As we’ve said on these pages before, Porsche cars tend to evolve rather than experience radical changes. Lately the legendary German brand has been updating their range of full-size Cayenne sport utility vehicles (SUV) and the last to get the treatment is the GTS. This abbreviation stands for Gran Turismo Sport, a designation that involves an extra dose of dynamism and long-distance capability.
At its core, the Cayenne is both a high-performance sports car and an all-terrain SUV. However, in this instance for the GTS models, this balance has traditionally shifted towards improved on-road capability. With a powerful drive system, precise tuning and an exclusive design, the new Cayenne GTS remains true to this principle while remaining suited to everyday use. Most intriguing of all, there’s also now a four-door coupé-style variant (see our pictures).
The Exterior
All of Porsche’s GTS models are recognisable thanks to their unique, sporty design. On the Cayenne GTS this includes black ‘GTS’ lettering on the sides and rear of the car, a special front end with bigger cooling air intakes, dark-tinted headlights and tail lights, and red brake callipers.
Typically Porsche, by keeping with this classic design DNA it gives the car that instantly recognisable Porsche look, but with a few innovations on this model. Body attachments such as the side skirts, front inlays, side window trims and wheel arch extensions, which all form part of the standard Sport Design package, are now manufactured in High-Gloss Black. On previous GTS models, some of these body parts were body coloured. In contrast, the sports exhaust system tailpipes, which previously came in Black, are now finished in a dark bronze tone. To further enhance the design portfolio of the Porsche GTS models, twenty-one inch RS ‘Spyder-design’ wheels are fitted and finished in anthracite grey. In addition to the Sport Design package, dark-tinted HD matrix LED headlights and air suspension are also included.
The Cayenne GTS Coupé version also includes a fixed panoramic roof in glass, as standard, as well as an adaptive extending rear spoiler. If desired, the dynamic feel of the Coupé can be heightened even further with a Sports exhaust system with centrally positioned tailpipes in dark bronze. This is available as part of the three different lightweight sports packages. These also include a lightweight roof and a carbon rear diffuser, as well as reduced insulation.
Underneath The Handsome Body
Hidden from view, there’s a precisely honed, GTS-specific chassis, lowered by 10mm, an exciting development for the Cayenne GTS. Looking a little deeper still, the car is now equipped with adaptive air suspension as standard, including Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus. All chassis components and control systems, such as Porsche Traction Management and the optional Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control are specifically designed on this model for optimal on-road performance. Doesn’t mean that a little light off-roading is out of the question though.
The Interior
Not much changes in Porsche Land, so the interior holds few surprises; it’s always been brilliant. That said, there’s a few choice extras. The Cayenne GTS now features a heated GT sports steering wheel as standard. The high-quality material ‘Race-Tex’ can also be found throughout the car. This suede-like fabric covers the roof lining, armrests and door panels, as well as the centre panels of the eight-way-adjustable sports seats.
The side bolsters have been further raised to offer even more lateral support when cornering. Two alternative, GTS-specific interior packages in Carmine Red or Slate Grey Neo (at a later date) are also available from Porsche for a more customised look. The new GTS models benefit from the recent comprehensive product upgrade for the Cayenne, which includes the new Porsche Driver Experience with a curved digital instrument cluster as standard and an optional passenger display. the model also features a Bose surround sound system for your tunes and an ambient lighting arrangement.
The Drive
It is probably enough to say that this car is a Porsche, so a great drive is assured. Prospective buyers though, using the MHH International export service from the UK to global destinations like Kenya, Ireland, New Zealand and the Caribbean would undoubtedly like a little more meat on the bones.
In addition to the finely tuned chassis as above, the charismatic Porsche power is another important feature of the Cayenne GTS. It’s a 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8, developed in-house and it has undergone extensive technical revision. This has resulted in efficiency gains and a significant increase in performance: the engine now produces 493bhp (500 PS) of power – an increase of 39 bhp (40 PS) compared to the previous model. This makes more of a difference than you might think. The maximum torque is now 660 Nm. There’s also a revised eight-speed ‘Tiptronic S’ transmission noticeably improving the driving performance through shorter response and shift times in Sport and Sport Plus modes.
In combination, these features give the four-door sports SUV truly remarkable performance. The Cayenne GTS accelerates from 0 to 62mph (100 km/h) in a crisp 4.4 seconds. The top speed is 170mph (275 km/h). A further technical innovation is that the transfer box for the all-wheel drive Porsche Traction Management now features an independent water cooling circuit. This technology is also adopted from the high-performance Turbo GT model. It stabilises the continuous load capacity – for example when tackling track driving or navigating mountain routes. No change there then.
The new Porsche Cayenne GTS is available to order now with deliveries in the Summer of this year. Find out more about purchasing this or any Porsche model currently available by getting in touch with MHH International and enquiring about our VAT-free export service.
