Hummer H2 Or Porsche Cayenne

[DiscoDancingRover]

Here is some comparison when I got bored at school in the winter. This is me with a stock suspention. It doesn't show my full articulation. The top of the tire was about 12 inches from the fender. and still had more room to go.

1995 Land Rover Discovery, with light envy
2003 Acura 3.2TL
1998 Volvo V70 XC

[DiscoDancingRover]

this is the picture that was supposed to go in there.

1995 Land Rover Discovery, with light envy
2003 Acura 3.2TL
1998 Volvo V70 XC

[H2Norcal]

Chris, I guess I need to start digging up the worst possible pictures of your boney-tired "perfect" off-roading vehicle too now.

You are right in many ways. But good driving can prevent much of what you show in a worst example of the H2.

As for your comments on the Boxter. Yes, the Boxter bailed out Porsche in a big way. But any time you take a reputable company and launch a cheap product for those who can't afford their high-end namesake vehicle, you have a sales hit. I guess I see this the same as the Range Rover and the Disco.....

The Porsche Boxter is a throw-away car so Porsche can keep the cash flow to make their real performance machines.

[DiscoDancingRover]

1995 Land Rover Discovery, with light envy
2003 Acura 3.2TL
1998 Volvo V70 XC

[RasterMaster]

Hey Chris!

Rovers even look WEAK!

Check out the OkC Chapter Page!

[H2Norcal]

I am done poking each other in the eye.

I am leaving with the understanding we have large differences in opinions. Good to have you on the Forum.

Have a great Fourth of July.

[DiscoDancingRover]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by RasterMaster:
Hey Chris!

Rovers even look WEAK!

Check out the OkC Chapter Page!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I KNOW!

1995 Land Rover Discovery, with light envy
2003 Acura 3.2TL
1998 Volvo V70 XC

[Steve R]

Hey...I'm VERY happy that Chris in on the forum. While we may discuss and argue merits of various vehicles...he's still our buddy, and much like Mike....is very welcome here..and appreciated!

With that said...Chris, you're a fu&#^ing blindass moron!!! What the hell are you.....just kidding.

I think the pic of the H2 you show is rather peculiar. The front left wheel is under extreme compression and has the sway bar pulling up very strong on the right wheel. The rear doesn't look too impressive, but you have to remember there already exist a large gap between between the wheel & well.

Still, the H2 articulates significantly more then the H1. Trust me...it does very well offroad and one thing is very consistent: it continually surprises MANY people how well it actually does.

Chris...do you really believe/think the cayenne can compete against a Disco????? Seriosly?

[RasterMaster]

SteveR,

Chris knows I like to rib him about the Rovers! Besides being a fellow Hoosier, he has become the new Chat moderator!

Check out the OkC Chapter Page!

[Steve R]

Oh yeah....Chris is a swell guy. He's also very very active over on the gay-pride forum as well. I mean...well....with his Disco and all.

[DiscoDancingRover]

Thanks you steve, but you forgot to comment on the awesome articulation I had going there. I will see how it does, but from what I have seen it looks pretty cool. I will just wait to see how it does perform.

1995 Land Rover Discovery, with light envy
2003 Acura 3.2TL
1998 Volvo V70 XC

[DiscoDancingRover]

Steve I do kinda fancy the miata and the VW beetle...joking

1995 Land Rover Discovery, with light envy
2003 Acura 3.2TL
1998 Volvo V70 XC

[This message was edited by Chris on 07-04-03 at 12:42 PM.]

[DiscoDancingRover]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by H2Norcal:
I guess I see this the same as the Range Rover and the Disco.....<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The disco wasn't cheap or anything like that. You are thinking of the freelander.

1995 Land Rover Discovery, with light envy
2003 Acura 3.2TL
1998 Volvo V70 XC

[H2Norcal]

So the picture wasn't impressive, agreed. That is about as much clearance you can get on the H2 before you have tire lift. Moments after that shot the tire was off the ground and I was teetering.

I know the Disco isn't cheap but it is far lower-end than the Range....I see the H2 being the Range-class and the H3 being the Disco when it is all said and done.

[ticket2ride]

What kind of silly question is this? Why would anyone be torn between a HUMMER and a minivan?

[Steve R]

Chris,

That pic is unfair...that front tire would have to drop 16" to touch the ground and the rear would have to be sucked upto the roof-racks!

Ya know...Alec W. went wheeling with Brianfriend recently. He said Brians rig had it's tires up in the air all over the place: that thing looked like a dog marking its territory on a street with LOTS of trees!

[MAC]

Not my words, may or may not be my views.

AutoWeek. 7/7/03.
WOW! THERE’S NO SAGEBRUSH GROWING under the tires of Porsche’s new off-road vehicle, Cayenne, as AutoWeek subscribers gave it top honors. Should it come as any surprise, really, considering the way you feel about the 911? You obviously have discerning taste: Porsche’s Cayenne beat last year’s winner, the Land Rover Range Rover, as well as the BMW X5, the new Hummer H2 and the Volvo XC90—none of which are shabby trucks.

Cayenne gives Porsche dealers a truck Porsche owners can park next to their cars; according to Porsche’s research, half of its sports car owners already own sport/utes. Two Cayenne models are available: the S and the Turbo. Both are powered by 4.5-liter V8s, but the Turbo produces a whopping 450 hp. With horsepower comes speed, as the Turbo model is way fast and way at the top of the truck price food chain at $90,000. Cayenne definitely puts the “sport” in sport/utility.

[MAC]

(08:30 July 07, 2003) 2003 Porsche Cayenne Turbo. By THE EDITORS OF AUTOWEEK

DATE IN FLEET: June 12-19 AS-TESTED PRICE: $94,130
POWERTRAIN: 4.5-liter twin-turbo V8; 4wd, six-speed automatic HP: 450 @ 6000 rpm TORQUE: 457 @ 2250-4750 rpm. CURB WEIGHT: 5192 pounds

WILSON: I know I should like this. It works, it’s bloody fast, and I’m way past my beef that “Porsche shouldn’t build an SUV.” I mean, yes, Porsche doesn’t need an answer to Lexus or Range Rover or even BMW—Porsches are what they are. But it does need a volume-generator to help dealers survive and upgrade their operations, because, as we’ve seen in several long-term experiences, much of the dealer network lacks luster. So, okay, I’ll give it to ’em.

Not a Porsche? Well, what the heck would it be, then? It’s not a VW. This sucker goes like blazes, and you can even stop it from speed without too much drama (maybe no drama—everything in your experience says “This is gonna be bad” so your pulse rate goes up, then the Cayenne just stops... not quite like a Turbo or even a Boxster, but a whole lot better than anything this big should do). It grips in a turn as much as I’m willing to risk in a thing that feels this tall. It doesn’t lean significantly, it goes where you point it, you can drive it on the throttle. It’s a big, tall front-engine Porsche (maybe people who don’t remember previous front-engine Porsches won’t make the connection).

However... no sale. This is too heavy, too tall and just plain too un-fun for my tastes. Yeah, I know, it’s my old “Why am I sitting up here and why’s it weigh this much” complaint about all SUVs. I put the suspension on its lowest setting, I turned off the PSM (intrusive bugger that it is) and went for a quick drive around the lake. It performed well, but I wasn’t happy afterward—it wasn’t something I’d choose to do for kicks. The Cayenne doesn’t have the lithe handling or nice steering you find in the X5 (another vehicle I know I should like but don’t much). It might make better numbers, but it doesn’t feel better, and driving fun is all about feel, not just numbers. All the controls feel heavy, like this was a 928 that has been eating Double Whoppers with cheese at Burger King for the past 20 years. That was a “man’s car” in the vernacular of the day and this one has that same hefty feel about it.

Of the X5, I once wrote that you can teach a pig to dance, but when you’re done, you find yourself dancing with a pig. Substitute hippo for pig and you’ve got my take on driving this. Besides which, I really dislike the way it looks. Those commercials with the people doing outrageous things to get a look at it are ridiculous—no one is going to look at this and exclaim “Jeepers H. Christmas, that’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” It ain’t as ugly as an Element or Aztek, granted, but Mrs. Wilson gets credit for describing it: “It looks like it’s out of proPorsche...” Bottom line: I won’t complain about Porsche making an SUV anymore so long as no one makes me drive it again. Deal?

MANDEL: I believe we need to burn some incense around here. Think positive thoughts. Put your subconscious in a happy place and expand your mind. Now: Is there room to place emphasis on the sport portion of the sport/ute equation? (Let us please not debate the worthiness or value of such vehicles. They are here to stay, so just suck it up.) And if you agree said “sport” influence is a valued modifier, which company is better to inculcate sport in trucks than Porsche? I do not mind “high-effort” switchgear; it should be higher effort than that in the Boxster, because in so doing it imparts the notion of ruggedness.

Will this 5200-pound truck make it off-road? Only when it has to turn around on the polo fields of Palm Beach... The performance in the turbo Cayenne is pretty spectacular, as it should be. This kind of acceleration and cornering capabilities belie its girth. This is more nimble than even expected. And at $94,000, is it not at the pinnacle of truckdom? You bet.

Forget for a moment that this vehicle, derided by purist enthusiasts and Porschephiles, goes outside the lines of what is and is not a pure Porsche. That it has added sales in a weakened economy, that it has given the company independence through size, that it has redefined and solidified a niche, are all paramount to it and the industry.

Do I like it? Yes. Would I buy this? If I were one of the 60 percent of Porsche owners who have a sport/ute in my garage anyway and could afford it, absolutely. Would I carry anything in it other than people and golf clubs? No way.

[Steve R]

Uh....back to the articulation thing: Articulate this Christoph!

front left wheel up about 20", front right on the ground...the rear is doing the opposite. It's no rock-crawler, but it's no rigid-board either!

[DiscoDancingRover]

Alright I am going to the cayenne driving experence in chicago in august. I will tell you all how it does from my experence there.