What's all this then?
This is the new Porsche Cayenne Turbo, a 550hp V8-engined SUV that made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It's the third Cayenne model to launch, less than a month after the standard Cayenne and Cayenne S were revealed. As you would expect, the Cayenne Turbo turns up the wick when compared to these 'standard' models.
Bit slow, is it?
Well there's an extra 30hp over the old Cayenne Turbo, so it's not going to hang about. There's also a 770Nm of torque, and it'll sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.1 seconds. This drops to a neck-snapping 3.9 secondss if you add the optional Sport Chrono pack that comes with launch control. Flat out, the Cayenne Turbo will do 177mph.
Blimey. Will it roll over in corners though? I've heard SUVs do that.
The last Cayenne Turbo didn't, and neither will this new one. The Cayenne borrows the active anti-roll system from the Audi SQ7 (the Cayenne shares its platform with the Q7, as well as the Bentley Bentayga), which uses a trick 48-volt electrical system to run it. There's air-suspension all round (with six selectable heights), an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and massive brakes which now have a tungsten-carbide coating on them to help their stopping power (and that's before you get to the carbon-ceramic brake option).
So, serious performance and serious handling. Bit of a stripped-out trackday special, is it?
Definitely not. There are big, comfy, high-backed 18-way adjustable seats up front, plus a massive new touchscreen infotainment system and a pumping 710-watt Bose sound system. Outside, you get special lights, wider wheelarches, and unique 21-inch wheels, all just for the Turbo version.
How much?
Prices start from £99,291 and deliveries start in April.
Neil Briscoe - 12 Sep 2017