I like my Porsche Cayennes like I like my men; powerful with dad-bods and plenty of miles on the odometer. Porsche is serving up a monster Cayenne to compete with the likes of the Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX. that is rumoured to deliver around 631 horsepower, according to a first drive from Auto Express.
The Cayenne “Ultra” is probably the last of a dying breed of gas-guzzling super SUVs. Before they’re wiped off the map completely by emission standards and EV targets, Porsche is having one last hurrah. This super Cayenne beats the outgoing Cayenne Turbo model by about 89 HP, according to Auto Express, with a top speed of 178 to 186 mph. While the Turbo S E-Hybrid is technically more powerful when you add the electric motor to the V8 engine, but all that weight savings from a purely gasoline powered car give the “Ultra” an edge in handling and quickness, shaving half a second off of the 0-60 times of current Turbo.
There are plenty of other little changes too, it shed a ton of weight (22 kg from the roof alone) with a 15 per cent stiffer air suspension and slightly lower ride height to give it that road-hugging appearance that makes a car look aggressively fast. Beefy 22-inch wheels and big ceramic brakes completes this big boy Cayenne. But just because it looks like it’s coming up on an Urus from behind, ready to fight, doesn’t mean it isn’t comfy for the daily drive. From Express:
Despite this, though, and all of the technology available to make the car as agile and aggressive as possible when you want it, Porsche has maintained an impressive level of long-distance comfort.
The seats aren’t deep buckets despite the performance potential but offer a balance of comfort and support, while the pretty forgiving suspension set-up in the default driving mode and some GT-like luxury with added Alcantara upholstery inside means the Cayenne has a broad spread of ability.
You may have noticed “Ultra” was in quotes, as Porsche has no name for this beastie yet, though Turbo GT and GT5 have been bandied about. It also needs a price, which Auto Express predicts will be above the Turbo S E-Hybrid, which starts at $US166,200 ($213,168) here in the U.S.