Full details: New Porsche Cayenne

Just days after Porsche revealed its all-new Cayenne and Cayenne Turbo at the Frankfurt motor show, the German sport car maker gave motoring.com.au full access to the talented team of engineers, designers and vehicle development drivers that created it.

The purpose was for Porsche to explain, first hand, how the Cayenne will redefine the performance end of the SUV segment. Along the way, there would also be the small matter of explaining some of the genuine world firsts introduced by the big Porsche.

Finally, after all that classroom theory, we'll get the opportunity to see how it translates in the real world with multiple high-speed passenger laps of a tight and twisty race circuit.

Body beautiful
Weighing in at a substantial 1985kg for the base model, Porsche's all-new Cayenne is no featherweight but that figure serves as a huge injustice to the amount of time, resources and considerable cash that's been invested in the Cayenne's body.

A better figure to consider is that, compared to the original first-generation Porsche SUV introduced back in 2002, the MkIII Cayenne is more than 225kg lighter despite the increase of safety tech and equipment.

For the third-generation model, the Cayenne moves to the Volkswagen Group's MLBevo platform, which also underpins the Bentley Bentayga and Audi Q7.

Compared to the current Cayenne, the new flagship Porsche SUV is actually fractionally longer (+63mm), wider (+44mm) but lower (-9mm).

Despite the more generous proportions, on average, the Cayenne is 65kg lighter than its predecessor.

Light-years ahead
Key to the weight loss has been the extensive use of weight-saving materials in its construction. Commendably, the latest Cayenne employs more aluminium than the equally new, next-gen Audi A8 due here next year.

In total, 47 per cent of the Porsche SUV is made from the lightweight metal, with its entire skin, and a considerable proportion of its structure, made using aluminium.

Despite this engineering boss, Rudiger Jahn, claims the Cayenne will be the last of its kind to rely on an aluminium-rich body and structure.

Even stricter future crash tests will render the material obsolete, says Jahn, admitting Porsche is already developing both new composites and the industrialised techniques necessary to make them cost effective.

For now, the mix of aluminium, boron-alloyed steel and regular high-tensile steel has forced Porsche to change the way it makes the Cayenne.

The body's mix of laser welds, traditional rivets and new adhesive bonding techniques has seen the robot-count at the VW Group-owned Slovakian plant grow from 99 to an astonishing 680 robots.

Jahn said that such was the pressure involved with saving weight while boosting rigidity and passing ever tougher crash tests, the Cayenne's new body and platform costs far more than ever before. But with a shrug of his shoulders, he admitted it was up to "some other" department to bring savings, not his.

Winging it
Dr Thomas Wolf's first car at Porsche was the 996 iteration of the Porsche 911, with which he achieved the holy grail of road car aerodynamics by producing a car with an active rear wing that could boost downforce while reducing drag.

Admitting he never thought he'd one day apply his knowhow to a big SUV, Wolf is nonetheless immensely proud of what has achieved with the new Cayenne.

Resulting in a drag coefficient of just 0.34Cd (the same as a 2007 Ferrari F430), it must be galling that most of Wolf's hard work will never been seen.

That's because the Cayenne's three main front air intakes come equipped with active air flaps that can fully close at highway speeds to benefit aero. Only if additional cooling is required do the vents pivot 45 degrees to allow cool air in.

The standard Cayenne also comes with a pair of air curtains to vent turbulent air from the front wheel-arches to reduce lift.

Luckily, if you opt for the range-topping Cayenne Turbo you'll be able to appreciate the weeks he spent in wind tunnels honing your car's aero because the Turbo comes with the world's first adaptive roof spoiler. Not that you should ever see it in operation Down Under because up to speeds of 160km/h it operates in a hidden 'low drag' mode.

Above that it raises 20mm to add downforce. Select 'Sport +' driving mode and the spoiler extends to its maximum 40mm at speeds over 170km/h. As well producing extra downforce the spoiler can also extend to 60mm to reduce buffeting if the full sunroof is fitted.

Hit the brakes hard and the novel spoiler acts an airbrake, extending to 80mm to reduce stopping distances by two metres from speeds of 250km/h. Again, not relevant aside from those who will run the 'big wing' mode on the way to Bunnings.

And, before you ask, it is worth the 9kg weight penalty the active rear wing brings, Wolf said, chiefly because it cuts drag on the highway, boosting efficiency.

Motor heads
Porsche focussed on the forthcoming petrol range that would be available in the next Cayenne and conveniently ignored the diesels most will buy.

From launch they'll be a 250kW/450Nm turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 that will hit 100km/h in 5.9 seconds, a 324kW/550Nm 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 that reaches the same benchmark in 5.2sec.

Finally, there's a mighty 404kW/770Nm twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 that powers the Cayenne Turbo, which takes an astonishing 3.9 seconds to hit 100km/h.

All engines are modular and spun of the V8 and were jointly developed with fellow Volkswagen Group, Audi – hence the 3.0-litre V6 already powers the Audi S4 while the 2.9 V6TT will go under the hood of the next RS 4.

All three engines are surprisingly compact and mount their turbos within the 'hot-vee' for reduced turbo lag.

Porsche's double-clutch PDK gearbox was considered, say engineers, but a traditional hydraulic torque converter automatic was chosen as a better match for an SUV that will venture off-road and potentially tow up to 3.5 tonnes.

The advantage of the ZF-sourced eight-speed auto chosen is that it has already been developed to incorporate an electric motor – handy, since a plug-in version of the Cayenne is thought to be less than a year away.

The longitudinally-mounted new tranny also neatly packages the prop-shaft that sends torque to the front wheel and offers a lower first gear and a taller top cog, and is claimed to offer significantly faster changes.

Spring has sprung
The innovations continue with the chassis of the Cayenne. The standard entry-level model rides on steel springs with the option of adaptive dampers.

Range-topping models come with a new three-chamber air suspension system that was originally developed for the Panamera, except on the SUV the hardware is all new.

Porsche says the three-chamber system allows for a far greater range of spring rates. This helps provide a softer ride on a bumpy road, compared to the old car's single-chamber air springs, and a firmer, better controlled ride on a tight and twisting road.

Instead of the old car's double-wishbone front suspension, the new model gets a full multi-link aluminium front axle that's claimed to not only bring a weight saving but boost improved steering responses and precision while reducing vibration through the wheel.

There's also the effective 48-volt roll stabilisation bars that work well on the Audi Q7 while, at the rear of the Cayenne, there's yet more multi-link suspension that now includes a rear-wheel steering system.

Porsche has employed one final trick to ensure its large SUV will remain unbeaten in the driving stakes by introducing large wheels with mixed-section tyres.

It's a technique that's been used on the 911 for decades, says the car-maker. On the largest 21-inch wheel package Porsche uses 285/40 front tyres and 315/35 rear tyres.

The combination of low-profile tyres on the front and wider rear boots is said to enhance agility while benefitting stability.

Them’s the brakes
Porsche is already known and respected as a leader when it comes to brake technology, helping to pioneer carbon ceramic brakes back in 2001 on the 911 GT2 (996). Now, it claims it has once again moved the game on with its new Porsche Surface Coated Brakes.

Teaming up with supplier Bosch, the new brakes see a conventional brake disc applied with tungsten carbide powder in a complex process using lasers.

The result, is a disc that lasts 30 per cent longer while emitting 90 per cent less brake dust. Even more impressive, after 15 consecutive emergency braking tests from the Cayenne's top speed, the required pedal force remained constant -- something only the firm's existing carbon ceramic brakes can deliver.

Inside story
Inside the Cayenne, you might be tempted to think engineers simply squeezed in the Panamera's dash, clocked off and went to the pub.

Indeed, the 12.3-inch large centrally mounted screen looks identical but beneath the surface the electronic architecture is also all-new and only shared with the Audi A8. This provides the Cayenne with next-generation connectivity and apps that can be updated over the Cloud.

Most of the added functionality, like the Google search mode in the navigation system’s maps, is possible because the Cayenne will come with an embedded SIM card, although it's not been confirmed that vehicles for the Australia market will get this option.

Hired help
Porsche says it won't launch its full package of autonomous driving aids until the middle of 2018 -- and cars bought before then won't be able to be updated.

In the meantime, the Cayenne still benefits from plenty of advanced driver aids including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane change assist and Night Vision Assist.

Venture off-road and the Porsche Traction Management now includes a 'terrain response system' that mirrors the system offered on Land Rover models.

In the Cayenne there's a 'Gravel', 'Mud' and 'Rock' option that pre-arms the all-wheel drive system to help you from getting stuck. Like before, a tough Off-road Pack will be offered that adds extra underbody protection and introduces mud and snow tyres.

Now read motoring.com.au's first ride impressions of the all-new Cayenne, which arrives Down Under early next year, and the fire-breathing new Cayenne Turbo, which lobs here by mid-2018.