I thought I'd share my experience of the Cayenne offroad Experience I won at the Ace anniversary earlier this year - courtesy of OPC Hatfield.
Last Friday I was booked in for the 14:30-16:30 slot at the world famous Millbrook proving ground. We had a light lunch at Flitwick Manor nearby where we were introduced to our instructor for the day (a Porsche offroad rally driver). We'd be taking out the Cayenne, the Cayenne S and the Cayenne Turbo with one other customer over several different terrains. We took it in turns to drive all the cars.
We hopped into the V8 first to the offroad track. All the different diff /air suspension settings were explained to us and we were shown how to drive up a very steep muddy slope. We actually laughed at the instructor's suggestion that I would be able to make the slope I was told to point the car at! The car just pulls and pulls, with all the electronics taking over, you just have to floor it. On the way down, you don't do anything, select the correct gear and diff setting, and again the electronics take over. If you get stuck, you change the diff settings on the fly, and off you go. Incredible!
We then went straight to a fast twisty road track, where the instructor took over and just nailed it, back end out round every bend, insane speeds, no reverse lock, just let the PSM do it's thing.
Awesome. A real Jekyll and Hide of a car.
We then picked up the Cayenne turbo and drove to the high speed bowl. With over 500BHP and 700NM in tow we effortlessly reached 140mph with the car totally stable.
We then proceeded to the mile straight and told to just floor it until he told us to brake hard to 40mph. For a 2+ tonne car to give you a shove in the back as it accelerates is awe inspiring. Again 140mph was easily reached, then slammed on the brakes. The turbo is insanely fast and so so solid all the way up. Total overkill!
Then we tried the Cayenne V6 round another fast twisty track. I won't mince my words, it's an asthmatic pile of junk. I'd never buy it. I put it in 4th up a steepish incline to see what it could do and it was almost going to stall, putt putt putting away, which was really strange for a tiptronic.
Back to Flitwick for tea and off home.
The Cayenne is a phenomenal offroad car, and on the track, so level, so comfortable and so stable. I am totally astounded by it's capabilities, I wouldn't even consider getting another 4x4 if I was in the market. For me, the overall winner was the Cayenne S, light, powerful and handles brilliantly.
The other guy sharing the car with the instructor and me was in two minds about the new X5 or the Cayenne S....2 hours later, he was saying 'X5 what's that?
Thanks again to OPC Hatfield for an incredible day out, it's a great sellling tool if you're unsure about the car.
Last Friday I was booked in for the 14:30-16:30 slot at the world famous Millbrook proving ground. We had a light lunch at Flitwick Manor nearby where we were introduced to our instructor for the day (a Porsche offroad rally driver). We'd be taking out the Cayenne, the Cayenne S and the Cayenne Turbo with one other customer over several different terrains. We took it in turns to drive all the cars.
We hopped into the V8 first to the offroad track. All the different diff /air suspension settings were explained to us and we were shown how to drive up a very steep muddy slope. We actually laughed at the instructor's suggestion that I would be able to make the slope I was told to point the car at! The car just pulls and pulls, with all the electronics taking over, you just have to floor it. On the way down, you don't do anything, select the correct gear and diff setting, and again the electronics take over. If you get stuck, you change the diff settings on the fly, and off you go. Incredible!
We then went straight to a fast twisty road track, where the instructor took over and just nailed it, back end out round every bend, insane speeds, no reverse lock, just let the PSM do it's thing.
Awesome. A real Jekyll and Hide of a car.
We then picked up the Cayenne turbo and drove to the high speed bowl. With over 500BHP and 700NM in tow we effortlessly reached 140mph with the car totally stable.
We then proceeded to the mile straight and told to just floor it until he told us to brake hard to 40mph. For a 2+ tonne car to give you a shove in the back as it accelerates is awe inspiring. Again 140mph was easily reached, then slammed on the brakes. The turbo is insanely fast and so so solid all the way up. Total overkill!
Then we tried the Cayenne V6 round another fast twisty track. I won't mince my words, it's an asthmatic pile of junk. I'd never buy it. I put it in 4th up a steepish incline to see what it could do and it was almost going to stall, putt putt putting away, which was really strange for a tiptronic.
Back to Flitwick for tea and off home.
The Cayenne is a phenomenal offroad car, and on the track, so level, so comfortable and so stable. I am totally astounded by it's capabilities, I wouldn't even consider getting another 4x4 if I was in the market. For me, the overall winner was the Cayenne S, light, powerful and handles brilliantly.
The other guy sharing the car with the instructor and me was in two minds about the new X5 or the Cayenne S....2 hours later, he was saying 'X5 what's that?
Thanks again to OPC Hatfield for an incredible day out, it's a great sellling tool if you're unsure about the car.
