2019 Porsche Cayenne S Review: S Is For Shnell
If purists thought the Cayenne was an imposter in the Porsche lineup, demand proved them otherwise pretty darn quickly. Since 2002 (launched in Canada in 2003), the Porsche Cayenne no less than doubled Porsche鈥檚 sales. Now at its third generation - which the manufacturer calls E3 - it gets very little physical changes in terms of shapes. But in reality, every body panel on the new 2019 Porsche Cayenne S, well, brand new. The extensive use of aluminium for these panels and a few technical tweaks here and there managed to shave 500 pounds off Porsche鈥檚 hot pepper-named SUV. We took the new Porsche Cayenne S for a spin in the Laurentians to see how this new generation panned out. Other than the changes in materials, the Cayenne S gets a new taillight design in the rear that resembles other vehicles in the Porsche lineup, as well as a pair of headlights called Porsche Dynamic Light System in the front.
These units carry 84 individual LEDs that can be selectively disabled in case there is an oncoming vehicle to avoid blinding the driver. It is like having an organic high Beam that selects what it lights up and what it doesn鈥檛. Mechanically, the E3 gen Cayenne S gets a new 2.9-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo V6 that boasts 434 horsepower and a very satisfying 406 lb-ft of torque. This powerplant did a great job at propelling the Cayenne S through the variety of road surfaces and elevations we encountered, but it seemed to falter a bit upon pressing the pedal at start-up. This mild symptom could be attributed to the 8-Speed gearbox engaging with a lag. But once the Cayenne S hits the road, the gear changes are impressively quick and seamless. Should You Buy a 2019 Porsche Cayenne? For 2019, the Cayenne S gets a totally new suspension system. In fact, there is no more double wishbone type system in any of the Cayennes. This change was made to benefit lateral dynamics.
The adaptive air suspension is standard on Turbo, optional on the S we tested. Along with the well-balanced chassis, these new bits make the Cayenne S worked in every way possible to keep me stuck to the ground. When driving it spiritedly and running it through its paces on winding mountain roads, the experience highly resembled that of a high-performance sedan or wagon rather than an SUV. Inside, the 2019 Porsche Cayenne S is the slick people hauler you would expect it to be, and this year it carries a bit of the Panamera gene. Our tester was outfitted with Adaptive Sport Seats (18-way) with Memory Package that provided a snug comfort. On the dashboard, the latest PCM software gets a crystal clear 12,3-inch screen that provides fast responses to commands. Designers 鈥渃leaned up鈥?the area with the cluster of buttons around the shifter, replacing it with a minimalist touch panel. Speaking for myself, I prefer traditional buttons, for their look and feedback when pressing them. But I have to admit that Porsche did a great job with this new addition, making the area less cluttered and ensuring that the new commands felt 鈥渞eal鈥?to the touch.
Shanghai-based Nio has lifted the veils off their second production electric vehicle, the ES6 midsize all-electric SUV. The ES6 marks Nio鈥檚 entry into a more affordable market segment, something that theoretically should give a strong boost to the brand鈥檚 sales. The performance bit comes from the dual-motor setup that offers up to 544 PS and electric all-wheel drive in the range-topping version. It鈥檚 not a typical combination, though. The ES6 uses a high-efficiency permanent magnet (PM) motor with an output of 218 PS and a high-performance induction motor (IM) that makes 326 PS. The former is responsible for medium and low-speed daily driving, while the latter kicks in to provide great acceleration performance and high speed. Nio maintains the ES6 is the world鈥檚 first EV that uses a PM motor and IM motor and claims it is an efficient combination that saves costs and offers strong power. Speaking of power, the ES6 is capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and can reach a top speed of 200 km/h.
Those are more than respectable numbers, as is the driving range of 510 km according to the NEDC test procedure. This number is for the optional 84 kWh battery pack; a smaller 70 kWh unit from the ES8 is standard. While the company doesn鈥檛 say how much the ES6 weighs, it does mention the SUV鈥檚 bodywork is made entirely of aerospace-grade aluminum while some structural parts of the chassis are built from high-strength carbon fiber. Design-wise, the ES6 looks a lot like the ES8, both inside and out. It鈥檚 slightly shorter and narrower, at 4,850 mm and 1,965 mm, respectively. The wheelbase is shorter as well, but at 2,900 mm it鈥檚 quite generous, allowing five- and seven-seat configurations. The cabin features a massive portrait-oriented touchscreen powered by the NOMI in-car AI system, a flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, sports seats, and Microfiber suede headliner, among other things. A Lounge Seat and Nappa leather interior are optional, as is an intelligent fragrance system. 51,800, before subsidies. However, that鈥檚 the price of the model with the smaller battery and a dual-motor setup consisting of two 160kW motors (320 kW / 214 HP in total). 64,850) with the 84kWh battery.