Agile Porsche Cayenne GTS Exploration: Road Test Insights
Big and heavy, the Porsche Cayenne might seem, especially the GTS edition. But it boldly backs up 'Sport' before 'Utility Vehicle'. It boasts sporty aesthetics, not just on the straights.
Porsche strips off the fog light and emphasizes the 'S' in SUV with the Cayenne. Already dynamic among the heavyweights, the last derivative after the facelift, the swift Germans, now launch another GTS into the race, fitting sports shoes onto the SUV. For 142,000 Euro for the Sport Utility Vehicle (145,300 Euro for the Coupe), you can rev your engine a bit higher and carve through corners more engagingly on winding roads.
Under the hood, there's a four-liter V8 engine that's bulked up during the facelift: with new mono-scroll injectors, higher injection pressure, and new software, the power output increases by 40 hp to 500 PS, and the torque peak now stands at 660 Nm.
Dashes from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds
Performance-wise, it performs: in 4.4 seconds, it rockets from 0 to 100 km/h under the resonant and unmistakable sound of eight cylinders and depending on the model variant, two or even four exhaust pipes with a diameter of 102 mm. The dashboard now displays a new speed limit of 275 km/h.
To dub any lingering doubts, there's now a separate display for passengers. It automatically clarifies any queries that might arise. Sure, one could stream Netflix & Co., but that would be pretty pointless during actual driving.
It's not just the engine that gives the GTS a thrill. After all, turbos and such are much stronger. But it's mainly the combination of the muscular V8 engine with an extensively fine-tuned chassis that fuels the adrenaline rush and underlines the 'S' in the model name.
Behemoth turns into a corner conqueror
The standard air suspension is now a centimeter lower, the dampers respond faster, the steering wheel is smaller and offers a better grip, the transmission ratio is shorter, the all-wheel-drive clutch is specifically tuned, and the front axle of the discontinued Turbo GT is lowered for sharper steering - the behemoth feels compacted to the size of the Macan and morphs into a corner conqueror.
Only then do design adjustments become truly appreciated, because they serve both form and function. No, a few carbon stripes wouldn't actually lighten the load and alter the driving behavior. And the red stitching on the seats does not make the Cayenne any quicker. But it does provide better support in the sports seats, enabling better control over the beast.
When the delightfully wide boundaries eventually end, and the last millimeters are counted, you'll want to have the car in your hands. After all, the Cayenne GTS is a pricy pleasure - it costs around 20,000 Euro more than the similarly performing Cayenne S.
Porsche Cayenne GTS - technical specifications
- Upper class SUV, Length: 4.93 meters, Width: 1.98 meters (Width with mirrors: 2.19 meters), Height: 1.67 meters, Wheelbase: 2.90 meters, Cargo volume: 656-1708 liters
- Upper class SUV-Coupe, Length: 4.93 meters, Width: 1.99 meters (Width with mirrors: 2.19 meters), Height: 1.65 meters, Wheelbase: 2.90 meters, Cargo volume: 554-1502 liters
- 4.0-liter four-cylinder turbo; 368 kW/500 PS, maximum torque: 660 Nm, All-wheel drive, Eight-speed double-clutch transmission, 0-100 km/h: 4.4 s, Top speed: 275 km/h, Fuel consumption: 12.6 - 13.3 liters/100 kilometers, CO2 emissions: 287-303 g/km, Emission standard: Euro 6d, Efficiency class: G
- Price: from 142,000 Euro (145,300 Euro Coupe)
