Yahoo Autos Porsche Cayenne gets a high-tech, driver-focused interior makeover
Porsche is preparing to give the Cayenne major updates inside and out. We haven't seen what the SUV looks like on the outside yet, but the Stuttgart-based company released the first official images of an interior redesigned with an eye on technology and driver involvement.
Designers drew inspiration from other members of the Porsche family, including the Taycan and the 911, to give the Cayenne's interior a nip-and-tuck. One of the biggest changes is found right between the front seats: the gear selector has moved from the center console to a panel neatly located between the digital instrument cluster and the infotainment system's touchscreen. It's much smaller than before — it looks a lot like the unit fitted to the current-generation 911 — and this shift allowed Porsche to redesign the center console. Still flanked by two handles, it now houses a glass surface with buttons used to adjust the climate control system, a more generously-sized storage bin and black trim.
The driver faces a redesigned, 911-inspired steering wheel and a curved, free-standing 12.6-inch digital instrument cluster. It's fully digital; Porsche got rid of the analog tachometer found in the current-generation Cayenne. There's no binnacle over the cluster, like in the Taycan, and the company explains an anti-glare filter ensures the information displayed is visible regardless of lighting conditions. Up to seven configurations are available; they range from a fairly classic layout with a central tachometer to a new, minimalist mode that Porsche created to reduce distractions.
While the infotainment system's 12.3-inch touchscreen remains embedded into the dashboard, there's now an additional (and optional) 10.9-inch display positioned in the front passenger's line of sight. This feature serves several purposes: On one hand, it lets the front passenger enter a destination into the navigation system or change the music so that the driver can stay focused on the road ahead. On the other hand, it also lets the front passenger stream videos and other digital content to pass the time. Porsche assures us that a special filter ensures the driver isn't able to see what's being displayed on the passenger-side touchscreen. There's no word yet on how much this option will cost. Look to the left of the new digital cluster and you'll see a new start/stop button instead of Porsche's traditional key-like twist fob sticking out. We'll dearly miss the lovely, tactile action of turning on Porsches if this is the direction for the future.
