CAYENNE TURBO VERSUS ML63 AMG

Stirring the emotions

MOTORING AUTHOR, RACING DRIVER AND PHOTO-JOURNALIST IAN KUAH BROUGHT OUT THE BIG GUNS FOR THIS ISSUE – TWO CLASSIC HIGH-PERFORMANCE SUVs FACING OFF AT 20 PACES

ON THE ROAD Of these two high-performance SUVs, the ML63 AMG is the one that better looks the part. While the more heavily sculpted standard ML already looks more butch than the smooth Porsche, the AMG version looks like a thug. Where the sleeker and more rounded Cayenne hides its performance light under a bushel, the AMG is like a nightclub bouncer in an Armani sports jacket. It looks the part in a way even the BMW X5M would aspire to. Its more aggressive demeanour is carried through to the way the ML63 AMG sounds and drives. Where the Cayenne’s twin-turbo V8 starts and idles relatively quietly – its V8 rumble fairly subdued even under full throttle – the ML comes alive with the loud bark shared by every car using the bespoke AMG 6,208cc quad cam V8. The aggressive V8 rumble is clearly audible every time you go into the throttle, and this is a big plus for the keen driver. In a straight drag race, the normally aspirated ML63 AMG proved capable of holding its own against the Cayenne Turbo. In the course of six standing starts, swapping drivers halfway to even things out, we found that if the two cars launched together they were neck and neck. And if one left the line first it kept the exact same lead all the way to the finish line. The fact that the Porsche and Mercedes are a generation apart in conception shows on the road, but not to the extent you would think. That said, any comments on ride and handling have to be tempered by the fact that the Porsche test car rode on 20-inch wheels, while the AMG was shod with massive 21-inch wheels, which are a cost option. You can also specify 21-inch wheels on the Porsche.

Where the Porsche was clearly designed to run these large wheels from day one, the sports suspension of the ML63 AMG was adapted from the base ML, and it shows. When it was launched in 2006, the AMG was originally shod with 19-inch wheels. At facelift time last year, 20s became standard; the 21-inchers worn by our test car, available as a cost option. While the Cayenne rides serenely over bumpy surfaces and off cambers with no adverse reaction at the helm, the AMG jiggles a little here and there, and you can sometimes detect slight bump steer as the big front tyres follow the ruts in the road.

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