If what’s good enough for Canadian/British tennis ace Emma Raducanu is good enough for you in the world of premium SUVs, then may I introduce you to this: the Porsche Cayenne Platinum Edition.
It’s what British number one (and Porsche global ambassador) Raducanu drove while in New Zealand for the ASB Classic last month. And while I’m not normally a sports-celeb (or any kind of celeb) gazer, it’s relevant in this instance because this is the actual car – now on Porsche NZ’s company fleet.
What makes a Cayenne Platinum? The bad news is there’s no actual platinum in the Platinum Edition. But it does bring a satin finish to details like the air-intake slats up front, the Porsche lettering in the rear light bar, badges and the 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels. The exhaust pipe extensions and window frames are also blacked out. Not a lot of which is immediately obvious on this black car… but other colours are available.
In the cabin there are Crayon (the Porsche colour, not the children’s drawing implements) seatbelts, brushed alloy door sills with the Platinum Edition logo and snazzy silver trim. A panoramic roof is added, the Bose sound system gets an upgrade, there’s extra ambient lighting functionality, sports seats with memory, the Porsche crest on the head restraints… and an analogue clock. Old school.
READ MORE
It’s a fairly comprehensive package on this Cayenne 3.0-litre, even for an $8000 premium over the standard car at $161,800. The same specification is available on the E-Hybrid and S versions further up the range, SUV (as featured here) or Coupe.
The privileged life of motoring writers being what it is, I think this is actually the first time I’ve driven a “normal” Cayenne – which is what this is under the Platinum garnish, with the least powerful 250kW/450Nm 3.0-litre V6 single-turbo engine.
It’s definitely not slow, with 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds, and “entry level” is not an appropriate (if technically correct) phrase for such a comfortable, luxurious and expensive car.
Porsche pretty much invented this whole sports/premium SUV genre and the Cayenne is still one of the most rewarding to drive. The engineering foundation of the thing is evident in higher-end models like the GTS and Turbo GT, which are both wild and wildly entertaining.
The standard Cayenne is more smooth than sporting. The steering is great, the chassis impossibly tight and precise for such a large SUV and the engine makes nice noises when you reach the upper rev range; but overall the impression is more of a luxury SUV polished and refined to the nth degree, a near-perfect execution of a premium crossover. Which is as it should be; it just has a really different feel to the faster, more driver-focused models.
Can’t go into the fine detail of the driving experience too much, because this car also has some extra equipment that’s not part of the Platinum Edition package, such as adjustable-height air suspension in place of the standard car’s steel springs, which is a substantial change. But it all just shows how much variation Porsche can dial into one SUV platform through a comprehensive range (there are 19 different Cayenne models on offer in NZ).
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that the Platinum Edition is also a handy way for Porsche NZ to increase interest in this Cayenne as it enters the end of its run. Porsche has already announced the third-generation model is getting a huge upgrade in 2023, including a “semi-active” chassis and much more digitisation in the cabin. Porsche Cayenne series manager Michael Schatzle calls it “one of the most extensive product upgrades in the history of Porsche”. Could be a Grand Slam of an SUV.
PORSCHE CAYENNE PLATINUM
ENGINE: 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6
POWER: 250kW/450Nm
GEARBOX: 8-speed automatic, AWD
0-100KM/H: 6.2 seconds
CONSUMPTION: 12.5l/100km (WLTP)
PRICE: $161,800
