[Amey Kulkarni]

Hello Peeps,

With a heavy heart, I had to let go of the Golf GTI MK8, move on and replace her with a bigger family car. The heart lured for a Porsche

Every kid’s dream, Every man’s dream is to own at least one Porsche in a lifetime and I’m glad it has come my way sooner than I had dreamt of.

The pure reason to move on from the Golf was the rear seats. The rear space is cramped for room especially if you own the variant with chunky front leather seats. Since this is the seller’s market, I thought of giving it a shot of checking the resale prices for the Golf and I was pleasantly surprised to see positive response. The decision to sell was instant and the car departed within a week. The bigger question was what should it be replaced by!

The day Golf GTI departed :



As a motor head, I was clear I wouldn’t be buying a boring car and if you stay in the gulf, take the opportunity to own cars which are far fetched. Soulless Electric cars are banned in my house and my family stands by it as well. ICEs FTW!

The dealer I sold the Golf had a clean Audi RS3 sedan variant on sale. I took the TD and shortlisted it but then came the twist. I decided to not get carried away with how she felt to drive and left the night to decide. RS3 wasn’t something that I sold the Golf GTI for. I had to think above and beyond.

Next few days, the thought did change and I wanted to see more of the market’s offering before I could take the plunge. I test drove a Macan S, BMW X3 30i, X5M and a few Cayennes. Initially, I wasn’t persistent enough to think that I ONLY wanted a Porsche but of course was on top of my head. I knew for the fact that I wouldn’t want a Porsche just for the name sake. She needs to be special and spec’ed nicely. I couldn’t find any on online which could be worthwhile. During the Eid holidays, the search began, I was on the roads hopping from one dealer to another however everything in vain.

One fine evening post dinner, my family and I set off to see a dealer and walked in to casually see the inventory of one of the largest dealer in Dubai but had avoided until then since they’re kind of overpriced. After all, a few more bucks are better for peace of mind.

The Sales Manager was warm welcoming and humble. After sharing the prerequisites to him, he understood what I was looking for and did not waste time running around the bush. He said “look at this car and tell me your opinion. The car is under Porsche warranty and has been taken care by Porsche all the while AND ITS AN EXCLUSIVE.” I got hooked on. I test drove the car. It was spec’ed to the brim. I could not get over it.

Until now, it's one of a kind and I've not seen another Exclusive and neither have my dear friends here who breathe by the name Porsche. It indeed felt special.

I want this, my inner child screamed. The wife gave me a nod as well. Negotiated, paid the advance and there it was. Destiny got me to an unplanned visit to a dealer, randomly, casually walking in and leaving the showroom with a booking receipt in hand.

First glimpse of the beauty :



Next step was to get the car inspected. I invited a dear friend Sanjay, who’s a proud owner of the 997 to inspect the car from his perspective. His green light was a sigh of relief.

Coincidentally, the following Thursday was “Guru Pushya” day which was auspicious. But it was only 2-3 working days apart from Eid holidays. The timelines were tight since banks were slow and just back from a long holiday. The delivery happened on Friday which was also a positive day and here are the pictures during the same :





GTS gets a new bumper with integrated DRLs and indicators + fog lamps at the bottom compared to the S variant





Notice the black font and smoked tail lights which are GTS Specific




Cheers,
Amey

[Amey Kulkarni]

Wondering what’s an Exclusive?

Here’s a video by Porsche explaining their “Exclusive Manufaktur” as they call it :

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HqA40W...Zha3R1cg%3D%3D

In brief, a Porsche is exclusive if you spec the car from their studio with the highest level of customisation and options.

Specifications and Features list :

This Exclusive is powered by a 3.6L, V6 Twin Turbo, AWD
440bhp
600 Nm
Tiptronic 8 Speed Automatic
0-60mph in less than 4.8 seconds with the Sports Chrono Package



Appended is the list of paid options that the car is loaded with -

1. Upgraded Porsche LED headlights with DRLs (PDLS)



2. Air suspension with self-levelling, ride height control, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)





3. Sports Chrono Pack which includes Sport and Sport Plus modes along with Sports Exhaust







4. Porsche Communication Management (PCM) including Radio



5. Upgraded 21” Alloys from 911 Turbo design with extended wheel arches



6. Interior black leather with red stiching all around ( Dashboard, Door Trims, Floor Console)





7. Carbon fibre steering wheel (heated) and multifunctional with Paddle Shifters



8. Carbon fibre centre floor console piece
9. Carbon fibre package on dashboard, FR RR Door Trims



10. Alcantara pillar trims
11. Alcantara Roofliner and Sunvisors



12. Bose 15 way surround system



13. Upgraded Dual tone (Red/Black) Full Leather seats (heated / ventilated)
14. Comfort memory package (14-way)



15. Comfort lighting package in conjunction with memory package



16. Upgraded Aluminium gear lever



17. Illuminated door sills with “Exclusive GTS” text



18. Porsche customised floor mats
19. FR and RR cameras with 360 degrees vision + Park assist



20. Panaromic roof system



21. Soft close doors
22. Auto dimming IRVM / ORVM



23. Lane change assist
24. Collision warning
25. Customised key
26. Keyless entry



27. Second key
28. Aux audio
29. Navigation



30. 2 + 2 AC zones with auto climate control in FR and RR



31. “GTS” crests on FR and RR seats



32. Auto Retractable window shades RR



33. 100 Litre fuel tank
34. Porsche Entry and Drive



35. Smoker package



36. Telephone module


Cheers,
Amey

[Amey Kulkarni]

Initial Impressions and Driving Experience :

Post delivery, headed straight home for a small Pooja as usual. I was driving a Porsche for the very first time. It's different, it's unique, it's all that a motor head wants.





First thing to notice is how butter smooth the gearbox is, its not PDK but is still crisp and not sluggish at all. The turbo lag is minimal. Next are the suspensions, the adaptive suspensions are so comfortable that it glides over bumps and rough roads. With PASM, the car can be lowered by 24mm in comparison to the S variant. It is literally a Sofa on Wheels. With 295 sections and Michelin Latitude tyres, you know there's no compromise there. The balance and poise is phenomenal.

The Cayenne boasts of the roll stiffness and steering feedback that it manages to handle the way Sports Luxury SUV should do and set benchmarks. It excels in whatever it does. Everybody knows how the Porsche's handle. Lesser said than done! The 2.1 ton mammoth scorches through corners, the weight and the body roll is hardly noticed. There is something positively weird about the car that it handles like a hot hatch.

Engage her to Sport / Sports mode, the chassis dynamics are changed, the exhaust vales open up and she's suddenly into the beast mode from the laid back, cushy felt SUV. She starts feeling crisp, point and shoot is what she demands.

This exclusive has Porsche warranty on it until next year and is extendable upto 15 years now. Yes, 15 freaking years. This is not offered by any other manufacturer till date.

https://www.porsche.com/middle-east/...rovedwarranty/

Getting into the cabin, it feels none other than an airplane cockpit and I prefer this over the latest tech fest filled with dancing LEDs. The Bose system is so good that one can sense the difference of quality in the streamed or downloaded songs. The surround is gorgeous. You'd never have the radio / music off in this car.

The seats are super comfortable, not too much of bolstering as an SUV. The ventilated seats do wonders in the UAE heat.

Over two months and 1K kms of ownership, this car has become a family member already. There's a sense of emotion every time we step in. My 6 year old cuddles it proudly stating "I own a Porsche" After all, the smiles on your family's faces are priceless.

Likes :

1. Since this one is an Exclusive, it all begins from there. With so much consistency and harmony inside the cabin with black and Red stitching, Red and Black seats, it gives a feeling of being personalised unlike other manufacturers where the doors don't match the dashboard materials so on and so forth.
2. NVH is class apart. Hardly any wind noise or tyre noise inside the cabin.
3. Bose surround speakers is the cherry on the cake. I've never heard of such a great audio in a car. The option above this is the 22 way Burmeister. That would be the epitome.
4. The lovely mixture of being a Luxury SUV with sporty traits. Great handler and at the same time can provide great comfort.
5. It may look like a Frog Head but I love this timeless design.
6. Obsession for a Porsche. The brand recognition. The emotional connect. Hits the right nerve.
7. The warranty coverage. Porsche replaces almost all parts if found faulty or natural cause for breakage, no questions asked.

Dislikes :

1. A PDK in Cayennes is overdue. It needs to happen. Macan gets it.
2. The extended warranty prices could be cheaper. Its 40% higher than a 911 or a Cayman.
3. Miss the growl of the last gen V8.
4. Need a deep pocket to buy and maintain a Porsche. They sell like hot cakes in the UAE. Resale values are higher than any other German Manufacturer in the segment.
5. It's literally got everything of the catalogue. Spoiling me and setting the incorrect benchmark.

I'm already excited to get her up to my taste. The intermediate service is due in couple of months which would roughly cost around INR 80 K- INR 100K. The major service is every 4 years which roughly costs about INR 2 Lakhs. I don't have to worry about that until 2025.

Few more pics to pause the story here.

Sip and Stare



Absorbed in the Twilight



Can't escape the family runs



Last but not least, One with the Supra to create the perfect two car garage



Cheers,
Amey

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by Amey Kulkarni

[b]...

In brief, a Porsche is exclusive if you spec the car from their studio with the highest level of customisation and options. ..

Wow !
this one is a Keeper. Looks amazing. Happy motoring.

[pratyaksh]

Originally Posted by Amey Kulkarni

Hello Peeps,

With a heavy heart, I had to let go of the Golf GTI MK8, move on and replace her with a bigger family car. The heart lured for a Porsche

The Sales Manager was warm welcoming and humble. After sharing the prerequisites to him, he understood what I was looking for and did not waste time running around the bush.

Great buy, especially after driving a great handler like the GTI.

Do you mind sharing the Model year, Price, and Dealer.

Keep up those miles!

[Pahadi Gear]

Ati Sunder! Looks stunning and another best part is you have Dubai roads to enjoy.

Happy Porscheing !

[CarML]

Originally Posted by Amey Kulkarni

Initial Impressions and Driving Experience :

This exclusive has Porsche warranty on it until next year and is extendable upto 15 years now.

Many congratulations on getting a Porsche Exclusive. It sure is a dream car. Feature packed inside out. Looks stunning and is practical as well. 15 years warranty is unheard of. Driving conditions might be much better in UAE compared to India resulting in better durability of the car. However, 15 years is just insane! Speaks volumes about the manufacturer's trust in their product. Wishing you miles of happiness with the Porsche.

[cooldip]

Congratulations on owning an absolute beauty in the 997.2 avatar.

There are few cars that can match the Cayenne in practicality.

It is really well optioned. Difficult to find one that checks so many boxes.

Wishing you and your family many miles of Sport Plus fun!

[Shitij]

Congratulations on the superb purchase, the spec looks amazing.

I absolutely concur with you that while you are in the Middle East you should fulfil all your automobile dreams. With kind of pricing on cars, fuel prices and the road networks, it makes perfect sense to enjoy while you are located there.

[Aditya]

Exceptional, unbiased & detailed ownership reviews of cars have started going to our homepage reviews box. It's the ultimate stamp of trust from Team-BHP (as a platform) because lakhs of visitors every month check out reviews from there & make purchase decisions.

Your review has also been included here. Thank you so much for sharing .

[Amey Kulkarni]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

Wow !
this one is a Keeper. Looks amazing. Happy motoring.

Originally Posted by pratyaksh

Great buy, especially after driving a great handler like the GTI.

Originally Posted by Pahadi Gear

Ati Sunder! Looks stunning and another best part is you have Dubai roads to enjoy.

Originally Posted by CarML

Many congratulations on getting a Porsche Exclusive Feature packed inside out.

Originally Posted by cooldip

Congratulations on owning an absolute beauty in the 997.2 avatar.
Wishing you and your family many miles of Sport Plus fun!

Originally Posted by Shitij

Congratulations on the superb purchase, the spec looks amazing.

Thank you so much for the kind and warm wishes

Originally Posted by pratyaksh

Do you mind sharing the Model year, Price, and Dealer.

I'll DM you.

Originally Posted by CarML

However, 15 years is just insane! Speaks volumes about the manufacturer's trust in their product.

Yes, it shows that a brand wants you to retain the car and enjoy it till you can whereby generally people would sell their cars in 3-5 years.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Exceptional, unbiased & detailed ownership reviews of cars have started going to our homepage reviews box.

Thanks Aditya. This is a brilliant filter for viewers to jump to the relevant page to scroll through their potential vehicles and gain some know-hows via these ownership reviews.

Cheers,
Amey

[Amey Kulkarni]

Hey Peeps,

So here's a quick update on the Cayenne GTS. She underwent a session for Dry ice Detailing post the Annual Service at Porsche.

What is Dry Ice Detailing?

Dry ice detailing is a cleaning and surface preparation technique that uses solid carbon dioxide pellets or micro particles, blasted at supersonic speeds, to lift dirt and contaminants off the car.

It is a non-abrasive, eco-friendly, and effective method that can recondition the car to look almost new. It can be used for various parts of the car, such as under the car, engine bays, wheel wells, leather and fabric interiors, and paint. It is a state-of-the-art process that is offered by only some detailing studios since it is an expensive investment as well as a costly affair for the detailing session.

Here's a video for illustration :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFSsiB-PrYw

Appended are BEFORE and AFTER pictures of the car and the results are astonishing to see.

BEFORE :

Front Right Side


Front Left Side


Rear Right Side


Front Left Door Side


Rear Right Door Side


Engine Bay with Engine Cover


Engine Bay without Engine Cover



AFTER :

Engine Bay with Engine Cover


Engine Bay


Front Right Side (Interior)


Close-up of the Steering Wheel


Front Left Wheel Side (Exterior)


Front Right Side


Front Left (PDLS Headlight)


Rear Right Side


Rear Left Side




Rear Left Wheel Side


Cheers,
Amey

[dmaheshkumar]

Car looks stunning.
White color after detailing is really looking great including the engine bay.

Hoping the cost will be on higher side.

[Amey Kulkarni]

Originally Posted by dmaheshkumar

Hoping the cost will be on higher side.

Thanks so much dmaheshkumar. The engine Bay was the game changer. I don’t care about the exterior, interior, any good detailing shop can pull that off but the level of detailing that went under the hood won my heart.

The cost as I understand does not come with a standard pricing, can vary depending on the car and its condition and thus the quote is provided after an inspection. But to answer your question, yes the cost is quite steep and in multiples compared to Ceramic coating.

Cheers
Amey