Porsche Cayenne GTS - a stop on the way to Turbo
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I'm fed up with the discussion about whether Porsche should make the Cayenne. We might as well discuss whether a hen should lay eggs. Oh sure. Every model that can make a profit is good, because thanks to it the company has money for development, which means that thanks to the success of the Cayenne, we can enjoy all the best and best generations of the Porsche 911. End of evidence - and I send the Porsche 911 fanatics to test drive a Porsche Cayenne.
Moreover, two years after the debut of the current generation Cayenne, on the way to the top Turbo model, which, for technical and image reasons, simply has to be disgustingly expensive, a new stop has appeared - Porsche Cayenne GTS. At PLN 447 it is 75 more expensive than the Cayenne S, but still more than cheaper than the Cayenne Turbo. So the price positioning is clear: the GTS should be an "S" and not a "near-Turbo" version.
Why the extra 75?
Let's look for differences and, of course, first look under the hood. The Cayenne GTS is equipped with a 8 hp V420 engine. at 6500 rpm, and 515 Nm of torque is available at 3500 rpm. This power allows the two-ton SUV to accelerate from 100 to 5,7 km/h in 261 seconds and reach a top speed of XNUMX km/h.
Differences from the "S" are moderate: an additional 20 hp. and 15 Nm with the same tachometer readings, 0,2 seconds faster to hundreds and 3 km / h higher top speed.
Another distinguishing feature of the Cayenne GTS, which even the top Turbo does not have, is the 8-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission in the optional Sport Chrono package. Added to this is a sportier suspension.
We look further - and not the values on paper, but the car itself. As I mentioned above, the GTS has received several additions proving its best preparation for asphalt frenzy. As for the stylistic changes, they are clearly visible. The front end looks more muscular, and the rear bumper proudly adorns the four tailpipes of the exhaust system and elements that optically reduce ground clearance. Even the spoiler in it looks fantastic.
There are also new moldings and sills on the sides, subtle fender flares and shiny black accents around the wheel.
The overall look is so aggressive and sporty that it approaches the limit of moderation. The Cayenne GTS is still on the right side, but with this Porsche model, the work of the tuning companies has been very difficult, and with just a few additions, they will quickly exceed the limits of good tuning taste. Porsche Cayenne GTS It's definitely not a conservative car, but if someone doesn't like the stock look, they're sure to love it.
The GTS also received two new colors in the palette - Carmine Red and Peridot Metallic. While the red variant is very interesting, the pistachio green slightly ruins the image of a big and powerful SUV, but tastes are out of the question.
Upon entering the cabin, the madness of plastics and accessories disappears, it becomes much calmer, but a few accents remind us that we are driving a GTS model. Of course, the comfort of the Porsche seats is undeniable - eight levels of adjustment allow you to choose the ideal position. Leather and Alcantara upholstery throughout - these materials can be found on the dashboard, as well as on the doors, center console and headlining. There were also badges with the word "GTS" in several other places inside. The list of additional equipment also includes options for selecting accessories in body color. So we can opt for seat belts or armrests in a contrasting color, such as the aforementioned pistachio green. These are certainly options for the most extravagant and expensive clients. Porsche Cayenne GTS they want to make a sporty adidas.
The sum of optical and technical alterations costs 75? Even with such an expensive car, this is an additional 20% of the cost of the "S" version. It may not be an outrageous price, because it has a King Turbo behind it, but it looks like Porsche really calculated it - so as not to depreciate the expensive Cayenne S. In any case, we'll see how it goes in a moment ...
However, it's not just about the image.
Lest the above discussion show that Porsche evaluates the versions of its cars only to mark the next levels of the social hierarchy with them, I must say how the Porsche GTS behaves on the road. "Porsche Cayenne Driving Experience" - this is how Porsche called the presentation of the entire Cayenne line with V8 engines under the hood. The new star of the presentation was the GTS, driving which we could see that a higher price, more power and a correspondingly higher status on the road are also accompanied by more and more emotions.
The presentation went quickly, in all aspects. Firstly, the organizer planned to drive only one hour, and secondly, there was no question of slow driving in these cars. Asphalt tracks at the Porsche factory near Leipzig, smooth asphalt, tires warmed up over several runs and the whisper of burning high-octane gasoline - even at idle, the GTS promises an excellent automotive experience.
Cayenne S - reference
There are 10 cars in the lane adjacent to the highway. I master the sprint to a car with yellow brake calipers (that color is reserved for the GTS) and head to the Cayenne S - I need a benchmark! It's hard to believe, but 400-horsepower "C-cars" seem to be forgotten, because the GTS models and cars with red calipers - Cayenne Turbo are in the greatest demand. I get into one of the "S" and ride it.
The huge two-ton SUV moves smoothly. The engine runs quite quietly, only growling with displeasure that we are not yet carrying gas to the floor. Everything looks very calm and majestic until I hit the track - then I press the gas pedal harder, and the 8-cylinder monster under the hood starts to wake up. The gearbox performs an instant downshift, the engine spins up to high revs and begins to nicely shove me into the seat, generating an aggressive soundtrack. It's certainly not the Turbo version, whose acceleration is nearly equal to the 911's, but the Cayenne S is unlikely to run out of power on the public road. How will the GTS ride if the "S" version is already so much fun? I am impatiently counting circles.
However, SUV driving is not only about long straight lines, but also curves, where they lose the most points compared to other body styles. Carefully at first, then more and more boldly looking for the speed with which the Cayenne S will start to break out of the turn. To be honest, these attempts did not last very long, because thanks to the powerful engine, the Cayenne quickly exceeded the speed at which PASM intervention was needed, calling me and the engine to order. The high center of gravity also showed up in a series of corners, which required a lot of concentration and not too much breakfast, so the body leaning in the rhythm of the corners was not a surprise.
Either way, the benchmark is clear: the Cayenne S is a car with a powerful engine that doesn't make too much noise (unless specifically asked for) and a suspension that keeps up with the engine at all speed limits in public. Road.
So what could I expect from the GTS? Probably just stiffer and lower suspension and lower tire profiles so the crouching car can better handle its own weight and torque even at higher speeds. Let's see…
Porsche Cayenne GTS - sharpened "S-ka"
After a few rides in the "regular" Cayenne S, I switch to Cayenne GTS. I’m not particularly shocked, but the GTS badges visible in several places and the steering wheel sheathed in Alcantara do not let me get confused - I got into the right car. However, after starting the engine, I notice the first significant difference. No polite, quiet buzzing - four exhaust pipes fire menacingly here, waiting for the start.
I go back to the track and ... as I expected - the car is not noticeably faster, but the way it reacts to the movements of the steering wheel and the sounds when opening the throttle put the "Emotion" Competition one level higher than the "S". I'm back in the long straight and it's only here that I feel like the GTS is a little faster - or maybe it's subjective because the engine is much louder, but so nice and aggressive you don't want to take your foot off the gas pedal.
But the turn is approaching so fast that in a moment I'll be testing too many safety systems, so I slam on the brakes. This is a mistake - GTS brakes should be treated with due respect and should only be touched, and emergency braking should be preceded by breaking glass and reading the instructions. The GTS' outstanding braking performance comes from six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston at the rear, as well as the largest brake discs that can fit 20-inch RS Spyder Design discs.
It was close and I would have stopped before the turn, so I accelerate again and go through the chicane with such ease that it looks like I just braked too hard. However, the speedometer shows that this is not the case - this is due to the GTS's lowered and reinforced suspension, low-profile tires and the proprietary PASM system that ensures the stability of the car.
A few more wheels on the track showed that seat ventilation should be standard in a GTS – a car that is so engaging and fun to drive that heat dissipation from the driver becomes just as important as that from the engine and brakes. .
Cayenne GTS – Resume
It’s good that the GTS differs from the “S” version not only in price or image, but above all technically. On the road, the GTS is different, and those differences are much larger than the fractions of seconds or few Newton meters that separate these cars on paper. Of course, it was created in order to extract even more money from the pockets of buyers, that this is just another product that needs to be sold en masse, but it’s good that at the same time a version was created that has marginal (compared to “S”) Difference in characteristics engine gives the driver much more driving pleasure and is worth every penny of the PLN 75.000 surcharge that Porsche wants to get for the GTS.
I would even dare to say that the difference of 150.000 zlotys between the GTS and the Turbo is a little large, because although the Turbo version gives the driver more brutal power and prestige, there is now a lot of “emotion” in the competition. a cheaper competitor is the Porsche Cayenne GTS.
