And while we’re sure the folks at Porsche love those women for choosing their SUV, the Cayenne GTS seems coded specifically to appeal more to men.
First, they took all the chrome off of the Cayenne S and replaced it with black trim. Then they recalibrated the air suspension to lower the ride height by 20mm to make the Cayenne GTS sit lower and look more aggressive than even the Cayenne Turbo. Next, they put the biggest wheels ever fitted to any Porsche on it. The 21-inch multispoke wheels and their corresponding 295/35-21 super-low profile tires pretty much guarantee the GTS will ride more stiffly than any other Cayenne too. Of course, they help it handle better than any other Cayenne as well.
The gaping grilles from the Cayenne Turbo grace the face of the GTS, and with all the chrome gone; they make the angriest Porsche SUV look like some mythically vicious creature from the depths of the Pacific Ocean’s Marianas Trench. Under the hood resides a 4.8-liter V8 with a resonance induction intake manifold. When combined with the sport exhaust system, the engine announces your comings and goings in true NASCAR fashion.
Thanks to the six-speed manual transmission and the sport button that opens the exhaust system up even more to reduce backpressure, the sound can amplified even more. In a fit of adolescent exuberance (read almost all the time) you can run the GTS really loud and proud in the lower gears. This enables all of your neighbors and friends to benefit from the mellifluous bleatings of that 405-horsepower engine. (That’s 20 horsepower up from the Cayenne S by the way.)
“Do you have to run it so loud honey? The neighbors are glaring out of their windows–– again!”
Next, combine all of that with a monotone paint job in some outrageously flamboyant color and you’ll wind up with a Porsche Cayenne that no male can resist, and most females will disdain. Trust us, Carmella Soprano wouldn’t be caught dead driving the Cayenne GTS, and that’s exactly why we love it. (You'll notice you never saw Tony driving Carmella's Cayenne––ok?)
The point here is that after you’ve witnessed the GTS, every other Cayenne variant looks soooooo tame, even the almighty Cayenne Turbo. And yet, all of that pales in comparison to the driving experience.
In an almost surreal fashion, the Cayenne GTS screams into corners, grabs the pavement by the scruff of its neck, and wrings every available bit of grip from its surface. Absolutely neutral on entry and exit, the Cayenne GTS allows a talented driver to attack a winding road in any fashion they please. A novice driver can post some mighty impressive numbers as well.
Our test GTS was equipped with Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control’s active roll bars, so body roll was all but completely negated. You haven’t experienced mystified until you crisply fling a vehicle the size of the Cayenne into a corner and watch it track confidently through––with virtually no body roll.
And, yes dear, all of that horsepower does have a purpose, particularly when combined with the 15-percent lower final drive ratio. Porsche quotes a top speed of 157 with the manual transmission and 156 with the Tiptronic. The torque rating of 369 foot-pounds at 3500 rpm delivers a 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds with the six-speed manual transmission. With the Tiptronic, the big Porsche will accelerate to 60 in 6.1 seconds.
Inside, newly designed sport seats specific to the Cayenne GTS boast deep side bolsters and Alcantara centers to help keep everyone securely in place during spirited driving. Both front seats are electrically adjustable 12-ways with extended memory settings.
The folding, split-back rear seat is also unique to the Cayenne GTS. Featuring raised bolsters and Alcantara inserts at the outer seating positions, they ensure stable and comfortable seating for passengers in the back seat. However, despite the seat’s deep contours, it still holds three adults comfortably and safely.
Porsche didn’t forget what category the Cayenne GTS plays in price-wise either. A host of luxury trappings keep the GTS driver in the style to which their income has entitled them to become accustomed. In addition to the supple leather and Alcantara covering the seats, leather covers the dash, steering wheel and shift lever while Alcantara upholsters the headliner. Stainless steel sill guards with the GTS logo welcome you when you open the doors, and tasteful touches of aluminum trim round out the luxuriously purposeful look of the Porsche’s passenger compartment.
At once more uncompromising, powerful and agile than the Cayenne S, the Cayenne GTS adds a whole new dimension to Porsche’s SUV lineup. It also nicely fills the gap between the 382-horsepower S and the 500-horsepower Turbo. And oh, by the way ladies, if you do happen to like the GTS, don’t fret, we’re absolutely certain your local Porsche dealer will sell you one too.
2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS
MSRP: $69,950
Engine: 4.8-liter V8
Horsepower: 405 @ 6500 rpm
Torque: 369 foot-pounds @ 3500 rpm
Transmission(s): Six-speed manual or six-speed Tiptronic S
Drivetrain: Front engine / all-wheel drive
Fuel Economy: Manual transmission––11 mpg city/ 17 highway
Tiptronic S–– 13 mpg city/18 highway
