New Porsche Cayenne SUV Specs, Photos & Price
There's an all-new 2019 Porsche Cayenne out there, which means there needs to be a new Cayenne Turbo. This is it, in all its big-mouthed, high-performance, 550-horsepower glory. The new Cayenne Turbo takes advantage of improvements made to the aluminum-intensive third-generation SUV. With a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making 567 lb-ft of torque, the new Turbo makes 30 more horses and 14 more lb-ft than the outgoing Turbo, good for a 3.9-second 0-60 sprint, or 3.7 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono package. Three-chamber active air dampers, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, and optional rear-axle steering liven up the dynamics; Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control 48-volt electric roll stabilization is also optional. A wide-mouth nose, bigger fender flares, twin-pipe exhaust and unique 21-inch wheels wearing staggered 285/40 front and 315/35 rear tires visually distinguish the Turbo from lesser Cayennes. Porsche Surface Coated Brakes, utilizing a tungsten-carbide-coated cast-iron disc, are standard; PCCB ceramics are optional. An adaptive roof spoiler adds rear-axle downforce and air-brake functionality as needed. Naturally, the new Cayenne Turbo's uprated capabilities set the stage for an even-hotter Cayenne Turbo S鈥攚hich will feature the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid drivetrain making up to 680 horsepower.
Areas where the Cayenne scored well with our staff included the gauge cluster and interior materials. Unlike most Porsches, which feature a larger tachometer front and center, the Cayenne uses five basic circular gauges. The central gauge includes fuel, engine temperature and an information display that can show such items as outside temperature, radio frequency and a digital speedometer. The next largest gauges are a tachometer and analog speedometer, with two smaller gauges on either side of these to show turbo boost and engine oil temperature. The entire setup could be viewed as a bit busy, but most staffers felt it was an effective layout for conveying a great deal of information. The fact that it had a very upscale, polished look only added to the effect (not that a 90,000 SUV should provide anything less, but the same effect can be had in the 55,900 Cayenne S). Interior materials were another high point in the Cayenne experience. The rocker switches that control the ride height and transfer case have a high-quality metallic look and feel, as do the illuminated rocker switches on the steering wheel for shifting the transmission.
The Havanna/Sand Beige leather and bright wood inserts within the dash and door panels were similarly well received. The stitched leather covering the dash and door panels also looks great. Less impressive was the CD-based navigation system and the lack of an in-dash CD changer. The sound system, like the drivetrain, was high on power, but lacking in ultimate refinement. When you start approaching 100,000 for an SUV, there should be no discernible issues to discuss (throttle response, seat comfort, a CD-based navigation system, etc.). It's easy for us to like the Cayenne Turbo 聴 despite its faults 聴 because we didn't have to buy it to drive it, and it did quite well during performance testing. For most of the Cayenne Turbo's likely buyers, money won't be an issue, so the vehicle's faults will quickly be forgiven by this group as well. But for anyone on a real budget, with real money to spend, this car doesn't make sense.
Not when the non-turbo version can be had for nearly half the price, and an FX45 can be had for less than half a Turbo's MSRP. At least Porsche is making a good chunk of profit on every Cayenne Turbo its dealers sell. If that helps fund continued company independence, as well as the development of Carrera GTs, so be it. Although it's true that money can't buy everything, sometimes it's enough to buy immunity from certain laws. The O.J. Simpson case is one rather grim example. Another, on a much different note, is Porsche's Cayenne Turbo. Yes, it's fast. Although, I don't mind saying I was expecting gobs of dizzying thrust and was slightly disappointed. The thing the car does well is provide abundant power that is always on tap. I found this to be especially great in more normal driving situations such as moderate traffic or open boulevards. The Cayenne is easy to place and gets you right to that opening in traffic quickly and effortlessly. I love the way you can switch between normal and Tiptronic mode without even thinking about it.