Presenting The All-New 2019 Porsche Cayenne

Lighter, more powerful, and as expensive as ever.

Porsche has just revealed its all-new Cayenne SUV just ahead of its live debut at Frankfurt next month. This third-generation Cayenne may look like its immediate predecessor, but underneath that 911-inspired styling is an SUV that’s lighter and more powerful than before. For its initial launch, two six-cylinder engines will be available to US buyers, a turbocharged 3.0-liter with 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, or a 2.9-liter twin-turbo with 440 hp and 406 lb-ft, the latter powering the Cayenne S.

Both engines are paired to a new eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox, which sends power to all four wheels; all-wheel drive is now standard across the board. Performance wise, Porsche claims the base engine will take the Cayenne from 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds, or 5.6 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package. The Cayenne S’s twin-turbo makes 0-60 mph in 4.9 (4.6 with the Sport Chrono) possible. Porsche has clocked the base Cayenne’s best quarter-mile time at 14.2 seconds and a top speed of 152 mph. The Cayenne S does the same sprint in 13.2 seconds (with the Sport Chrono pack) and tops off at 164 mph. Of course, the new Cayenne isn’t just fast on track, it’s also a capable mild off-roader with four modes: Mud, Gravel, Sand, or Rocks.

As with all new cars today, shaving weight is essential, and Porsche developed a new light weight chassis that makes the vehicle up to 143 lbs lighter than its predecessor. Like the latest Panamera, the Cayenne’s body is a mix of alloy and steel while the exterior is made almost entirely of aluminum, as is the floorpan assembly, front section and nearly all chassis components. Even the newly developed lithium-ion polymer starter battery accounts for 22 lbs in weight savings alone. Porsche also made major changes to the new Cayenne’s chassis, with a separated link design for the front axle and a multilink rear axle. Another first are staggered front and rear tire sizes, 19 and 21 inches (20 and 21 inchers are optional), respectively.

Porsche wants the Cayenne to be the true "sports car" in its segment. While the exterior styling looks very similar to the outgoing Cayenne, the new SUV is slightly longer and wider for a more athletic look, but the wheelbase length remains unchanged. Cargo space has been increased by nearly 15 percent. Standard LED lighting adorns both front and rear units, and buyers can opt for either the Porsche Dynamic Light System or LED Matrix Beam headlights. The interior design borrows some styling elements from the new Panamera, such as the standard 12.3-inch full-HD touchscreen.

To avoid so many buttons, Porsche wisely integrated many functions into the touchscreen, but the remaining center console analog controls feature a smartphone-like, glass-look touch surface. The driver has two 7-inch full-HD displays showing all relevant data. Standard safety includes all sorts of assist tech, such as Lange Change, Lane Keep, traffic jam assist, ParkAssist with Surround View, and adaptive cruise control. The 2019 Porsche Cayenne, which will hit US dealerships in mid-2018, is priced from $65,700 for the base model and $82,900 for the S, excluding a $1,050 delivery charge. We’ll be on the showroom floor at Frankfurt and we’ll have more details at that time.

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Presenting The Finalists For 2019 North American Car Of The Year

The winners will be announced in Detroit come January

If we had a nickel for every publication and organization that named its car of the year each time the planet circled the sun, we might have enough to actually buy one of the vehicles they'd lauded. But some are more important than others. Like the North American Car of the Year awards, which has just named its list of finalists for 2019 in three categories.

The shortlist for Car of the Year includes the Genesis G70, Honda Insight, and Volvo S60/V60. But that's not all. The jury also names its Utility Vehicle and Truck of the Year.

In the sport-ute category, the three finalists are the Acura RDX, Hyundai Kona (and Kona EV), and Jaguar I-Pace. And for trucks, the list has been whittled down to the Chevy Silverado 1500, its virtual twin GMC Sierra 1500, and rival Ram 1500.

The chances look good, then, for GM's trucks. And both the Honda and Hyundai groups each got two of their newest vehicles on the list of nominees that were narrowed down from a list of 29 semi-finalists – but the three pickups were the only semi-finalists considered for their category, alongside 14 cars and 12 sport-utes.

“This year brought us some impressive sedan options. Car sales remain an important part of the available choices to consumers even as sales in the segment continue to fall,” said NACTOY President Lauren Fix. “We are always looking for a game-changer, something that stands out in a crowd, and strikes a positive chord with buyers. The finalists will all be impressive options to consider.”

With the list of finalists now announced at the LA Auto Show, the 54 jurors will cast their votes again and announce the winners at the Detroit show in January.

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