Driving a Porsche is pretty dreamy especially in Singapore, especially for a working professional with no inheritance of any sort. After all, the Certificate of Eligibility to own a car or COE[1] as Singapore motorists know it, costs no less than $71,556 for smaller cars. It is however as much as S$98,889[2] for larger cars like the Porsche Cayenne, based on the 23rd March 2022 COE bidding exercise.
Mine is of course an older version, the 2009 Porsche Cayenne Tiptronic 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 6A) … doesn’t that tell you Porsches are made to last?
This Cayenne has 290hp @ 6,2000 rpm and on 6 cylinders, it presents at least to me, enough raw power and is a fun car to drive, to be sure. With a ground clearance of 8.6 inches (21.84 cm) and standing at 66.9 inches (about 1.7 m), I am able to see a little further whilst on the road and feel somewhat safe. Another big plus point for me is that it is an All-Wheel Drive, giving me more confidence on the bends, much like my previous cars.
It is a huge car and there is plenty of headroom inside which is a critical requirement, given that my son and I are rather tall. Honestly, driving a Porsche is a dream come true.
When my friends ask if I drive to work, I quip that in Singapore, I work to drive!
However, parking can be a challenge to the less experienced since parking lots are rather “small and squeezy” at this part of the Causeway. This is perhaps why a number of such SUV owners do not mind pulling up to the hotel valet especially when in a hurry to make it to the wedding dinner; besides, one is likely to feel good stepping out of the gorgeous Cayenne and onto the hotel entrance in full view of admiring dinner guests.
So has driving a Porsche Cayenne changed my driving style? One thing is certain: I am a far more careful driver now. In fact, I have been accident-free for more than 10 years – and that is rewarding. For example, my motorcar insurance premiums have been extremely low, thanks to the substantial discounts or No-Claim Bonuses provided by insurance companies.
I was deliberate in selecting the Porsche Cayenne, and not other models sometimes referred to as “chick magnets”. I was going for form and function. At my age which is nearing 60, I don’t think I’d enjoy crawling in and out of a Carrera, Cayman, Panamera or Taycan. Besides, I needed my headroom and cabin space for 4 other adults. So the Cayenne fitted the bill, and very nicely too.