2015 Porsche Cayenne GTS Downsizes to a Twin-Turbo V6

Engineers have swapped the 4.8-liter high-revving V8 with a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6, the sort of engine that also powers their Macan Turbo. The new GTS is now good for 440 PS and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque - an increase of 20 PS (14 kW) and 85 Nm (62 lb-ft).

Impressive stuff that might make any Porsche fanatic reconsider his position on natural aspiration. Equipped with the Sport Chrome pack, the Cayenne GTS can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds and boasts a top speed of 262 km/h (162 mph).

In perspective

We still remember the day we first saw a Cayenne GTS. Mind you, this was before every BMW and Mercedes SUV had a sports version, so the first-gen GTS looked quite unique. Here was a large "truck" powered by a 405 PS 4.8-liter V8. It was even available with a manual gearbox for goodness' sake!

Right after that, Porsche also launched the first Cayenne Turbo. It was also a novel idea. Despite using forced induction V8 engine, the 1st Generation Turbo made only 450 PS and required 5.3 seconds to reach 100 km/h. That's right, despite using a V6, the new GTS is actually faster.

The equipment

As is usually the case with a GTS model, the sporty Cayenne is presented to us in an exhilarating red color with plenty of cosmetic goodies. These include Sport Design package that subtly extends the wheel arches and 20-inch ally wheels sitting 20mm lower to the ground than usual. The company also offers sports exhaust system, high-performance brakes (390mm front and 359mm rear) and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM).

Already, pricing and availability details have been released. In America, GTS models will be delivered from next February with prices to start at $95,500, not including a $995 destination charge. The Germans will get them during the same month but for a somewhat higher sticker of €98,152.

New 2015 Cayenne base model

Along with the GTS, Porsche also revealed the new entry-level Cayenne, which is the exact opposite of big news. The vanilla SUV has a new look compared to 2014 model but is powered by a 3.6-liter V6 producing 300 horsepower. Yes, it's naturally aspirated making only 400 Nm of torque at 3,000rpm. This is linked to a new eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission which enables the model to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 7.7 seconds and saves a bit of fuel.

The Touareg of the Porsche range will also arrive before spring and will cost €65,427 in Germany or $58,300 in America. It's worth noting that for less than €1000 extra, you can get a Cayenne Diesel that's actually a bit faster to 100 km/h and gets much better mileage.