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X5m vs Cayenne Turbo vs 2012 SRT8 by MotorTrend

11K views 58 replies 20 participants last post by  MikeD 
#1 ·
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests...on/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter


FIRST PLACE: 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo
No other SUV takes as many people and things to extraordinary velocities as this luxurious Porsche.

SECOND PLACE: 2011 BMW X5 M
This surefooted Bavarian bomber offers plenty of go, stow, and tow -- but not quite at Cayenne levels.

THIRD PLACE: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
Loud and proud, the mighty Jeep is one of most enjoyable Michigan-bred rides, but falls short of the 500-club Germans.


 
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#3 ·
Can you spot the error in this paragraph? ;)

But with tauter suspensions employing traditional coil springs/non-adjustable dampers (Jeep), adaptive dampers (BMW), and self-leveling air "springs" (Porsche), each was livable over multiple commuting days. We preferred BMW and Porsche's distinctly German method of suspension calibration, which combines adequate cushiness and surprising responsiveness, to the Jeep's slightly jarring one-dimensional, non-adjustable Bilsteins. Our numerous passengers did, too.
 
#4 ·
non adjustable Bilsteins...boy smart guys. the bilsteins are advertised as active damping. Im not dfamiliar witht he BMW m suspension...so i cant comment
 
#5 · (Edited)
I think they missed that one because the damping isn't called out like it is on the German cars. The Selectrac is "foreign" to them (Pun intended).

Like you I didn't see the results as a surprise. I've owned a Cayenne TT and although it was the first generation the way it delivered power and handled it's mass simply defied physics.
 
#6 · (Edited)
IMO, that BMW interior is awful. (I think the M5 interior is just as bad, too) It looks no different than a 3 series interior from the mid-90's. And every time I look at the X5m I see a "mini-SUV" look to it.
 
#10 ·
IMO, that BMW interior is awful. (I think the M5 interior is just as bad, too) It looks no different than a 3 series interior from the mid-90's. And every time I look at the X5m I see a "mini-SVU" look to it.
+1 BMW interiors are just plain awful. That is why I have never bought one. I hate everything inside lights up red too.
 
#7 ·
the mags LOVE german cars....its like ESPN's love for DUKE. They could put out a turd on wheels and it would be world class to them. That interior is nowhere near the Jeeps IMO. What bothered me about BMW interiors was lack of quality materials and they are VERY busy.
 
#13 ·
In a way they agree with you. If money was no object the Porsche is and always has been the SUV to aspire to (for me and many others). When you factor everything in the Jeep wins hands down, even with the $10K second sticker Chrysler slapped on it.
 
#14 ·
Is it safe to say that a good supercharger/turbo setup and tuning would put the SRT8 on level ground performance-wise? If so, you'd still be $20-40,000 in the bank compared to the others right?
 
#16 ·
Probable from an acceleration standpoint but the refinement of the drivetrain would probably still put the Porsche in front on a road course.

But, I guess you would still have enough left over to buy an Overland compared to what the Porsche cost ;)
 
#15 ·
I've been a sports car enthusiast for 40+ years but I never warmed up to BMW. The praise they get is a mystery to me, they have always felt cheap to me going back to the original 2002 Ti.

A comment made by Bob Lutz, one of the straightest shooters in the automotive industry, sums it up for me. To quote him, "A BMW 3 series costs within $100 of a Malibu to build, it's the perception of quality designed into the fit, finish and marketing that allows it to cost twice as much".
 
#20 · (Edited)
I just cannot get into them either. I fail to see what is so damn wonderful about the M3 in particular. I enjoyed Jeremy Clarkson busting on it earlier this year when they compared it to the S5 on Top Gear. "£5,000 for the Competition Package, and what do you get........absolutely nothing."
 
#18 ·
IMO...I would get an SRT Jeep and an Overland summit to tow the SRT to the track before the Porsche...LOL. Not gonna lie...I love the Porsche trubo though.....
 
#21 ·
I'd still get the SRT WK2 if I had the loot. Boost it with other mods and fun fun fun.



With a different set of wheels of course.
 
#25 ·
Just got back from seeing the srt on tour, and just thought I'd post some of the questions I had answered by actually seeing it. One thing that scared me was the wheel cant that was obvious on the bull run model. This one had no cant at all. Secondly was the spare tire issue. There in fact is a full size spare. With run flats, all of those looking to put their jeep on a diet can easily save the 30+ lbs by storing it when not on a road trip.

I don't recall these questions being clearly answered and hope I'm not repeating common knowledge.
 
#31 ·
In the srt on the tour was a full size standard spare that would fit only the rear wheels. It would not fit the front because of the larger brimbos. Don't forget though, we have run flats, and if the front wheel has catastrophic failure then a rear wheel must be moved to the front and spare attached to a wheel with the smaller calipers... Aka rear. This is what I was told by the jeeps srt driver. I did see the spare myself and it is not compact. I don't think compact will work because of the bulging calipers. I don't consider it a big deal... I mean how often does one have complete failure of a run flat? The only need for a spare I can come up with is if I'm in Wyoming or canada and the nearest shop is 300 miles away
 
#33 ·
I did not ask to drive it... It was hooked up to trailer. Exterior has grown on me overnight and i love it, very masculine in the black. The wheels were also better then expected, like a brushed steel, no shine in the sunlight. Metallic paint shimmered in the sun and was flat in the shade, very nice as well. Interior was ok, bare srt styling, but leather surfaces like dash were nice. And the plug in the back seat to power equipment was three pronged, so that will come in handy. U can ask me any questions and I'll try to answer them whole it's still fresh in my head.
 
#35 ·
looks wise, the srt8 takes the cake...that bmw is gross. but it seems like he had nothing good to say about the jeep..he prob owns a german car. not to mention in the early of the video its breaking and turning was the best with the huge brembos!
 
#37 ·
"certainly different"......*snarks*

WTF was that? Seemed a little pompous if you ask me. And then a shocker, choosing the vehicle that costs double what one competitor does, and $20-30k what the other does.
 
#44 ·
That video was interesting......

The SRT8 ended up with a lot of "far" shots and he was really exaggerating how much he had to lean into the turns in the SRT8.... Biased, but that is expected to some degree.

If the 2012 Jeep SRT8 is successful and delivers as expected, I'm sure there will be a bandwagon of journalist not too far behind.
 
#38 ·
this thread is very interesting...my dad is a german car guy (he has had over 15 porsches, 5+ bmw's, 5 amg's 8 total benz's) currently has a 2009 550i, 2011 x5 v6 with m-body kit and 2011 carrera S...he went 10+ years in between his last bmw and the 2 he has now. his 550 (replaced his 05' E55) is a great car and he loves it, I was impressed. he got the x5 for my mom, I was never a fan until now. the fit/finish/8-speed tranny is so much better than anything in the wk2...I have never been in an x5m so I cannot comment on that, but to say bmw is crap (seems like multiple peeps feel that way) IMO is a little strong. and sorry scott but i can't agree that the quality of interior is better than porsche's...I agree that the Cayenne has wayyy too much going on in the center console and buttons, hell even my dad's carrera is "busy", and I guess i need to see the srt interior first, but I have a really hard time believing that the prosche interior and quality (maybe not asthecits and/or layout/taste) is inferior. I am amazed that the srt will be $60k, but you gotta pay to play and I def think it is a smart business decision. fwiw I would take the srt and $40k in my pocket over the x5m and what $50k+ over the cayenne TT??? god i love cars
 
#39 ·
I didnt say the wk2 SRT's interior was better.....I said I didnt like the BMW interiors and the Porsches console was too busy. It looks like nasa spacecraft. But the WK2's interior has won awards....one was top 10 IN THE WORLD!
 
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