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Porsche Cayenne GTS, base models revealed ahead of LA

Porsche unveiled a slew of refreshed Cayennes just a few months ago, but the base model (right) and high-performance GTS trim (above) were conspicuously absent from that list. There's no more reason to wonder about them, though, because the German brand plans to unveil both at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19.
Sitting below the Turbo in the lineup, the latest GTS still offers plenty of performance. It drops the previous version's naturally aspirated V8 in favor of a tuned version of the twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 from the Cayenne S for some added oomph. The tweaks bring power up to 440 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to rocket the model to 62 miles per hour in an estimated 5.2 seconds. The bump also equates to 20 hp and 39 lb-ft more than the current S and more importantly 20 hp and 62 lb-ft more than the previous GTS, according to Porsche.
In addition to the extra muscle, Porsche also decks the GTS out with some added features. It comes with a standard sport exhaust and Porsche Active Suspension Management system with an air suspension lets the chassis sit about three-quarters of an inch lower (20 millimeters). To bring things to a halt, the high-performance models also takes its brakes from the Turbo model.

Our love of SUVs is killing people in the streets

Americans are fond of supersized fast-food meals and colossal convenience-store fountain drinks, even though they're clearly bad for our health and U.S. adults keep getting fatter. We also like large vehicles, and our love affair with SUVs is killing people in the streets. According to a recent investigation by the Detroit Free Press/USA Today, the increase in SUV sales over the past several years coincides with a sharp rise in pedestrian deaths in the U.S. — up 46 percent since 2009, with nearly 6,000 people killed in 2016 alone. With SUV sales surpassing sedans in 2014 and pickups and SUVs currently accounting for 60 percent of new vehicle sales, it's no wonder Ford announced in April plans to cease U.S. sales of almost all passenger cars. And this followed Fiat Chrysler's move to virtually an all-truck, -SUV and -crossover lineup. While the Freep/USA Today investigation found that the simultaneous surge in SUV sales and pedestrian deaths comes down to vehicle size, it also points to a lack of action on the part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), even though it knew of the dangers SUVs pose to pedestrians. Also blamed are automakers dragging their feet on implementing active safety features. Using federal accident data, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) determined that there was an 81 percent increase in single-vehicle pedestrian fatalities involving SUVs between 2009 and 2016. Freep/USA Today's analysis of the same data by counting vehicles that struck and killed pedestrians instead of the number of people killed showed a 69 percent increase in SUV involvement. As far back as 2001, researchers at Rowan University forecasted a rise in pedestrian deaths as Americans began switching to SUVs. "In the United States, passenger vehicles are shifting from a fleet populated primarily by cars to a fleet dominated by light trucks and vans," the researchers wrote, with light trucks comprising SUVs.

Porsche calling in two Cayennes

We regularly see recalls addressing all manner of problems (or potential problems) affecting any number of vehicles: hundreds, thousands, even millions. Some are too small to bother reporting, but once in a while one comes along that's so ridiculously small that we couldn't pass it over. Like this latest one from Porsche. "Due to a manufacturing error," says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the notice below, "the suspension alignment on the front and rear axles may not have been performed correctly and the screw connections of the camber, toe and caster may not have been tightened with the specified torque." The recall affects the 2015 Cayenne... but just how many of them, you ask? Two. Not two hundred, not two thousand, but two: one Cayenne Diesel and one Cayenne S, manufactured between November 26 and... November 27, 2014. That very well might make this the most methodically German recall in the history of recalls. If you happen to be the owner of one of those two vehicles, expect to hear from Porsche with instructions to bring your Cayenne in to have the suspension re-aligned and the screws tightened. RECALL Subject : Front and Rear Alignment may be Incorrect Report Receipt Date: DEC 29, 2014 NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V824000 Component(s): SUSPENSION Potential Number of Units Affected: 2 Manufacturer: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. SUMMARY: Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (Porsche) is recalling certain model year 2015 Cayenne Diesel and Cayenne S vehicles manufactured November 26, 2014, to November 27, 2014. Due to a manufacturing error, the suspension alignment on the front and rear axles may not have been performed correctly and the screw connections of the camber, toe and caster may not have been tightened with the specified torque. CONSEQUENCE: If the suspension alignment was incorrectly performed, vehicle handling could be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash. REMEDY: Porsche will notify owners, and dealers will perform a front and rear suspension alignment, and check the screw connections for the proper torque, retightening as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification date. Owners may contact Porsche customer service at 1-800-767-7243. Porsche's number for this recall is AF04. NOTES: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.