It means it won't handle as well around the twisties, but for a 5000lbs SUV it is awesome. My V8 Touareg handles very well, and on those days I can't dive the GT3 is a fun vehicle to get around in, a Cayenne GTS is that much more.

 

Certainly not a wobbly sedan but it not tight like the older M3's I have driven. Too light and a little vague for me. Certainly not bad however.

Now some will say that is only at lower speeds but I don't agree.

The new M5 might be better but we are talking megabucks and a new first year car.

 

Having owned a M3, Cayenne and a 911, I would have to say if you have to part with the 911, go with the the Turbo Cayenne or GTS ( I have not driven the GTS). I was lucky enough to spend a few days with the Turbo at the Porsche driving center track in Alabama a few years ago.....and believe me, it will please both you and your wife!

 

Is she trying to audition for MTV's new series, "The Housewives of Rappers"? LOL~

Cayenne >> Escalade under any circumstances.

 

i think a newer M3 is the way to go if you want to fit 3 in the back. i agree with buckwheat that the steering is not great (its too light and lacks the p-car feedback). it's also missing that "racecar" feel (it's too high and bolstered). BUT the engine is really good and the handling IMO is as good as a 911 (at least outside a track) and that's at least half the game isn't it? You also get some great luxury features and BMW offers very attractive leases this time of year. also the convertible hardtop M3's have great flexibility.

i'd say go test drive one. personally i'd never give up my 911 but if i absolutely had to put 3 little ones in the back seats regularly i'd put the kids up for adoption. barring that M3 would be my pick. I've driven the Panny a handful of times and it's handling cannot be compared to the M3 IMO.

I haven't driven the new turbo M's (has anyone yet?) but I mean my comments above for the NA M3 and maybe M5 (though the older M5's have bad reps for maintenance, overheating etc)

 

Retrofunk - interesting. Does turbo cayenne have lag like turbo Carrera? I simply didn't like the 911 turbo due to delay in throttle.

 

I have considered adoption. M5 reviews saying there's turbo lag so I speculate new m3 will have the same. I don't care about older body so current m3 is ok. You are the only one so far to talk about m3. I intend to check one out as I have to believe law of physics will predict I will like m3 over cayenne. But......if throttle lags at all, I will be inclined to to p!g it out until my kids leave my house.

 

Thinking about doing the Porsche driving school in Atlanta and would love to hear your feedback.

 

The current M3 is actually a 4L V8 NA engine. The sedan and coupe offer 3 seats in the back where as the vert offers 2 seats in the back only. I had an M3 coupe for 2 years prior to buying my C4S. It's not as nimble as the 911, but it's plenty good for day to day driving. The V8 loves to be revved and the engine tone in higher rev range is quite intoxicating. If it weren't for my stupid wife, I would have kept the M3 coupe instead of selling it.

 

With regard to Turbo lag; I barely noticed it, only on coming out of a hard corner. I have not driven the 911T so cannot comment but my impression is that Porsche have done a fairly good job of addressing lag on the cayenne ...and this was 3 years ago. During normal driving day to day I wouldn't give it a thought. I would also say the current cayenne s packs a punch for a suv and has plenty of room.

 

I solved this issue myself with a Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi. Lots of power, fun to drive, and enough room in the back for three kids. And I kept the Porsche for my soul.

 

there's also indentured servitude which also makes most financial sense

the 997 turbo s has turbo lag which should tell u all u need to know. We can argue about how much but it's there and more than detectable. (Maybe that's why Porsche is adding a small 3rd turbo to 991TTT) . Don't get me wrong I will at some pt own a turbo with or without lag, but for now the state of the art still has lag ).

the cayenne is a nice SUV but it's an SUV. your original post impressed on me that you want to find a way to keep a SPORTS CAR. i'm a porsche guy but i have to say the M3 got the suspension right and with ~415 NA horses the power is there.

and not to repeat myself but if the 911 came in a hardtop convertible i'd be all over it. F-Car recently went back to it and created IMHO the best car (cost aside) on the market, the 458Spy. But i digress...

 

I would recommend the Porsche Driving School, I spent a weekend at the one based at the Barber track just outside of Birmingham Al. They provide 1, 2 or 3 days. The course I enrolled in had autocross, skid pan and track time. On hindsight I should have opted for the more advanced race course - heel/toe etc. But this was a few weeks into my initial Porsche ownership and for me - at the time - it was more about the 'Porsche experience' . Plus I lucked out and Hurley. Haywood was one of the trainers. Another big plus is the motor museum on site, must be close to a 1,000 or more vehicles, primarily motorbikes. it all made for a great weeekend, but a local DE event would have also yielded the same excitement. My next goal is the winter driving school in canada....Now that will be fun!

 

The lag in the Cayenne TT is not as noticeable as on the 911 TT. Beware though that TTs of all kinds have additional (expensive) maintenance.

 

I actually love the looks of the grand Cherokee...hypothesis is though it will drive like the cts-v. Fast, luxurious...but numb and sloppy. How would you compare jeep to your 911? If answer is no comparison, then I revert back to cayenne as folks find many similarities between the 2.