2005 Porsche Cayenne 4.5s

The Cayenne for sale here is an example of one of the first-launched models - the Cayenne S - which is powered by a 4.5-litre V8 delivering 340bhp and 310 lb.ft of torque. When new, acceleration to 60mph was stated as 6.9s and on to a possible top speed of 150mph.

The first buyer of this car, believed to be an executive of the Rio Tinto Group - who took delivery from Porsche Hatfield on 24 January 2005 - specified the six-speed manual gearbox which is now something of a rarity and may suit a driver who wants to be more engaged and “stir the pot” whilst driving.

The current owner and vendor is a collector and occasional dealer who bought the Cayenne to sell on due to its rarity, condition and low mileage. He’s had to do very little to it to make it ready for sale aside from what is mentioned in the History Highlights section below.

Overall, the outside of this car looks very tidy with few noticeable issues in either the Titanium Metallic finish or the underlying bodywork. The paint finish on the offside rear door looks a little flat in comparison to the adjacent surfaces - perhaps indicating a repair and respray at some point in the past. Also, the chrome effect on the B pillars is showing a few age-related speckles.

The 18-inch original specification vaned five-spoke alloy wheels are in reasonable order but show some minor damage in places and the Porsche shield centre caps are present but a little worn. All wheels are fitted with Pirelli Scorpion Zero tyres - except for the front offside which has what looks like new Roadstone-branded rubber.

Behind the wheels, the originally silver brake calipers are looking a little discoloured but this could likely be addressed with a good clean.

If some of you are thinking that the car seems to be sitting a little high and are concerned for the air suspension - worry not - all is functioning correctly. When some of the photos were taken the ride height was set to max on the dial wheel by the gearstick.

The interior is a combination of stone grey leather fully electric sports seats and steel grey carpets and trim, with door, dash and console trim inserts in dark burr maple veneer which all present in a good, clean condition.

Most cars these days come with a cluttered multi-function steering wheel, so it makes a nice change to see such a simple one with only a few functions; steer the car, toot the horn and, if the first two don’t work, deploy the airbag! Although through all that you can have warm hands as it’s also heated.

The original Becker infotainment unit includes radio, multi-CD, telephone, navigation and trip computer and is connected to Bose surround sound speakers throughout the vehicle.

A nice “executive” period touch is the mobile phone handset with curly-cord docked in the centre armrest. Although this piece of corded communications technology isn’t perhaps as dated as it appears, it was only two years later that the first Apple iPhone was launched.

The vendor reports that all interior equipment is working, although it’s probable that the UK’s cellular phone network has moved on somewhat since 2005 so the phone may now be a different kind of conversation starter.

The car comes with Porsche fabric floor mats front and rear as well as a rubber mat for additional protection in the driver’s footwell. Carpets underneath appear in good condition.

Under the bonnet the engine bay is clean, tidy and well-presented with mechanicals and ancillaries in an apparently very good condition - the underside of the bonnet lid itself appears immaculate. Underneath the car floor pans, covers and suspension components are also very clean and tidy and nothing appears to be corroded or damaged. The exhaust system too seems in good fettle.

Inside the load space or boot, the carpets and liners seem intact and in good order. The integrated pull up partition net and load space cover are present and undamaged and function as expected.

Under the floor carpet is a space-saver spare wheel fitted with a Vredestein collapsible tyre along with a tyre inflator and basic toolkit. Behind the side covers are a warning triangle, CD multichanger unit and some top-up oil and Porsche window cleaning fluid.

Whilst inspections in person are encouraged, they are still not a straightforward endeavour so why not use the ‘Contact Seller’ option and get in touch with the vendor. You could arrange for either photos of specific features you’d like to see or even a video call to direct your inspection in real time.

This Cayenne’s online MOT history shows a full marks 100% first-time pass rate from its initial MOT in 2008 right up until May 2020 when it passed with no advisories. This record also serves to document and validate the car’s low 37k mileage and shows that the current test certificate is valid until mid May 2021.

The service record shows periodic but irregular routine oil-change servicing with 5 stamps in the book from a mix of Official Porsche Centres and specialists.

There are a few invoices with the car for parts purchased and work done recently. A new clutch assembly was fitted back in March 2020 and the car supplied with a new Bosch battery and new number plates a few weeks ago in May 2020.

The vendor reports that the Cayenne S drives really well. He’s keen to point out that whilst it can go fast and powerful or slow and smooth - however you choose to drive it - it is still an SUV so you shouldn’t expect sports car handling.

Although Porsche Cayenne S’s of this age typically sit well below five figures, they are almost exclusively automatics and mostly over 100,000 miles. So we think this low mileage and well-presented rare manual will sell for between £9,000 and £14,000.

If you’re looking for a tidy, sporting-pedigree car for trips or weekends away with the family but have always fancied driving a manual Porsche, or would just like an early example of this game-changing model - this Cayenne S will solidly tick all the boxes.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located near Westbury in Wiltshire; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.