Review of the new Porsche Cayenne Turbo

As any MBA student will tell you, corporate history is littered with sob stories regarding companies that got too ambitious and began dabbling in areas they really had no expertise in. Marconi couldn't cut it as a telecoms company and if Sir Clive had stuck to cheap computers rather than pouring his investment budget into the Sinclair C5, his legacy would probably have been more than an interesting footnote. Porsche have built a reputation as manufacturers of impeccably engineered sports cars but are these days chancing their arm in the luxury 4x4 market. Will the £74,650 Cayenne Turbo be remembered as the car that revitalised Porsche or as a grotesque white elephant?

So far, the former is looking likely. Though the press was a little lukewarm about this car in its original form, buyers weren't and sales were strong. These days, we have a heavily revised Range that's tidier looking and a whole lot smarter to boot. Plus, in this Turbo version, an engine uprated from 4.5 to 4.8-litres, with power rising from 444 to a massive 500bhp.

Since its inception, the Cayenne has appealed to buyers looking for a sharper, more sporting drive from their 4x4. Despite this, it's always been extremely good off road, as long as you don't mind exposing those big alloy wheels to a bit of a pranging. The latest Cayenne aims to improve driveability significantly, thanks in no small part to Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDDC). This system stabilises roll during cornering and is offered as an option on all models. The result on the road is better handling and agility plus greater directional stability and ride comfort. When off-roading, owners will notice better axle articulation.

Perhaps Porsche tried a little too hard with the original Cayenne to ally it to the design ethos that had worked so successfully with the 911. As a 'sports ute' it looked rather odd, and became more ungainly the paler the colour it was specified in. The latest model makes amends, giving the Cayenne a front end look all of its own. Where the 997 series 911 has gone back to round headlamps, the Cayenne now gets more feline looking projector beam lights and a grille that's less frog-like than before. This not only looks the part but also significantly improves cooling.

"Put your confidence in the Cayenne and you'll discover it has a surprising degree of handling subtlety. That and some sledgehammer brakes"

The wheel arches are more clearly defined than before and every Cayenne model is fitted with a rear diffuser and a roof-mounted spoiler. As before, there's plenty of space inside, although if you really want a 4x4 capable of carrying a big family, you'd probably be better off looking at an Audi Q7. The build quality of much of the switchgear has been improved and Porsche has also revised the materials used for the seating.

Klaus-Gerhard Wolpert is the man responsible for overseeing the Cayenne's development. As Porsche's director of SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) Operations, Wolpert realised early on in the product planning cycle that the Cayenne had to deal a mortal blow not only to the ubiquitous BMW X5 but also to more entrenched rivals like the Range Rover. Despite sharing many parts with Volkswagen's Touareg 4x4, Porsche's focus on uncompromising engineering has seen the Cayenne Turbo open up a new front in the luxury 4x4 arena. Any car that weighs in at 2355kg but which can still hit 60mph in 4.8 seconds is probably either a Bentley or a Cayenne Turbo. It will run on to a top speed of 171mph, but generating big power and headline grabbing velocities is the easy part. The Cayenne Turbo also has to drive like a Porsche.

Get in expecting it to replicate a 911 and you'll come away disappointed. There's a degree of roll when you enter a corner, Porsche's talented chassis engineers having to contend with the laws of physics. Such a tall, heavy vehicle is never going to handle like a low-slung sports car but the Cayenne Turbo is nevertheless an impressive showing. You need to feel your way to its limits, overcoming every instinct that tells you to back off as you enter the corner, trusting the Cayenne's chassis and gumball Pirelli P-Zero Rossa tyres to deliver you safely at the other end. Failing that, the Turbo is fitted with Porsche's PSM stability management.

Put your confidence in the Cayenne and you'll discover it has a surprising degree of handling subtlety. That and some sledgehammer brakes. If you are intent on getting to the ski slopes in time for the first chairlift on a powder day, the Cayenne Turbo would be your weapon of choice. Drive is normally split between the front and rear wheels on a 38:62 ratio although Porsche Traction Management (PTM) has the capability to direct 100% of the drive to either the front or rear wheels when challenged. The air suspension system that's standard on the Turbo allows the car to be lowered at high speed, raised when venturing off road and also to maintain ride height irrespective of load. Six different preset ride heights can be selected with a Range of over 5 inches and a maximum ground clearance of nearly 11 inches. Should you really want to put the Cayenne to the test, you'll find axle articulation to match a Range Rover, although few will want to risk the car's 18-inch aluminium alloy wheels with quite such gung-ho manoeuvres.

The Cayenne Turbo is a towering achievement, especially for a company still relatively new to the luxury 4x4 market. The styling still divides opinion, but few can have any cause for complaint regarding the engineering, the performance and the handling capabilities of the turbocharged Cayenne. The sheer overtaking presence of this monster of a car and the shock value of accelerating at such an unlikely rate endow the Cayenne with huge giggle factor. As a feel-good car, not a great deal can touch it. A Porsche yes, but a sports car, no. One suspects the company will be delighted with that outcome.

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