing but positive:i was amazed by how subtle and seamless it was
I never felt even the slightest vibration,jumpiness,shaking...
Pleasant in traffic and drive throughs
I will find out soon how well it works on my CT