The Porsche Cayenne Platinum takes SUVs and luxury to a whole new level
SINGAPORE (Feb 27): Limited editions are usually reserved for ultra high-end brands such as Rolls-Royce and Bentley, but Porsche is no stranger to the concept. Its limited edition sports car models bear the Platinum label.
One of the most memorable was the 50th anniversary edition of its iconic 911 sports car. It built just 1,963 cars in honour of the first year of production. The cars quickly became collector’s items and their value is already much greater than their original selling price.
Porsche has now decided that its best-selling SUV, the Cayenne, is also worthy of such star treatment and has introduced the new Cayenne Platinum Edition in Singa pore. Producing a nonsports car limited edition is quite an unusual move but one that should pay off, given the model’s look and feel.
This Cayenne stands out immediately with its distinctively sporty appearance. To me, the standard Cayenne always looked sporty among the sea of boxy SUVs on Singapore’s roads. This limited edition gives it an even more sporty feel.
The Platinum effect includes chunky 20in RS Spyder Design wheels in satin platinum. There are also eye-catching details such as the Porsche crest on the headrest as well as door-sill guards with the “Platinum Edition” logo.
This is unmistakably a special edition car. Other highlights include Bi-Xenon main headlights, privacy glass and automatically dimming mirrors. Exterior finishes include white and solid black as standard, rhodium silver metallic, carrara white, mahogany, purpurite and jet black.
For me, the chunky wheels have a huge impact on the Platinum edition, giving it that desirable combination of sporty elegance. They are housed within wider wheel arches, which come in the colour scheme of your choice. The black gloss finish and the dark-tinted privacy glass make you feel like a celebrity. The interior is sumptuous, to say the least. Along with the illuminated door sills that light up, the dashboard is adorned with a beautifully designed analogue clock. There is also a top-of-the-range Bose surround sound system.
As a big fan of Porsche, I admire its new direction into SUVs with the Cayenne and Macan. They offer the best of both worlds — space and sturdiness fused with sportiness. The Cayenne comes with a three-litre V6 engine, which is quite a beast and makes sure you are never underpowered.
The idea is for the Porsche SUVs to feel like you are driving a sports car. This might sound unachievable, but every Cayenne or Macan I have test-driven has always left me in awe at how sporty it is to drive. The Platinum edition is no different. With 300bhp and 400Nm torque, it delivers power whenever you need it. More importantly, it does it in a smooth and business-like fashion.
I first set eyes on the Cayenne Platinum Edition at the Women’s Tennis Association finals last year, as Porsche supplied a fleet of 40 cars for players and officials. I remember thinking then how good it looked among its other models. The test drive lived up to my expectations, and maybe even surpassed them.
This is one SUV I would love to own for its performance and looks. As an added bonus, the Platinum edition is available across all three variants — the Cayenne Platinum Edition, Cayenne Diesel Platinum Edition and Cayenne S E-Hybrid Platinum Edition.
PORSCHE CAYENNE PLATINUM EDITION
$330,988 without COE
Engine: 3.6l, V6, turbocharged
Power/torque: 300bhp/400Nm
Fuel consumption: 9.2l/100km
0 to 100kph: 7.7 seconds
Top speed: 230kph
Justin Harper is a freelance journalist with a passion for all things fast
This article appeared in Issue 767 (Feb 20) of The Edge Singapore.
