CKD Porsche Cayenne Open For Booking , Deliveries From March 2022

Porsche, through exclusive distributors Sime Darby Auto Performance, has officially started accepting orders for locally assembled units of their Cayenne sports SUV with the base model now costing RM550,000 (inclusive of taxes and duties) instead of the range’s previous starting price of RM665,000 when it arrived fully imported from Slovakia.

Naturally, this RM115,000 reduction in price is due to the CKD transition of this particular Porsche model, but also attributable to the ongoing SST exemption period that has recently been extended to June 30th, 2022. Again, this is a pretty major departure from the German marque’s usual ways, which has historically never had cars produced outside Europe until now.

With Malaysia being the first country to break through this geographical barrier and more Porsche vehicles and variants expected to roll out from an advanced assembly plant in Kulim, Kedah set up with long time partners Sime Darby, it's perceived as a significant marker of confidence in the growth of the country’s automotive market.

Currently, with deliveries slated to begin from March 2022, only the entry-level ‘Cayenne’ is offered with this treatment. And as far as well can tell, there isn’t much on-paper difference (if any) between these incoming locally assembled units and the fully imported ones sold prior.

This variant is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine that pumps out 340PS and 450Nm via an 8-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission and active all-wheel-drive system, yielding a 0-100km/h sprint of just 6.2 seconds. As a nice bonus, each CKD Cayenne is also fitted as standard with items that were previously only available as additional-cost extras.

These include its 21-inch RS Spyder design alloy wheels (a nearly RM14,000 add-on by itself), Park Assist surround-view camera, 14-way power-adjustable front seats, and a 14-speaker 710W Bose Surround Sound system (previously a RM5,400 add-on).

Other standard equipment highlights on the CKD Porsche Cayenne include LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System, quad-zone climate control, adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), and Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system with Porsche Connect online services alongside Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

For an additional RM58,000, buyers can also opt for the Exclusive Manufaktur package, which adds an exterior SportDesign package, sports exhaust system, dark-tinted LED headlights, LED door projector lights, and a matching vehicle key (to exterior colour).

That said, however, what isn’t too impressive is the very limited spread of exterior colours. Just 3 are available: Carrara White, Jet Black Metallic, and Quartzite Grey Metallic.

Miscellaneous extras are also on hand to be selected before confirming the booking, such as a luggage net, all-weather floor mats, and bicycle rack including a roof transport system. There’s also a Porsche Design Timepiece to tempt you for a cool RM38,888.