A question: Is it possible to build a single car that is outstanding at everything we ask cars to do, and what would it cost to do so?
The answer: Almost. And, $180,800. Plus a $1,350 delivery fee.
That’s the cost of the new 2022 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT – an SUV with SUV storage space, a high seating position to see over traffic, and a 0-to-60 mph time a tenth of a second faster than a 2022 Porsche 911 GT3. You’ll probably never catch one off-road rock crawling. But, with all-wheel-drive and a traction-management system with settings for mud and ice, it’s not out of the question.
Porsche unveiled the Cayenne Turbo GT today, after months of rumors that the company was working on an ultra-high-performance version of its midsize SUV. The rumors weren’t wrong. Porsche says, “the Cayenne Turbo GT is available to order now and will roll into dealerships in mid-September 2021.”
One of the Fastest SUVs Ever Built
The Cayenne Turbo GT boasts a 0-60 mph time of 3.1 seconds (with the optional sport Chrono package – it’s about a tenth of a second slower without), putting it into a fistfight with the Lamborghini Urus and Tesla Model X Plaid for the title of quickest sport utility ever built. Speed tops out at 186 mph.
A Powerful Engine
That all comes thanks to a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 putting out 631 horsepower. “The V8 of the Turbo GT differs from that of the Turbo Coupé in fundamental elements such as its crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, timing chain drive, and torsional vibration dampers,” Porsche says.
Power goes through an 8-speed Triptronic S automatic transmission that Porsche has reworked for this vehicle. The company claims this is its fastest-shifting transmission. All four wheels are controlled by the Porsche Traction Management system.
A Chassis Tuned for the Track
But the Cayenne Turbo GT isn’t just about straight-line speed. To improve handling, Porsche says, “the rigidity of the three-chamber air suspension has been increased by up to 15%, and the damper characteristics of the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), as well as the application of the Power Steering Plus and rear-axle steering, have also been adapted.” It all rides on 22-inch high-performance Pirelli tires. Enormous carbon-ceramic brakes do their best to stop them. They are 17.1 inches in the front and 16.3 inches in the rear.
The exhaust system is built from titanium and weighs 40 pounds less than that of the standard Cayenne. It’s mounted down the center of the vehicle. That means there’s at least one thing the Cayenne GT Turbo can’t do – mount a tow hitch.
Lots of Carbon Fiber
You’ll be able to tell a Cayenne Turbo GT from other Cayenne models easily. It comes only in the confusingly-named 4-seat Coupé body style. A carbon fiber roof (to save weight), black fenders, and a reshaped front fascia with larger air intakes are exclusive to the Turbo GT. A carbon fiber rear diffuser and titanium exhaust tips complete the racy look at the rear. “The carbon side plates fitted lengthwise to the roof spoiler are GT-specific, as is the adaptively extendable rear spoiler’s lip,” Porsche says.
Lots of Alcantara
Inside, you’ll find much of the northern hemisphere’s Alcantara. The grippy faux-suede covers the 8-way adjustable sport seats, dash, and steering wheel. That wheel has a yellow 12 o-clock marking. Porsche’s new Porsche Communication Management 6.0 system controls the big central touchscreen. The Cayenne Turbo GT seats four. The center rear seat is taken up by an additional storage bin and extra bolstering so your aggressive cornering doesn’t throw your passengers around too much.
A Statement in Internal Combustion
The automotive world is moving steadily toward electric cars, and while Porsche has said it won’t give up completely on gasoline-powered engines, the company does pledge to be carbon-neutral and mostly electric by 2030. The 2022 Cayenne Turbo GT feels like something of a magnum opus in gasoline. As it moves toward lightning-fast EVs like the Taycan and Taycan Gran Turismo, Porsche has shown everything it can do with fire under the hood.
