Cayenne GTS Pure Porsche

MANILA, Philippines - The Porsche Cayenne already has sportiness in its genes. But that’s not everything, because character is based on nurture as much as nature. With the Cayenne GTA, Porsche engineers show how the virtues of an exceptionally good SUV can be honed to an even greater perfection.

It has a broad-shouldered presence, strong and imposing, capable of withstanding any storm, but sportier and more athletic than others of its type. It’s unmistakably a Cayenne. And yet there is something different about it this time. One senses it immediately, well before spotting the telltale initials “GTS”.

“There a sense in which the Cayenne GTS is the dot on the ‘i’ explains SUV series director Dr. Michael Leiters. “It shows how continuous optimization can keep pushing the limits of technology.”

We could tell the members of the development team that they are detail-obsessed perfectionists-- and they would take that as a compliment. Because that’s what the GTS models from Porsche are all about-- perfect products which took basic models that lack nothing and made them event better, much like a world-record holder who seeks to run or swim a tenth of a second faster. Or two tenths of a second in the case of the Cayenne GTS, at least for its sprint from zero to one hundred.

It’s not just the figures that are impressive. The Cayenne GTS has 15 more kilowatts and 15 more newton-meters than its brothers in the series, the Cayenne S. But there’s a perceptible difference in how this power develops and what it sounds like. For an endurance test on the Nordschleife of the Nurburgring it lowers lap times, whereas drivers in everyday traffic especially enjoy its sound, which emphasizes more the “sports” than the “utility” character of this SUV.

Sparked by a shorter axle ratio, the engine’s eagerness to rev is a crucial condition for this sporty character. It ensures a more spontaneous response to the driver’s desire when the accelerator is pushed to the floor. At the same time, the Porsche engineers have succeeded in designing the sound of the air taken in and the exhaust streaming out in such a way that the engine’s power is audible inside the car—albeit in powerful rather than menacing form.

This is the case for the second generation of the Cayenne, introduced  in 2010. Among other things, the car has a relatively low weight for its dimensions. Compared to the first Cayenne, the new generation weighs up to 185 kg less and correspondingly agile. The hood , fenders, and tailgate are made of aluminum, which,  also makes it easier for drivers to open the hood and tailgate.

With its innovative, lightweight materials, the Cayenne pursues Porsche’s tradition of GTS models, which started with the 904. that car first saw light of day in 1963 as a homologation vehicle for the GT class—and was the first to have a synthetic body. Weighing only 650 kilos (1,430 lbs) and rechristened the Porsche Carrera GTS, it not only won the Targa Florio but also achieved a final speed of 250 km/h despite its relatively low output of only 155hp.

You can both hear and feel the unique character of the Cayenne GTS. But you can also see it, and the first impression does not deceive. A design package that matches the paint job and includes additional front air inlets, sill plates, broader wheel houses, and a new roof spoiler ensures a sporty appearance for any and all situations. The 20-inch wheels on the axles—two inches more than their standard counterpart in the Cayenne S—demand respect.

Inside the cabin, the engineers have used new cushioning to adapt the seat contours to better fit the human body. The new ensemble comes in high-grade Alcantara, whose rough surface has the welcome side effect curbing the tendency to slide when racing through curves. Not to be forgotten-- because they cannot be overlooked—are the finely embroidered GTS initials, a signature sending a message that says “Challenge it! I’ll show you what an SUV can do when Porsche engineers give free rein to their love of perfection!”