Sitting in either contestant, I am happy. There is plenty of room for homo sapiens front and rear, and lateral seat support and overall comfort are outstanding while dicing up the aerodrome tarmac or mountain road. Cargo room at the normal setup goes to the Cayenne at 23.7 cubic feet, while seats down the ML 63 wins out at 72.4 cubed feet.
So, yes indeed, I hand it to the Porsche Cayenne Turbo this time around, but there are always a few touches where things can improve. A better sport exhaust option is needed, Sport Chrono Plus needs to be available right away, and that damned steering wheel needs to vanish from the portfolio.
The ML 63, for an aging model, still tugs the heart strings although it needs a redesign very soon, plus the all-new "M157" bi-turbo V8.
Basic message: Do not rest on your accomplishments, Porsche. AMG is charging hard in the next few years to dominate the German V8 kingdom.
2010 Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG
Layout
Longitudinal front engine, all-wheel drive
Engine
6.2-liter V8, dohc, 32-valve
Transmission
Seven-speed Direct Select with AMG Speedshift automatic
Suspension
Front: Independent double wishbone spring strut dampers with adjustable air suspension, antiroll bar; Rear: spring strut dampers with adjustable air suspension, multi-arm axle with bottom track control arm, antiroll bar
Brakes
Twin-circuit system with front-rear split; Front: Six-piston monoblock calipers, 15.4-inch rotors; Rear: Four-piston monoblock calipers, 14.4-inch rotors
Wheels and Tires
Cast two-piece alloy, 11x21
Pirelli P Zero Rosso, 295/35
MSRP: $91,050
Performance
Peak Power: 503 hp @ 6800 rpm
Peak Torque: 465 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.8 sec.
Top Speed: 155 mph
2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo
Layout
Longitudinal front engine,all-wheel drive
Engine
4.8-liter V8, dohc, 32-valve, twin-turbocharged
Transmission
Eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic
Suspension
Front: Spring strut dampers with PASM multi-adjustable air suspension, aluminium double track control arm axle, sway bar;
Rear: Spring strut dampers with PASM multi-adjustable air suspension, multi-arm axle with bottom track control arm, sway bar
Brakes
Twin-circuit system with front-rear split; Front: Six-piston monoblock calipers, 15.35-inch rotors; Rear: Four-piston monoblock calipers, 14.09-inch rotors
Wheels and Tires
Cast two-piece alloy, 8.5x18
Michelin Latitude Tour HP, 265/50
MSRP: $104,800
Performance
Peak Power: 493 hp @ 6000 rpm
Peak Torque: 516 lb-ft @ 2250 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.4 sec.
Top Speed: 173 mph