Porsche will unveil a new version of the Cayenne GTS, complete with sporty chassis and tuned V8, at the Beijing show this month.
Like its predecessor, the GTS will slot between the S and Turbo models. It will mix a more powerful version of the non-turbo V8 motor from the Cayenne S with the body-kitted styling of the range-topping Turbo model.
Power from the non-turbo 4.8-litre V8 is increased slightly over the 394bhp of the Cayenne S to 414bhp. Drive is channelled through a standard eight-speed ZF automatic transmission with stop-start.
The peak output is 14bhp more than the previous-gen GTS and the standard automatic gearbox is a change, too. The previous GTS featured a six-speed manual gearbox as standard.
As might be expected, the slight increase in muscle of the GTS gives it a mild boost in performance. So the sprint from rest to 62mph is dispatched in 5.7sec, compared with the 5.9sec of today’s V8 S, and the top speed is slightly higher, at 162mph rather than 160mph. The 0-100mph sprint is similarly rapid, at 13.3sec.
Fuel economy takes a slight hit, dropping by 2.5mpg to 26.4mpg in the GTS compared with the V8 S.
But a large part of the GTS’s appeal is its unique, lowered chassis, which, like the previous GTS, comes with standard steel springs and PASM adjustable dampers.
The ride height is 24mm lower than that of the Cayenne S, the same drop as for the previous GTS.
This promises more surefooted cornering behaviour and reduced body roll. On the options list will be air suspension combined with Porsche’s PDCC anti-roll system, as it was on the previous model.
Another part of the charm of the GTS is that its sports seats are trimmed in grippy Alcantara fake suede, which lends the lofty SUV’s cabin a sporty feel.
The new Cayenne GTS will be priced from £67,000 in the UK — a £12k premium over the Cayenne S. It will go on sale from July.
