First Look: 2013 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

News I By Doran Dal Pra I October 15, 2012

The new 2013 Cayenne Turbo S is quite simple, really. It’s the most powerful SUV Porsche has ever produced, with 550 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque on tap. That colossal grunt can propel the Turbo S to 60 miles per hour in a scant 4.3 seconds and onto a top speed of 175 miles per hour. Keep in mind that those numbers aren’t from a featherweight 911, but a big, all-wheel-drive SUV that can actually haul something bigger than a golf bag.

Porsche also bestowed the Cayenne Turbo S with improved handling and agility. Under the skin, it comes equipped with a wide range of the company’s finest performance enhancing technology: Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), Power Steering Plus, and enough other acronyms to fill a whole can of alphabet soup. The Turbo S comes with the Sport Chrono pack as standard, bespoke leather interior packages, and unique twenty-one-inch wheels.

The price for this pavement shredding behemoth? When it goes on sale early next year, the Cayenne Turbo S will set customers back $146,975, including the destination charge. Of course, that number is before customers open up the mind-bogglingly vast Porsche order catalog, and start adding options (playing with Porsche’s online configurator, we had no issues getting a Turbo S past $190,000, and could probably hit $200,000 with a bit of planning). A predictably hefty price tag to match the massive power, then. We still want one.

Please scroll down for the official press release from Porsche.

New top model in the Cayenne model range

Porsche Introduces New Cayenne Turbo S with 550 hp
Atlanta. The Porsche Cayenne range is now expanded to include a Turbo S model with 550 hp, an increase of 50 hp from the Cayenne Turbo. The new Cayenne Turbo S sport utility vehicle employs advanced active chassis technologies. These technologies allow it to surpass the driving performance of many sports cars, while preserving the off-road capability, ride comfort and towing ability typical of the Cayenne.

In addition to an increase of 50 horsepower compared to the Cayenne Turbo, the Cayenne Turbo S also benefits from increased engine torque, which is boosted from 516 to 553 pound-feet. This translates into faster acceleration and a higher top speed. The sprint from zero to 60 mph now takes just 4.3 seconds (-0.1 seconds), and the Cayenne Turbo S accelerates to a top track speed of 175 mph (+ 3 mph).

The Cayenne Turbo S is equipped for maximum dynamic performance. Accordingly, it incorporates chassis and drivetrain technologies which are optional on the Cayenne Turbo. More specifically, Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), and Power Steering Plus are now standard, in addition to the air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which is already standard on the Cayenne Turbo. PDCC allows for even flatter cornering, improving agility and ride comfort. PTV Plus adds torque vectoring at the rear wheels together with an electronically controlled rear differential lock, which improves traction and therefore offers more agility in a wide range of driving situations. The new Cayenne Turbo S is also equipped with the Sport Chrono package as standard, which includes an analog and digital timer located at the center of the dashboard. The performance display informs the occupants about the total driving time, lap distance covered so far and individual lap times. It also shows latitudinal and longitudinal acceleration via the TFT display in the instrument cluster.

The exterior of the Cayenne Turbo S lives up to the high standards of a top model. The front air intakes and rear view mirror trim are painted in high-gloss black. The standard 21-inch 911 Turbo II wheels with colored Porsche badges are exclusively tailored for the Cayenne Turbo S; their inside surfaces are painted in high-gloss black. The wheel arch extensions and rear spoiler separation edge are painted in exterior color. The model also features dual twin-tube sport tailpipes in polished Aluminum.

Porsche designers created an exclusive two-tone leather interior package that is available in either Black/Carrera Red or Black/Luxor Beige combinations. They feature an exclusive combination of contrasting colors and pieces that are further accented by deviated stitching throughout. Front and rear seats feature the Porsche Crest embossed on the headrests while the roof is covered in Alcantara® from front to rear. The instrument panel, door, and center console trim showcase the standard Carbon Fiber interior package that further complements the exclusive interior.

The Cayenne Turbo S is scheduled to go on sale in the spring of 2013 and is priced from $146,000 not including a $975 destination charge.

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