Back in the day, Porsche cars had a certain reputation. Namely, as a performance car driven by wealthy men who often wanted to convey a certain image. Fair enough, Porsche cars were, and indeed continue to be, performance cars. Perhaps the latter was just a tad unfair to the opposite sex however – even if it was, or remains, true!
Let’s be honest, aren’t we ladies just as likely to want to convey a certain image through our choice of ultra-luxury items? Handbags and shoes anyone? And not just shoes and bags either, it seems. We ladies have moved on to bigger and better purchases in the luxury goods market. Yes, we’re talking cars here! Porsche recently revealed that it is attracting more female buyers. Just as other high-end manufacturers have expanded their customer base and won over ladies who want a luxury SUV, Porsche now finds itself in the same position. Apparently, Porsche’s surge in female buyers is all down to the popularity of the Cayenne. When it launched in 2002, there was much cynicism that the famous sports car maker was even bothering with a SUV. Was it possible to blend a Porsche and an SUV and make it work? Porsche clearly could and did; the Cayenne has gone on to become its best-selling car and biggest earner.
Fast forward to 2018 and it’s clear Porsche did not want to mess with success, so to speak. The new third-generation Cayenne looks a lot like previous Cayennes, if subtly refined in size and design. The interiors of the three new Cayenne models – Base, S and Turbo – have changed appreciably. A lot of the interior is modelled on the Panamera, including the 12.3-inch touch screen, but there are not too many gimmicks or otherwise distracting or unnecessary features. Since I have this uncanny knack of being unable to travel light – especially by car – a big thumbs up from me for the array of storage options. These include roomy door compartments, a space in the centre console with connections to charge two phones, and — my favourite — glove compartments that are cooled by the air-conditioning systems. Goodbye to melted lip-balms then!
It goes without saying the Cayenne has numerous assistance systems that provide support, identify dangers and issue timely warnings but there’s also an abundance of luxury all around. Whilst driving, for example, apart from the sound of the V6 at work, there’s little else in terms of noise to disturb; road and wind noise are kept to luxury-car levels. The Cayenne is also extremely roomy. For those drivers with children, it’s a great choice. Got dogs? It’s an even better choice, as long as they don’t chew those beautiful cream leather seats! The Cayenne has also become more practical: the added width of the car increases its luggage capacity by 100 litres with the backseat row folded down.
As ultra-luxury car brands increasingly cater to women, taking into account the female form in terms of design for example, they’re also careful not to radically change their company’s marketing. Their aim is not to come across as pandering to us. Rather they seek to provide an atmosphere, in the showrooms for example, which is attentive but non-threatening. That’s right up my street. I may not be best-versed in car technology jargon but I do know what I want in terms of safety, looks and comfort. For those of us wanting an SUV that drives like a sports car, the Cayenne is up there in the Christian Louboutin and Chanel league of SUVs.
