New technology developed for motorsports is often transferred from the racetrack to the road. But one piece of technology literally makes or breaks a model on or off the racetrack – brakes.
This concept is no stranger to the engineers at Porsche. A pioneer of several varieties of braking systems, the debut of the Porsche Surface Coated Brakes (PSCB) with the third generation of the Cayenne pulled out all the stops and was a worldwide first.
The PSCB played a vital role in the expanding range of Porsche, offering the middle ground between standard iron brakes and the lightweight race-derived ceramics. The century-old idea of tungsten tool hardening applied perfectly to drivers looking for performance-oriented anchors without the penalty of a serious price increase.
What exactly is the Porsche Surface Coated Brakes?
The development of the PSCB did not just fall from the sky – it was a long road to get to the inception of this revolutionary braking technology that gives drivers an edge in performance along with reduced wear and dust production over the standard-fitted iron rotors.
Clean as a whistle
Laser technology and high-precision, automated production processes for a new type of disc are one thing. Pads with the right composite to work in synergy to create a higher friction coefficient is another. An overly soft pad would wear down too quickly at high disc speeds, which resulted in the addition of microscopic particles to the brake pads that penetrate the tungsten carbide coating for added disc cling.
While the brake engineers at Porsche were confident of the brake, first tests of the PSCB still surpassed expectations. The hard components of the pad throw out their microscopic anchors when greater stopping power is needed at high speeds.
Stable braking even under extreme stress
Not only do these brakes carry the high-performing quality synonymous with Porsche, they are visually eye-catching as well. It acquires a smooth and distinctive reflective surface as the pads polish the tungsten-carbide coating on the disc surface which develops a mirror surface that is hard to resist after approximately 600 to 700 km of driving.
With decades-long of motorsport heritage in the pocket, race track technology feels at home in all our Porsche models. The PSCB – a perfect combination of performance, aesthetics and cost-effectiveness is available as an option for all new Cayenne models. With less brake dust generated and minimal disc wear, there is an increased friction coefficient that consequently translates to improved responsiveness. offering even more stable breaking even under heavy loads.