► New Porsche Cayenne goes power crazy
► Turbo E-Hybrid punches out 729bhp
► Charges faster, goes further on electric, too
Porsche has followed up the launch of the latest Cayenne at the 2023 Auto Shanghai motorshow with the arrival of this monster: the new Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid plug-in hybrid.
And before you complain that Stuttgart will stick a Turbo badge on anything these days, know that the new petrol-electric drivetrain involved here has a stonking 729bhp and 698lb ft. The only Porsche road cars to ever offer more are the Taycan Turbo S and the 918 Spyder.
The new system, which also includes a bigger battery for longer electric-only running and faster charging for said battery, is available in the regular Cayenne SUV and the Cayenne GT Coupe. Prices start at £130,200.
Amusingly, Porsche describes the new models as the successor to the previous Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, reminding us that the lack of that single letter may suggest there’s even more power to come in the future…
So the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid is pretty quick then?
We are still dealing with a massive SUV here, but Porsche says 0-62mph in 3.7sec. Since this is the most powerful Cayenne ever, that’s hardly a surprise. But you’re still going to be able shock the hell out of your passengers.
Top speed is 183mph, while the usual WLTP plug-in hybrid wackiness means it claims as much as 166.2mpg combined. You’ll need to be using the electric motor a lot to get anywhere near that. Same for the official 39g/km CO2 minimum.
When running on electric power alone you’ll still have a useful 174bhp to play with; should the bigger 29.5kWh battery pack ever go totally flat, you’ll have to make do with just 591bhp from the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8.
There’s no official electric only distance for UK buyers yet, but the 11kW onboard charger means the battery can be replenished in a faster 2.5 hours if hooked up to a suitable supply.
Will it still be a dynamic dynamo as well?
Not content with turning up the dial under the bonnet, Porsche has also fitted a new two-chamber, two-valve air suspension system. This is two business is important, because it means the compression and rebound can be tuned individually for the first time, promising improvements to ride and handling.
Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) is also standard, but you’ll have to pay extra for Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and rear-wheel steering. We’d consider both essential for maximum embarrassment of virtually all other motorists.
Inside there’s lots of aluminium and Race-Tex (a kind of Porsche Alcantara), plus a heated GT steering wheel and 18-way adjustable sports seats. Comfort seats with 14-way adjustment are a no-cost option.
High-resolution HD-Matrix LED headlights are standard on the Turbo E-Hybrid you everything illuminated to the max should you get the munchies at night. Other interior upgrades are as per the rest of the updated Cayenne range (see below).
Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe GT Package replaces GT Turbo
For markets where the GT Turbo has been ditch for regulatory reasons – which includes the UK, most of Europe and much for the far east – the Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe is also available with a GT Package.
This retunes the car for even sharper handling, including 10mm lower air suspension with bespoke settings, revised pivot bearings for increased front camber and wider front wheels. Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes are included, too, but you’ll still have to pay more for better tyres, PDCC and rear-axle steering.
Black accents dominate the exterior, including for the wheel-arch extensions, while the roof spoiler gains carbon end plates and the centre-exit exhaust is borrowed from the GT Turbo and made from titanium. The rear diffuser and the roof are carbon, too, all helping to reduce the 0-62mph to 3.6sec while top speed increases to 189mph.
The Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe with GT Package costs from £154,000, £21,400 more than the non-GT versions.
Worth noting that even the regular Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe is available with a choice of Lightweight Sport packages, should you want to shed 13-33kg while keeping the more comfort-orientated suspension. These include the carbon roof, some black accenting and a centre-exit sports exhaust, and is priced from £9,074.
What about the rest of the ‘new’ Porsche Cayenne range?
Think of it as more of a heavy facelift than an outright new model, but the upgrades ready the Cayenne for a future battery-electric model coming in a year or two as part of the brand’s developing electric car strategy.
It barely looks any different…
Perhaps, but there are a few bits that are of note. Can’t you see the bits of Taycan here and there? The lights adopt the brand’s signature light graphic, with four LEDs providing a piercing stare, and matrix LEDs are standard across the range.
There’s also a general decontenting of bulges and creases at the front and rear ends for both the regular Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe, and there are new colours and wheel designs available.
What about inside?
This is where the update is a lot more obvious. It’s clear things have Taycan (geddit?) a more digital turn; the instrumental cluster is now a curved 12.6-inch digital unit, and the infotainment system is also laid out much like the one in Stuttgart’s first EV.
A new 12.3-inch display sits at the heart of the Cayenne interior, but customers can also opt for an additional passenger display. Stretching to 10.9 inches, it allows the front passenger to change media services or tweak navigation settings.
Technology originally developed for privacy means that the driver can’t actually see the passenger screen from their seat, and this means it’s legally and safely able to show videos on the move, without any risk of the driver watching and becoming distracted.
Elsewhere you’ll find the usual smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless charging is also here, and because Porsche has cooled the smartphone area, you can now charge your device wirelessly at up to 15 watts.
What does the new Cayenne’s engine range look like?
The refreshed model launches with standard, Cayenne S and Cayenne e-Hybrid models in Europe and the UK.
Go for a standard Cayenne and you’ll benefit from a 349bhp V6 – 13bhp more than before. This V6 is also the combustion part of the new Cayenne e-Hybrid model, which is mated to an electric motor and 25.9kWh battery pack for a total system power of 464bhp. More crucially, however, the updated e-Hybrid model is capable of up to 56 miles of e-range.
Then there’s the Cayenne S. In a total affront to downsizing, the S now uses a 4.0-litre V8 (instead of a V6) that develops 468bhp – 34bhp more than before. As for performance, Porsche claims a 4.7se 0-62mph sprint and a top speed of 170mph fresh out the box.
Porsche has also announced that the Turbo GT will stay in the range, with its specific bodykit and high-performance engineering. The thumping V8 produces 650bhp, propelling the most powerful Cayenne variant to 62mph in just 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 190mph. It won’t however, come to the UK or Europe.
As Porsche has already confirmed, a pure-electric Cayenne model is on the way, too.
How much does the new Cayenne range cost?
Prices start from £67,400 for a base-spec SUV, or £70,300 for the entry-level Cayenne Coupe. The plug-in hybrid is priced from £76,800, and the Cayenne S will set you back from £80,800.