Can You Flat Tow A Porsche Cayenne?
Flat towing or dinghy towing is the preferred method of towing when you need to bring a smaller vehicle behind your motorhome.
Here, you tow your car with all four wheels on the ground. The challenge with dinghy towing is that your vehicle’s transmission system may not get lubricated enough.
Granted, most vehicles cannot be dinghy towed. Without dinghy towing, other methods require more and bulkier accessories that your motorhome may not have the capacity of the space for. Can a Porsche Cayenne be flat towed?
Can You Flat Tow A Porsche Cayenne?
You cannot tow a Porsche Cayenne with all four wheels on the ground. If you do so, you will damage the vehicle’s transmission system. In some circumstances, you can tow the vehicle with wheels lifted, but most of the time you’ll need a flatbed trailer to tow a Porsche Cayenne.
While this may not be the most ideal method to pull a vehicle behind a motorhome, it is an easy way to get the vehicle rolling behind the motorhome.
How To Tow a Porsche Cayenne Behind a Motorhome
Because Porsche recommends that you only tow the Cayenne with all four wheels off the ground, you need a car trailer or a flatbed trailer to make that happen.
A car trailer is a trailer with four wheels meant to lift and hold the Cayenne off the ground. You will haul the vehicle when it is completely off the ground, which is great because it minimizes the wear and tear on your vehicle parts.
Most of the car trailers can accommodate at least 5,000 pounds, which means that you can tow small as well as large vehicles on top of them.
The main advantage of car trailers is that they will protect your car tires from wear and tear. This is important when you are going on a long-distance adventure. Again, the method does not put any mileage on your Cayenne.
The method is safe for your car and safe for you when you are hauling. Because a Cayenne is a heavy vehicle at 4,740 pounds, you need to have brakes on the trailer for safety on the road.
You also need to connect the lighting system of your motorhome to those of the flatbed trailer.
Unlike when you are flat towing a vehicle, using a car trailer doesn’t require complex settings or placing the vehicle’s transmission on neutral. Instead, you only need a ramp and to secure the car on the bed for safe towing.
Why is Flat Towing Better Than Using a Car Hauler?
Car haulers are expensive. If you compare the cost of the equipment you need to tow your Cayenne with all four on the ground and those you need to tow it with all four off the ground, you will prefer the former.
To flat tow a vehicle, you only need a tow bar and a baseplate and a few other accessories. When using a car hauler, the main investment is the car hauler itself. You can choose not to buy a car trailer and rent one from a local company.
Renting will be a cheaper option if you do not travel often. However, if you are ever on the road, and you travel for many days, you may need to invest in a car hauler.
If the car was flat towable, all you needed would be a tow bar and a baseplate. These two items will not cost you much, and they are easy to use.
There is another challenge with a flatbed trailer; you may not find the space to keep once you get to the campsite. If the campsite has a small space, the car hauler becomes something you do not want to have.
Again, the trailer adds to the weight of your Cayenne. Trailers can be as heavy as 2,800 pounds with the average weight being about 1,900 pounds.
Your motorhome will have to pull the weight of the trailer and that of the Cayenne; which is about 6,640 pounds or more, depending on how much the trailer weighs.
However, when done right, using a car hauler is still a great way to pull a Cayenne behind a motorhome. Ensure you observe all the safety precautions. You also need to consider the rules and laws of towing using a car hauler in your state.
If you will travel into a different state, consider their laws too. This way, you never have to worry about being on the wrong side of the law.
Why The Porsche Cayenne Is Still Worth Considering
Porsche Cayenne offers midsize SUV luxury. With its dynamic handling, the Porsche Cayenne is your go-to SUV when you need a vehicle to explore cities. There are several engine options to choose from to meet the needs of different drivers.
The based engine is a turbocharged 3.0L six-cylinder engine that generates 355 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. This engine is in the base trim.
The E-Hybrid trim combines the turbocharged 3.0L six-cylinder engine with an electric motor to generate a total of 455 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. This hybrid car has an all-electric range of 14 miles.
The S trim is a sportier version of the Porsche Cayenne. This model runs on a turbocharged 2.9L six-cylinder engine that generates 434 horsepower and 405-pound feet of torque.
If you go for the 2021 model, you can choose the GTS trim, which runs on turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine that makes 453 horsepower and 457-pound feet of torque. The Turbo trim has the same engine as the GTS, but this one makes 541 horsepower and 567 pound-feet of torque.
The Turbo S E-Hybrid pairs the engine on the Turbo with an electric motor and makes 670 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque. This Turbo SE Hybrid offers up to 12 miles of all-electric range.
Porsche Cayenne offers luxury with features such as:
- LED headlights
- Navigation system
- 12.4-inch touchscreen
- Apple CarPlay
- Ambient lighting
- Partial leather upholstery
- Power adjustable front seats
- Power liftgate
- 10-speaker sound system
- 4 USB-C ports
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Front, rear parking sensors
- Forward collision mitigation
These features are in the base trim. As you move higher up the trims, you will come across even better features. The E-Hybrid has features such as adaptive suspension dampers and Sport Chrono package that offers additional performance menus.
The sporty S trim comes with a power steering package that gives you a speed-sensitive steering response. It also has a panoramic sunroof.
The GTS offers adaptive LED headlights, upgraded brakes, faux-suede headliner, 14-speaker Bose Surround-sound system, heated front leather seats, leather upholstery, and power-adjustable steering wheel.
If you pick the Turbo S E-Hybrid, you will enjoy the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, which offers improved cornering.
There are several packages to make the lower trims better. If you have one of the lower trims, Porsche allows you to upgrade the interior, the exterior, the steering, the speaker system, the front seat ventilation, and add extra safety features such as a 360-degree camera system.
Can You Modify a Porsche Cayenne for Flat Towing?
We do not recommend any modifications to the transmission system, especially if your Cayenne is still new. If you modify the car, you will void the warranty, and this means you will be on your own in case of any manufacturer defects.
Again, these modifications can be costly, and it may not be a guarantee that you can flat tow your vehicle safely.
If you still want to flat tow your Cayenne, talk to your dealer and your mechanic about flat towing the non-hybrid models. Usually, the modifications include adding lube pumps and driveshaft decouplers.
Note that, you cannot flat tow any hybrid models. If you do, the batteries will overcharge and this will lead to their damage. You also cannot tow them with two wheels on the ground as it still causes the battery to overcharge.
Like the manufacturer recommends, go for a flat bed and tow your Cayenne the right way.
Towing A Porsche Cayenne
The best way to tow a Porsche Cayenne is on a car hauler with all four wheels off the ground. You will find it easier to tow a car like this except that you have to pay more for the flatbed trailer.
You can rent a trailer online and make the towing less expensive. If you still think that you should flat tow, talk to your dealer or your mechanic about aftermarket add-ons. Every modification on your vehicle should be done with so much care and by a skilled mechanic.
If not done right, the modification can lead to damage on your vehicle. Before you tow your Cayenne, check the user manual. In there, Porsche details the best way to tow your Cayenne safely.
If you follow the instructions outlined on the manual, your SUV will be safe.