2025 PORSCHE CAYENNE GTS STRIKES THE SWEET SPOT WITH 493-HP V8 AND TWO BODY STYLES

After comprehensively revamping the Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe model ranges late last year, adding a plethora of hybrid models en route to the next-gen's electrification, Porsche has pulled the digital covers back on another variant in the lineup, the long-awaited Cayenne GTS in both coupe and SUV styles. Regularly assigned the 'sweet spot' tag in any Porsche model range, the recipe is simple: give the Cayenne a potent engine one step above the S, assign it a few sexy styling cues, and then give it all the suspension and chassis trickery it needs to be one of the finest driver's SUVs.

Tell Me About The Engine...

In this case, the engine is a V8, twin-turbocharged and displacing 4.0 liters with 493 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque - increases of 40 hp and 30 lb-ft over the old GTS. The same eight-speed automatic as other models is employed but tuned for sharper reactions with quicker shift times in Sport and Sport Plus driving modes. Naturally, an SUV of this size relies on all-wheel drive.

The extra poke adds up to improvements in various performance metrics, with 0-60 mph now taking 4.2 seconds and top speed arriving at 171 mph.

Chassis Tricks From The Cayenne Turbo GT

To flog the old adage, power is nothing without control, so Porsche reached right into the top drawer for the right chassis tricks to give the Cayenne GTS an edge. That top drawer is the Cayenne Turbo GT, and the tricks employed include Turbo GT pivot bearings on the front axle that increase negative camber by 0.58 degrees, improving steering directness. The rest of the suspension is a GTS-specific two-chamber air suspension system with a lowered ride height of 10 millimeters, adaptive damping, and the standard fitment of Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus. Optional active roll stabilization encompassed in the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control further heightens the experience.

A separate water cooling circuit for the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system has been adapted from the Cayenne Turbo GT, preventing overheating of the various diffs responsible for making several thousand pounds feel as light as possible on a twisting back road. The tuning of the PTM system has also been revised for the GTS.

The GTS Design Aesthetic In Full Force

Subtly differentiated from lesser Cayenne models and the Turbo derivatives now bearing Turbonite trim, the Cayenne GTS twins get black GTS badging on the front doors and tailgate, black-out housing treatment for the headlights and taillights, a new front bumper design with larger air intakes, and an adaptive rear spoiler. You also get 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels, finished in anthracite grey, behind which you'll find red brake calipers.

Additional detailing includes dark bronze tips on the Sport Exhaust System, which can be optionally ordered in a central position with a carbon fiber rear diffuser and reduced sound insulation as part of a 55-pound weight reduction called the Lightweight Sport Package. Lastly, on the exterior front, the rocker panels, window trim, wheel arch extensions, and front trim elements are finished black.

How Special Is The Interior?

A heated GT Sport steering wheel is the most notable upgrade in the cabin of the GTS, upholstered in Race Tex - the same treatment found on the roofline, armrests, door panels, and seat centers of the standard eight-way Sport seats. GTS interior packages in either Carmine Red or Slate Grey add another layer of customization.

As per the recent Cayenne facelift, the GTS gets the new Porsche Driver Experience - a fully digital instrumentation setup in a curved display with an optional passenger dash display.

What Does It Cost, And Where Does It Fit In?

Arriving this fall for the 2025 model year, the Cayenne GTS is available in both SUV and Coupe body styles. The Cayenne GTS twins slot in between the Cayenne S and Cayenne S E-Hybrid performance-wise but are priced between these variants and the Turbo E-Hybrid models in lieu of there being no ICE-only Turbo models aside from the Turbo GT.

• 2025 Porsche Cayenne GTS: $124,900
• 2025 Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe: $129,500

2024-04-22T10:11:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd