Although a sure-fire powerhouse of an SUV, the Porsche Cayenne walks the line between outright performance and engaging driving manners, and comfortability; it’s a balanced package, which, as we stated in our review of the revised Cayenne S earlier in 2024, is more than just an SUV — it’s a testament to the German marque’s unwavering commitment to excellence.
However, whereas the S-badged variant strikes a perfect balance between comfort and dynamism, its GTS (gran turismo sport, if you were wondering) sibling takes the latter to a new level. The Cayenne GTS boasts an “extra dose” of dynamism and long-distance capability, Porsche says. Now, Porsche has whipped the covers off the refreshed Cayenne GTS.
So, what can you expect from the facelifted Cayenne GTS? For starters, the GTS’s bodywork (whether you opt for the more traditionally designed or coupé-styled exterior) wraps around a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, which, for the refreshed Cayenne GTS, Porsche injected with an additional 30 kW and 40 N.m of torque. The result: peak outputs of 368 kW and 660 N.m, sent to all four corners via an upgraded version of the Stuttgart-based brand’s eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission.
According to the Zuffenhausen manufacturer, the uprated figures allow the Cayenne GTS to accelerate to the three-figure marker from a standstill in 4.4 seconds, before topping out at 275 km/h. Porsche claims the petrol unit sips, on average, 12.6 L/100 km.
Donning the “GTS” moniker (finished in black), this Cayenne is set apart from its stablemates with an array of model-specific elements, which, bar the exterior elements, include a “precisely honed” (to the Cayenne GTS) chassis. This variant also sits 10 mm lower to the ground than its stablemates. Adaptive air suspension is standard fitment, as are Porsche’s Active Suspension Management set-up and Torque Vectoring Plus system.
The Cayenne GTS is equipped with a set of RS Spyder-design alloy wheels, measuring 21 inches in diameter. The anthracite grey items house red brake callipers.
The Porsche Cayenne GTS is priced from R2 475 000 (SUV) and R2 547 000 (coupé). The former and latter prices include a five-year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
