Evening all,

It just had to be done.....I had a stray phone call last week from Porsche GB, not sure how they got my number and do not particuarly care, but I got a call. "Would you like to view and test drive the revised Cayenne Turbo"?? Putting aside the fugly looks (even with the facelift), "yes, why not" I exclaimed!

Well, today at lunchtime, I roared off down to Porsche GB in reading in my trusty SC and entered Porsche world which is a million miles away from the LR stealer experience TBH. Professional from the outset, in fact the whole customer satisfaction piece was spot on with, in my opinion, nothing that could be improved on. If only whilst visiting the multitude of LR stealers!

Anyway, had to post this review as it made me sit back and think somewhat......

I drove the Cayenne and putting the looks to one side, overall it is a very nice car, well screwed together etc and felt quite nice (yes, quite nice) to drive. The engine was eager, the handling was very crisp and the interior was ok, albeit slightly boring, colour wise. The knobs and switches were of good quality and everything was functional although not aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

We screamed around for 30 mins or so, back roads, main roads etc and drew the whole experience to a close with a general chat and said our goodbyes. I jumped back into the HST and headed back to the office.

Now the waffle is out of the way and as already stated, it made me think, just a little!

Firstly, how good the RRS SC's engine is and probably, chassis and handling wise, the RRS is in any guise!

As a direct comparison, Cayenne vs RRS, I have to be honest, I prefer the RRS simply on general rideability and handling characteristics, the Porsche seemed somewhat....well, dull. yes it was crisp, but you felt detached from the car, almost as if the car was driving and you were the test dummy?!

Then theres the quality of the materials, yes they looked slightly better than the RRS, but not superior enough to go WOW.

The Cayenne had a brutal quad exhaust that I was convinced would make my HST sound tinny....oh no, how wrong can you be? Yes, it leapt into life and sounded ok, but it did not have the burble that I love so much from my square exhausts or round ones on the standard SC. It seemed to sound a bit, well, manufactured. yes, I know, LR tune the exhaust note, but Stuttgart must have just gone...oh sod it, that will do. It had no note, it was a Leo Sayer of a note aka a bum note, but not in a fart way.

With that exhasut and that thumping great 4.8 engine, I thought, here we go, prepare to want that power.....but, nothing...I was hard pressed to notice the difference TBH. It did not surge and burble, it seemed to squeal (like a girl) and whine (exhaust)....all in all, very, very disappointing....stats say that the Cayenne has about 2 secs on my HST, I would challenge that....maybe 0.5 sec or 1 sec tops. Anyway, real world stats win anyday.

Price wise the Cayenne is more expensive than the FFRR SC and about £18k more expensive than the HST. The build quality is not superior as expected and I would personally say, on a level par with the LR (which is a shock, considering many posts on here).

The winner for the RRS for me anyway, was the overall package. Everything, but everything is standard, 20" wheels, electric everything, leather, superior sat Nav etc etc. With the Porsche, everything was an extra, right down to the wheel centre caps at £107!!!!!!!!! That makes it an expensive car at approx £81k and you could still go some more.....for shear driveability, power, build and that gorgeous 4.2 SC engine, the RRS slaps the Porsche right in the face.....and as a final note, I have not even mentioned looks.....its like comparing Shane MacGowan from the Pogues to Leo Dicraprio (and no, i'm not gay)...only stating for comparative purposes!

In a nutshell, I am amazed (heres the bombshell) that something that has such much sporting pedigree from Stuttgart could even be compared with a utilitarian manfacturer of old from the West Midlands?! It's just nice sometimes when the underdog (performance wise) wins hands down and shows the germans once in a while how the package should be presented! Well done Land Rover....  L322 Big Daddy SUPERCHARGED 5.0 Autobiography - Here & Now!

5 series for the miles

RRS S/C factory built HST - Gone

45 others have been and gone!

Interesting post. Thanks for sharing.

Although I have a SC, I always thought it was too expensive (new) when compared to the comparable Cayenne S. Interesting that you prefer your HST to Cayenne Turbo. Similarly, I was looking at an ML63 and also prefer, the looks at least, of the RRS. 2022 P440e AB

It's difficult to compare cars with the RRS particularly as it's regarded as the best-looking 4x4. Funny enough the same sort of thing happened to me when I compared the X5 3.0D with my RRS. The RRS won hands down in my opinion. I think maybe we expect so much from other motors without realizing that the Sport is an excellent package all round.  RRS TDV6 HSE BUCKINGHAM BLUE BLACK LEATHER INTERIOR RHODIUM TASMOD SILLS PARROT 3000 EVOLUTION WHITE SIDE REPEATERS RRPORT.CO.UK BROLLY & STICKER
HOW GOOD IS THIS CAR!!!!
8 YEARS AND STILL GETTING LOOKS

Don`t mention my hometown Stuttgart all the time  
L 405 2013 FFRR 5.0 SC
--------------------------------------------------------------
WINNER - 2009 �Best Avatar� Award
WINNER - 2009 Comedian Of The Year Award

Interesting WW

I am surprised at your view that you think the RRS handles better than the Cayenne - my personal opinion is opposite to that, but I haven't driven a Cayenne now for a couple of years so maybe the goalposts have moved. Likewise with the exhaust note... the SC/HST sounds great, but I've always thought the V8 Cayennes sound much more "traditional"

Thanks for posting about it  

2009 Outstanding Contribution Award - Joint Runner Up
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Interesting...similar debate kicked off yesterday on another forum I frequent....much arguing going on between the British & German camps.....as follows .....

As the two camps formed, a silence hit the air. There's some weird going on down in the cricket fields tonight...

On the left, the Nouveau Riches and sporty krauts in their 20" alloyed 160 mph chargers, sit wallowing in the mire, making a mess with their 500bhp pretenders. On the right, the plucky Brits are there, resplendent in their brown brogues, Purdy shotguns and Brown Windsor Broth. A call goes up that Kiera is stuck in her Maserati and needs towing out of the field. First there gets a snog. If she likes you and is cosseted in the cabin, she may get very relaxed and pop out a boob. If she really likes the ride, she might release the rat.

I reckon a Disco would get there first, followed by a Vogue the a RRS. Perhaps a lone G wagon may came up from the (now very angry) morass that is a pile of German cars belching flames and sliding about like seals in a bath.

Man with the vogue has to wash his hands before he gets home. And it ain't the mud...

German 4x4s - simply trying too hard, and all are charmless when it comes to the ultimate presence, getting knickers off..

and.....

Where is that cool cat, Steve?

He is suave and urbane, yet charges about in a ML63, frightening whole counties at a time...

Sure he has a viewpoint

To be fair, the Merc is the most handsome of the pretenders, and such a great leap forward from the previous pile of dog poo.

Interesting to see his car parked next to Nomis's RR a while back. One all pumped up and straining to get out there and rip out some throats, the other benignly sitting there with it's eyebrows slightly raised and a knowing look. Where would like to spend the next 300 miles, sir? The Rangie asks just as the ML lets out a shriek from its 4 oval pipes...

I would very much like to rest in you, Mr RR.

The ML63 is off, chasing an MX5 into Shropshire, with the occupants legs flying up and down, and a nice reappearance of lunch completes the party trick. As the vomit is being cleaned, the Rangie kindly wafts to a mellifluous stop and offers a lift to green occupants. Steve makes an eloquent argument, but (oddly) most of his occupants agree with his argument, and then quietly slide out of the Mercedes hyper-beast and run to the haven of the Solihull treat.

Pip pip! HSE TD6 (Java Black/Ivory)
911GT3 (Guards Red, carbon interior)
ElanSE (BRG)
Panamera Turbo S
Boxster S

Which forum's that Rob? Chap called nomis used to frequent BM3W and had a X5 4.8 if I remember  

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shmoogle wrote:

Which forum's that Rob? Chap called nomis used to frequent BM3W and had a X5 4.8 if I remember

Thanks mate  

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".stats say that the Cayenne has about 2 secs on my HST, I would challenge that....maybe 0.5 sec or 1 sec tops. Anyway, real world stats win anyday. "

Ghm!? New Cayenne turbo has 4.9 0-60, RRS s/c has 0-60 7.2. Top speed of the cayenne is 171mph, rrs - 140mph.

Now - the truth about dynamics... We've dragraced alot of times new cayenne turbo (very popular car here) vs different cars. Well, the difference with RRS S/C is SO BIG, that there is nothing to compare. Looks like Ferarri racing a Fiat... on 1/4 mile Cayenne is faster then S/c by 10 (!) car-lenghts! Roll-on start from 60mph looks even more dramatic for the rrs s/c... It looks like rrs doesn't accelerate at all - cayenne just jumps off and goes miles away from rrs. 2014 Mercedes-Benz S500
2014 Range Rover Autobiography, Causeway Gray, Ivory/Ebony
2013 BMW 530d
2008 Range Rover Supercharged Vogue S\E, Java Black, Ebony. SOLD
2006 Range Rover Sport Supercharged, Java Black, Ebony. Arden body-kit. SOLD
2005 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 Buckingam blue, Ivory. - SOLD.

Until you get on the sticky stuff Why have a near 3t sports car, why not buy a real sports car that can handle and leave the 4x4 bit to those that know what they are doing

Quote:

Ghm!? New Cayenne turbo has 4.9 0-60, RRS s/c has 0-60 7.2. Top speed of the cayenne is 171mph, rrs - 140mph.

Now - the truth about dynamics... We've dragraced alot of times new cayenne turbo (very popular car here) vs different cars. Well, the difference with RRS S/C is SO BIG, that there is nothing to compare. Looks like Ferarri racing a Fiat... on 1/4 mile Cayenne is faster then S/c by 10 (!) car-lenghts! Roll-on start from 60mph looks even more dramatic for the rrs s/c... It looks like rrs doesn't accelerate at all - cayenne just jumps off and goes miles away from rrs.

I don't doubt it, however, the figures you have quoted are manufacturer / gov't figures - who's to judge Mr stiff upper lip wasn't being a little conservative!?

My "impartial"!! personal review was based on the evidence "I" experienced and not on some drag race. It just did not feel any quicker. If I had the opportunity to side by side them, then maybe it would be obvious and the "10 car lengths" statement would run home. Something you have obviously tried, but something I have not viewed with these 35 year old eyes. , so until I do, i will reserve judgement.

WRT the Ferrari vs. Fiat statement, well yes possibly, if you are referring to a Fiat 127, but lets face it and I cringe at the comparison here, its more a Fiat Coupe 2.0 Turbo than a 127....note to self, go for electro testie therapy for even daring to compare such a monster with the beauty of the LR RRS!

At the end of the day, i was referring to the overall package and in my book, the RRS smacks the Porsche straight in the choppers on all counts (2 seconds or not) !!  L322 Big Daddy SUPERCHARGED 5.0 Autobiography - Here & Now!

5 series for the miles

RRS S/C factory built HST - Gone

45 others have been and gone!

Btw, i also prefer my rrs overall though it's a bit faster then stock rrs s/c (i have about 440bhp) 2014 Mercedes-Benz S500
2014 Range Rover Autobiography, Causeway Gray, Ivory/Ebony
2013 BMW 530d
2008 Range Rover Supercharged Vogue S\E, Java Black, Ebony. SOLD
2006 Range Rover Sport Supercharged, Java Black, Ebony. Arden body-kit. SOLD
2005 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 Buckingam blue, Ivory. - SOLD.

Excellent

I have about 430bhp - courtesy of Torq Tune - if you want that extra shove, PM 10forcash right here on this very forum! I cannot recommend the power tune and his general LR knowledge enough. Would recommend.  L322 Big Daddy SUPERCHARGED 5.0 Autobiography - Here & Now!

5 series for the miles

RRS S/C factory built HST - Gone

45 others have been and gone!

With respect,will_wonka, if you have only a re-mapped ECU you are most unlikely to have anything remotely near 430bhp! Even if your standard engine had something approaching the optimistic 385bhp claimed by Land Rover, a simple "entry-level" re-map categorically will not give you those stated figures. In order to get 430-440bhp as installed (NOT on the dyno) you would need a modified blower drive, de-restricted cats, itg air filter (or similar) and a tidied up inlet tract. tf9 may well have these mods, of course, oligarchic Muscovite cars seem to have everything available these days!!
I really don't think it unusual for a "utilitarian West Midlands manufacturer" like Jaguar to be ashamed of their sporting pedigree when compared to Porsche.