First Drive Review
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Porsche adds another V-8 Cayenne flavor.
With the addition of the 2013 GTS to the Cayenne lineup, there are now six flavors of the Porsche SUV—Cayenne V-6, Cayenne S, Cayenne S hybrid, Cayenne diesel, Cayenne GTS, and Cayenne Turbo. Six variations of the same crossover make perfect sense from a company that offers 18 variations of the 911. Each has its own personality, so choosing a Cayenne is like trying to pick the right ice cream at Baskin-Robbins, except you don’t get a tiny plastic spoon. (Porsche dealers can offer you test drives, but no minuscule flatware.) And there are more versions coming: Next up will be the Turbo S. After that, we’re hoping the Cayenne Bumpy Cake Swirl S gets the green light.
The Cayenne Spotter’s Guide
Here’s a simple way to mentally categorize the new Cayenne GTS. It’s basically a Turbo without the turbochargers. If it were a 911, Porsche guys would call it a Turbo-Look and the factory would call it the 958-X52 Natur, or something inscrutable like that.
The GTS comes with the Turbo’s front fascia, LED-accented active headlights, body-colored fender extensions and side skirts, red brake calipers, black window frames, and darkened LED taillights. It’s not quite identical, though. For the Porsche Club judges who will be scrutinizing this SUV in 2063, we should mention that the biplane rear spoiler design differs from the Turbo’s, the four exhaust tips are matte black instead of stainless steel, and the badge on the hatch says GTS. Aside from the engine, perhaps the major difference between the Turbo and its stunt double is the latter’s $83,025 base price, $26,700 less than the Turbo’s. Start with a $66,825 Cayenne S and try to recreate a GTS and you’ll spend considerably more than $83,025, and you still wouldn’t have the Turbo’s front end.
Lift the Turbo-style domed hood and there is a warmed-over version of the Cayenne S’s 4.8-liter V-8. A more aggressive intake cam and modified engine management are good for 420 horsepower, 20 more than the Cayenne S, 80 less than the Turbo. Torque gets a small bump to 380 lb-ft, up 11 over the S, but well short of the Turbo’s 516.
The extra power isn’t really noticeable. What is noticeable is that that the GTS feels more willing, more frisky, and more awake than the S. Shorter final-drive ratios in both the front and rear differentials help the GTS move from a stoplight with more conviction. Quicker shifts from the eight-speed automatic transmission also help—Porsche claims a 0.2-second improvement in 0-to-60 times compared to the Cayenne S (we got a 5.5-second run out of the last S we tested). The six-speed manual from the previous Cayenne GTS is no longer offered, as, sadly, less than three percent of buyers opted for it. (Those folks deserve to be inducted into the “Save the Manuals!” hall of fame, if such a thing existed.) The new GTS does have standard paddle shifters behind the steering wheel as well as the manual Tiptronic gate for the shifter.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
BASE PRICE: $83,025
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 281 cu in, 4608 cc
Power: 420 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 380 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 114.0 in
Length: 190.8 in
Width: 76.9 in Height: 66.3 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 5000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 5.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.9 sec
Top speed: 162 mph
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 15/21 mpg
Continued…