Porsche's range includes some of the best tools for the trade. From the regular Cayman to the 911 GT3, everything feels like it belongs on the racetrack. But does that mean that the aging Cayenne Turbo SUV can keep up with a brand new Range Rover that's been specially designed to compete with it? Let's find out.
The Cayenne Turbo has been around for quite some time, and it just received a facelift, together with the rest of the Cayenne family. Behind those new headlights lies the old 4.8-liter twin-turbo, punching out 520 PS. The crucial bit is the 750 Nm of torque, which is exactly what you need when your vehicle weighs as much as a hippo.
The Range Rover Sport SVR can be considered the newcomer in the track battle put together by Auto Express. Despite claiming to use aluminum for the chassis, the British-developed SUV is heavier than the Porsche. It has 30 more horsepower, but less torque from the 5-liter supercharged V8.
The Cayenne goes first around the track at the hands of Steve Sutcliffe, setting a benchmark time. Try as he might, the SVR can't use home advantage to secure victory and finishes about 2 seconds slower.
A difference in design philosophy exists between these two cars. Firstly, Land Rover wanted the SVR to remain soft and comfortable, which is probably why the front end feels light in the corners. Secondly, all Porsches come with special track-focused optional features that change the way the car performs. It's pretty clear that with the Chromo pack and ceramic brakes, a difference would be felt.
At least 90% of the owners won't take these cars to the track, and they are likely to make buying decisions based on brand. The ones who do like racing probably have a 911 or Cayman to enjoy on the weekends.
Editor's note: Steve, are you sure that the Cayenne has a dual clutch? Says "Tiptronic S" on the box, which, the last time we checked, means it had an 8-speed automatic like the Range. Porsche chose this solution in order to give it towing capacity.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News