The new and refreshed Cayenne Turbo is, as expected, mouth-watering. Inheriting new visual updates like the broad strip of a taillight, an enormous dash, the stylish gauge cluster like the one found in the new Panamera, there’s plenty to salivate over. However, this stylish people carrier is more than an attractive item to park in front of the tennis club. It turns out to be a very quick, very tech-heavy, and surprisingly capable sports car, too.
Need to Know:
- Optional rear wheel-steering
- Downsized engine: now utilizing a 4.0-liter V8 making 550 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque.
- Clever roll stabilization system.
- Optional ceramic brakes.
Porsche employs a new 48-volt architecture to power the Cayenne’s sophisticated suspension system, which is said to be so good at offering both flat cornering and compliance over surface undulations, it might be off-putting to people expecting a more traditional feel. The slightly alien sensation of a high-riding SUV cornering with next to no roll, coupled with the plush ride offered by three-chamber air shocks, makes the new Cayenne Turbo one of the few machines truly suited for both long hauls and backroad blitzes. Additionally, when a little more traction is needed off the paved road, the electronic sway bars can effectively decouple for control on a rocky path.
As you’ll see in the video above, much of the Cayenne’s athleticism comes from the giant Pirellis it wears, making the Porsche nimble in ways that most SUVs aren’t. However, as the tires are performance oriented, they hamper most of the Cayenne’s formidable off-roading capabilities. Not that many Cayenne Turbo owners are going to go flat out across a sodden field, but there’s a point at which these ultra-fast SUVs could be criticized for their lack of off road usability. Is this machine the ultimate blend of performance and luxury?