This year is the 20th anniversary of Porsche’s Cayenne and, to mark the occasion, the Zuffenhausen-based brand has introduced special “Platinum Edition” versions of selected derivatives of its premium SUV. We drove an S Coupe example of the Cayenne Platinum Edition in the Western Cape recently.
Since its introduction in 2002, the Cayenne has been a mainstay of the Porsche line-up; it’s raked in big profits and bankrolled the further expansion of the brand’s line-up (and ensured the continued existence of some of its models).
Porsche South Africa has now introduced a special “Platinum Edition” specification line on selected Standard and Coupe derivatives of the 3rd-generation Cayenne, which was launched in our market in 2018. The line-up encompasses variants of the 250 kW/450 Nm Cayenne, 324 kW/550 Nm Cayenne S and the 340 kW/700 Nm Cayenne e-hybrid – prices range from R1 740 000 to R2 228 000.
There are no mechanical changes to the Platinum Edition derivatives; the focus of the package is a distinctive, aesthetically pleasing presentation, as well as the addition of a few extra standard features, notably a Bose audio system, 8-way electrically adjustable seats, a panoramic sunroof and LED headlights featuring PDLS (Porsche Dynamic Light System).
You can distinguish the Platinum Editions from standard Cayennes by their striking (and standard) 21-inch RS Spyder alloy wheels, Satin Platinum finishes for the badges, intake slats etc, black Sport exhaust tips and high-gloss black window trim. A similar theme continues inside, with chalk-coloured seatbelts, special aluminium trim pieces and Platinum Edition door sill guards.
My launch drive was in a Cayenne S Coupe Platinum Edition, which looked striking in a Jet Black finish and adorned with those multi-spoke 21-inch wheels. As is the case with all Cayennes, the cabin is superbly hewn with a solid feeling to all the controls and beautifully detailed finishes. A minor irritation is that the centre vents are positioned quite low, so be wary that your hand may brush the controls beneath the rightmost outlet and activate an onboard function unintentionally.
Despite its rakish lines, the Cayenne Coupe remains a practical car with good rear legroom and even -headroom. The load bay is capacious (625 litres) and its capacity can expand to 1 540 litres if you fold the rear seats down.
Given the Cayenne’s sizeable wheels (shod with ultra low-profile tyres) and its decidedly sporty suspension set-up, the SUV’s ride comfort is impressively supple over all surfaces. NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) levels are also very low.
Under the bonnet is the VW Group’s always-impressive twin-turbo 2.9-litre 6-cylinder engine, which pumps out 324 kW and 550 Nm of torque from 1 800 to 5 500 rpm. The powerplant emits a nice, raspy, sound and is said to propel the 2-tonne-plus Porsche from standstill to 100 kph in 5.0 seconds and on to a top speed of 263 kph.
One of the Cayenne’s most impressive talents is its ability to be a superbly refined, comfortable daily driver, but one that comes alive when driven with verve on a challenging piece of road, such as the Franschhoek Pass. The 8-speed automatic transmission provides slick, fast shifts and there’s just so much grip on offer that the Cayenne never feels nose-heavy – it remains adjustable on the throttle deep into corners. The brakes, too, are superbly confidence-inspiring.
Summary
Of course, the option remains to spec a Porsche Cayenne to your own preferences (there are many options to choose from), but these Platinum Edition derivatives do provide a turn-key solution to putting a distinctively different (without going overboard) Cayenne on your driveway. All Platinum Edition-spec Cayennes come with a 3-year/100 000 km maintenance plan as standard, which can optionally be extended to 5 years.
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Porsche Cayenne Platinum Edition (2022) Price Announced
