EXCLUSIVE: 2011 Porsche Cayenne Goes From Ugly, Big Fat Fatty To Lean, Pretty Good Looking X5 Beater

EXCLUSIVE: 2011 Porsche Cayenne Goes From Ugly, Big Fat Fatty To Lean, Pretty Good Looking X5 Beater
It's no secret AutoSpies.com was not a fan of the original Porsche Cayenne.

It was ugly (looked like it had the face of a puffed up blowfish), burnt gas like water, and drove way too heavy and numb for our tastes.

We thought the BMW X5 beat it hands down in every way EXCEPT off road capability.

And even though the Cayenne was refreshed and looked MUCH better, it still wasn't my driving cup of tea.

But my, how the times are a changing.

After driving the 2011 Cayenne today in Alabama I can honestly say if it were my money today, I'd buy the new Cayenne over the newly refreshed BMW X5.

As you know I just drove the new X5 in Miami weeks ago and it was definitely better all the way around from the 2010 X5 but it has slipped behind the new Cayenne.

For a few reasons.

1. The Cayenne has dropped around 5 bills of weight and it handles a touch better than the X on road and kills it at the track. The Cayenne is like no other SUV on the track. With the Ceramic brake option, there IS no substitute.
2. The interior of BMW's have been criticisized for being spartan and a quick comparison inside the cabin of the Cayenne shows Porsche has pulled head and shoulders away in the lead. The best description is the Cayenne is an off-road version of the Panamera inside. REALLY sexy and beautiful.
3. With the Burmeister stereo option at 1000 watts, it's the Veyron of car stereo systems.

Now if Porsche would get off their duffs and bring us a clean diesel version in the USA, they would score a full X5 knockout.

The Cayenne still not the best looking SUV on the outside (That would be either the Range Rover or X6) but when you drive it, and surround yourself in its best in class interior, that's the one that's going home with you.

Keep checking back often for more photos, videos and updates from the USA Porsche Cayenne launch soon...

For now, check out the best of breed photo gallery of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne

See all of the photos here:

2011 Porsche Cayenne USA Launch

2011 BMW New Product Showcase

2011 BMW 5-Series USA Production Photo Gallery





























2011 BMW New Product Showcase

2011 BMW 5-Series USA Production Photo Gallery

2010 Hyundai Tucson Photo Gallery

2010 Beijing Motor Show Photo Gallery

2011 Ford Fiesta Photo Gallery

2011 MB E-Class Conv. Photo Gallery

2011 BMW X5 Photo Gallery


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giants10giants10 - 5/18/2010 1:09:38 AM
+13 Boost
I think the back alone makes this car look cheap and unattractive.


mggraymggray - 5/18/2010 1:33:42 AM
+10 Boost
The rear looks way too much like a Volkswagen Tiguan.


LexusLexus - 5/18/2010 4:36:59 PM
+6 Boost
Definitely agree wit you on this one. +1


AmericaAmerica - 5/20/2010 11:19:04 PM
+2 Boost
It looks just like that cute little Audi A5. Probably the same car underneath....




OoRs6OoRs6 - 5/18/2010 2:21:26 AM
+12 Boost
Front: amazing...
Back: ugly. its look like typical korean car...

overall: nice+




maikoazumaikoazu - 5/18/2010 2:31:45 AM
+14 Boost
The front looks ok, but the back still looks ugly.


BondMI6BondMI6 - 5/18/2010 3:26:14 AM
+5 Boost
I agree 001- after driving the Panamera Turbo and loving it I can only imagine what an SUV version would be like.

But........if you're comparing it to other vehicles than cost has to come up- the new Turbo starts at 105 grand, with decent options it's around 120k.

The X5 fully loaded is around 83k.

Bottom line........is the new Turbo really worth 37k more???


david999david999 - 5/18/2010 8:25:45 AM
+7 Boost
They should compare it to the X5M. I doubt very much it would "destroy" the BMW at the track.


I95SPEEDINGTICKETSI95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 5/18/2010 8:40:03 PM
-2 Boost
$83 for a fully loaded X5 M ??

I think Not


JRobUSCJRobUSC - 5/19/2010 12:55:09 AM
+3 Boost
$95k loaded is still a lot less than $130k.


synxsynx - 5/18/2010 4:20:34 AM
+10 Boost
That back looks hideous


spiritfilledspiritfilled - 5/18/2010 6:17:22 AM
+7 Boost
The front is great, the rest of the exterior lacks resolve and character, it looks no different from a Kia at the rear end. I love the interior and the front, but the sides and the rear have gotta be re done completely. I thought the old design was good not great but good. Panamera will hopefully be the car I buy once graduate, sorry BMW.


DeeDoggDeeDogg - 5/18/2010 7:48:26 AM
+3 Boost
The X5 offers a rear-entertainment systems, there is a big "housewife" market out there with kids....


iamdabest1iamdabest1 - 5/18/2010 8:05:26 AM
-1 Boost
saw this car at the NY auto show, forget the pics, in person, i guarantee you will love this car. VERY good looking !


david999david999 - 5/18/2010 8:28:28 AM
+2 Boost

Remember, this Cayenne is based on the VW Toureg, not a good thing considering the VW is one of the worst SUVs on the road today.


WhelanWhelan - 5/18/2010 8:58:09 AM
+1 Boost
It's still only going to be driven 90% by gold digging lipo'd soccer moms whose rich husbands want them to look good. Which means they will be driven no faster than 50mph at any given time.


JUGNUJUGNU - 5/18/2010 9:02:03 AM
+3 Boost
I have seen new Cayenne in showrooms now. X5 beater? Maybe but it is still not pretty for me. In fact i like the exterior design of outgoing Cayenne more. I hate the rear end and the place of night vision camera which is situated in the middle of the front bumper looks very ugly.

Also X5 V8 should be compared to Cayenne S
X5 M kit with Cayenne GTS
X5M with Cayenne Turbo/Turbo S

JUGNU


uhn2000uhn2000 - 5/18/2010 9:09:21 AM
+4 Boost
I can't believe I am saying this but the outgoing one looks nicer on the exterior. Yes the interior is a step up but I would not go proclaiming this an X5 beater... this SUV has lost presence .. the X5 looks like a titan next to it.


LACMANLACMAN - 5/18/2010 9:37:38 AM
+2 Boost
Ditto to everyone above. The rear end looks a bit cheap and feminine. It might be the way the tail lights flow onto the trunk now. Idk. Anyways, this is a first! Everyone on Autospies agrees about something! Omg, I need to go check my lottery ticket from last night...


JRobUSCJRobUSC - 5/18/2010 9:55:01 AM
+6 Boost
I drove the new X5 too (sport package versions of the new turbo I6 and turbo V8), and I have a tough time believing the Cayenne "kills it" in performance in any way. I can guarantee model to model (Cayenne vs. X5 35i, Cayenne S vs. X5 50i) there's no way the Cayenne is quicker -- the Cayenne has lost weight, but they were un-Godly heavy in the first place. The new turbo engines and 8-speed trannys in the X5 will definitely make them quicker in a straight line than the comparable Cayenne models (MFR 0-60 times: X5 35i 6.4s, Cayenne 7.1s, X5 50i 5.3s, Cayenne S 5.6s). Even if the Cayenne handles marginally "better" then the X5, both handle exceptionally well, and both the Cayenne and X5 will exceed the average consumers comfort level of pushing an SUV to the limit. The Cayenne is also significantly more expensive than the X5 model to model (for anyone who hasn't tried "building" a Porsche, go to www.porscheusa.com sometime and do it -- you'll have your $60k Cayman to $90k or $105k Cayenne Turbo to $130k in no time. If Porsche could figure out how to charge for the air in the tires, they would.).

Anyway, both vehicles are great at what they are. I'd like to see a comparison test between the them, but frankly, I don't think people buying base Cayenne's and X5's are tracking them, so I don't think it matters which one has a higher limit at the last 10/10's of their abilities.


JRobUSCJRobUSC - 5/18/2010 10:01:20 AM
+4 Boost
forgot to mention, as much as 001 likes the interior of the Cayenne, that's completely subjective. I personally am not a fan of the "cover every square inch of space with a zillion buttons and switches" mentality that Porsche has been running with lately (see: Panamera). And while I like the front end of the new Cayenne more than the old one, the rear end (especially the shape of the rear lights) look like a Subaru Tribeca or Hyundai. From behind it would actually be difficult to tell them apart. At least the BMW isn't going to be mistaken for anything else, especially not something that costs $25-110k less than it does.


I95SPEEDINGTICKETSI95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 5/18/2010 8:43:06 PM
-3 Boost
Jrob

Did you know that you can drift the New Cayenne just as easily as you could drift a 335i ?

Now find an X5 that will allow that and i will concede that the X5 handles as well as the New Cayenne.


JRobUSCJRobUSC - 5/19/2010 12:53:47 AM
+4 Boost
Buddy, if you think the soccer moms driving base Cayennes are impressed by their ability to outdrift X5s then I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. But I'm sure that'll be a huge selling point in Fast and Furious: SUV Drift.


LexSucksLexSucks - 5/19/2010 9:46:37 AM
0 Boost
"I personally am not a fan of the "cover every square inch of space with a zillion buttons and switches" mentality that Porsche has been running with lately (see: Panamera). "

- I like buttons. As opposed to plain unused panels which makes the interior look like the inside of a coffin. Not to mention spartan, and plain.


pennfootballpennfootball - 5/18/2010 10:38:21 AM
-6 Boost
It's good to be king!


sdcarguysdcarguy - 5/18/2010 11:21:54 AM
0 Boost
Totally on board with 001. ANY car that drops that much weight deserves to be lauded. Vdub has a new stump pulling V8 TDI that would KILL in this if they had the balls to bring it over.


LexSucksLexSucks - 5/18/2010 11:39:21 AM
+2 Boost
Looks like a large Infinti EX with a little Korean Flavor added. I'm not liking the design at all. And oh yeah... The back looks horrible. Tail-light design looks like something KIA would make. And the whole thing just looks soft and Feminine. I much prefer the last generation which also wasn't a stud but looked much more aggresive. Glad I'm not a porsche fan.


sdcarguysdcarguy - 5/18/2010 11:45:02 AM
+2 Boost
Agreed on the back. Quad sports pipes absolutely required whichever model selected.


PlanBPlanB - 5/18/2010 1:17:15 PM
+2 Boost
Looks sportier to me (some of you have said feminine) all around over the outgoing model. But I do agree on the rear in that its lost some identity. Its not horrible but it just looks like every other compact crossover tail end out being designed these days. For the money, it should be more recognizable, have more presence.


thstonethstone - 5/18/2010 4:29:48 PM
+6 Boost
Its gone from FUGLY to just UGLY. I guess you can call that an improvement.


quizzquizz - 5/18/2010 5:58:49 PM
0 Boost
The price difference between two near equivalent models is sooo much greater than the performance difference (yeah yeah, Burmeister is awesome!) between the two. I modestly equipped X5 I6 is going to be about $10K cheaper than the Cayenne, similarly equipped. For somebody shopping in the near luxury SUV segment, this is a significant chunk of change.

If you can afford a Cayenne Turbo, then it's not even about the money but about bling/performance anyway.

I think the base BMW X5 is a way better purchase than the base Cayenne. The guys will be buying the base X5 while the ladies only looking at bling will be buying the base Cayenne.


Dr550Dr550 - 5/18/2010 6:30:09 PM
-1 Boost
Side and rear profile resembles RX300 2003? edition. X5 looks better.


schnell330ischnell330i - 5/18/2010 10:34:15 PM
0 Boost
how did you like Barber Motorsports Park 001???


Agent001Agent001 - 5/19/2010 1:34:00 AM
+1 Boost
It was my second visit there. Excellent place.

001


Agent63Agent63 - 5/19/2010 8:46:30 AM
0 Boost
So much hatred. It's all subjective on how it looks. I think in white the car looks stunning. The interior is superb, much improved over the outgoing model, and I think it looks better on the outside. While the Cayenne has always been controversial when it comes to styling people still buy it. It's an acquired taste. Many hate to love Porsche. There is nothing wrong with being different. Who knows, sometimes a car can look so ugly it looks satisfactory.

The interior is my selling point though.


LexSucksLexSucks - 5/19/2010 9:36:52 AM
0 Boost
The car looks soft, non-dynamic, and feminine. It looks about as aggressive as an Audi Q5 (especially the side profile). Acquired taste? Bleh! All that means is that through repetition someone forced themselves into liking something that they didn’t originally approve of.

The interior is your selling point? Why not the exterior? I mean you did say that it looks "Stunning".


LexSucksLexSucks - 5/19/2010 9:40:26 AM
0 Boost
And oh yeah... An opposing opinion doesn't mean that we hate it. I just don’t like it and couldn’t care any less about the thing. You can add the new Cheyenne to the list of cars that don’t inspire me. What funny is that the last model almost did.


JB007JB007 - 5/19/2010 11:18:13 AM
+1 Boost
It looks exactly like the Q5 from the side.

http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tuningnews.net/news/080419/audi-q5.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tuningnews.net/article/080419/audi-q5/&usg=__CJyXNdqyuQW5BNJYuoohfV3Gihg=&h=390&w=520&sz=48&hl=en&start=9&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=yb8OP8wHDewHaM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=131&prev=/images%3Fq%3Daudi%2Bq5%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26tbs%3Disch:1



LexSucksLexSucks - 5/19/2010 12:15:54 PM
0 Boost
Wow!! It sure as hell does look like the Q5. For some reason I think that both the Q5, and this new Porsche were designed for Soccer Moms. I can't imagine a Man driving one of those things. It wouldn't look right


mini22mini22 - 5/19/2010 2:17:04 PM
+1 Boost
I don't like the rear tail lamps of the updated Cayenne. Otherwise it is a definate improvement over tha old car inside and out.


CityTraderCityTrader - 5/21/2010 1:37:24 PM
+2 Boost
Well I don't care much about most of the above comments disliking the new Cayenne. I have my fully loaded Turbo (in black) on order for Sept. delivery. This car if you study the photos on the official site and see it in the flesh (with all the extras) is quite stunning. I have a Cayenne S I am trading in. It is something I thought long and hard over (okay a few nights only). If you want to go with an X5 fine, but IMHO there is nothing to beat the new Turbo.

From a Brit who loves German Engineering!
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