Porsche Injects 911 Power Into The Cayenne

By Anthony Fontanelle

Porsche AG, the maker of remarkable supercars, has decided to inject more 911 power into the Cayenne in the form of a new variant called the GTS. The new variant will be unveiled next week at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The performance-oriented Cayenne is based on the S variant but is lowered by nearly an inch. The Cayenne GTS features the advanced Porsche Active Suspension Management system in combination with steel springs. The system features a suspension setup that was previously reserved for Porsche's cars only. To enhance the handling, the German automaker is also offering the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control active anti-roll system and optional air suspension.
The S' direct injected 4.8-liter V-8 gets a timely boost to the tune of an additional 20hp, bringing its output to 405. Torque, however, remains unaltered at 369 lb-ft. The GTS comes standard with a six-speed manual, with a Tiptronic automatic optional. Aside from the engine and other systems, the new variant also flaunts enhanced auto parts that are far from the aged Porsche 924 radiator.

The Cayenne GTS is fitted with the Turbo's front and rear fascias and rides on 21-inch wheels. It comes in two distinct colors: Nordic Gold Metallic and GTS Red. The colors are in addition to the existing colors available throughout the Cayenne Range. Inside are new 12-way adjustable sports seats upholstered in a mix of leather and Alcantara.

The Cayenne, a mid-size luxury sport utility, has been built since 2002. The SUV is the first V8 engined vehicle built by the German automaker since 1995, when the 928 was discontinued. According to the automaker, the sportiest of Porsche sport utilities, comes as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox and a shorter axle drive ratio than the Cayenne S. The GTS can thus accelerate from zero to 100km/h in just 6.1 seconds - precisely 0.5 seconds quicker than the Cayenne S.

The new Cayenne GTS, positioned above the S, but below the Turbo, is instantly identifiable: the front and rear look similar as the Turbo, and the 14mm wheel-arch enlargements offer plenty of space for the standard 21-inch alloy rims.

The new Cayenne, with Tiptronic S transmission, has an average consumption of 13.9 liters/100 km in accordance with EU standards, the automaker added. The Cayenne GTS will go on sale in February. In Germany, it will cost 76,725 Euros including 19 percent VAT and country-specific requirements. The base price is 64,300 Euros. The base price for the USA is $69,300 - $11,400 more than the S variant.

With a sticker price like that, the automaker is still all the wage. Porsche is anticipated to remain as the much-adored car of higher earners. The Glasgow Daily Record reported that the 2007 "Rich Car List" shows Porsche keeping the top spot from last year, followed by, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Saab, Audi, Jeep, BMW, Smart and Alfa Romeo.

Craig Staniland of swiftcover.com explained: "The car is a status symbol but smaller and greener cars are becoming popular with higher income earners."