2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS

Porsche received a lot of criticism from sports car purists when they debuted the Cayenne in 2002. The large, all-wheel drive SUV had the generic Porsche front end in common with the rest of the lineup, but that was where the similarities ended. The Cayenne was a 4 door, off-road vehicle that was certainly quick, but not necessarily in-line with Porsche’s previous philosophies. In their defense, Porsche claimed that were required to release a sport-utility vehicle in order to remain profitable and competitive with other manufacturers. Regardless of the controversy, the Cayenne was popular amongst buyers and automotive critics alike, and became a strong seller.

For 2008, Porsche has decided to up the performance ante once more with the 2008 Porsche Cayenne GTS. The GTS bears the same overall look as the standard Cayenne, which was refreshed in 2007, but underneath that skin there are several improvements which vault the GTS to the forefront. One of the most visibly noticeable differences is the ride height. The GTS is 20 millimeters lower than the Cayenne S, which gives it greater stability at high speeds. It also bears large 21 inch wheels and tires, which in combination with the decreased ground clearance means that Porsche has decided to sacrifice some of the vehicle’s off-road ability in order to achieve high-speed stability and more impressive styling.

The Cayenne GTS’s on-road performance will ensure that no one complains about a little less clearance on the trail. The GTS has 20 more horsepower than the standard Cayenne, bringing the total number to 405. The 4.8 liter V8 engine achieves this impressive number through direct-injection technology, as well as variable valve timing. To help the Cayenne GTS get up to speed even faster, the rear end ratio has been shortened by 15 percent, which makes for quick acceleration as the driver rows through the six-speed manual transmission. The SUV can reach 60 miles per hour in only 6.1 seconds.

Keeping control over all of this raw power is an air suspension system that gives the driver control over a range of ride heights. The Cayenne GTS also benefits from Porsche Stability Management which keeps an electronic eye on driving conditions and driver inputs in order to keep the Cayenne pointing in the right direction. Under hard-cornering the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control uses active anti-roll bars to reduce body lean and keep the high center of gravity under control.

In addition to performance, the Cayenne GTS also offers passengers with the high level of comfort that is to be expected from a luxury SUV. Alcantara leather bolsters the 12-way adjustable sport bucket seats for the driver and passenger, while the rear seat manages to keep passengers stable during spirited driving and still fold down for increased cargo space. Exterior styling borrows heavily from the Cayenne Turbo, especially when it comes to the front air ducts and red-painted brake calipers. The GTS differentiates itself via blacked-out door handles and window trim, a detail that only the most devoted Porsche fan will be able to discern before the Cayenne blows by them at triple-digit speeds on the highway.

While the Cayenne may be classified as an Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle due to the technologies used in its construction, it still has a significant environmental impact due to its poor fuel economy numbers: with the Tiptronic semi-automatic transmission the GTS sees only 18 miles per gallon on the highway, with a low of 13 miles per gallon in the city. However, it is unlikely that anyone shopping for an SUV-sized vehicle with the performance of a sports coupe is going to be overly concerned about fuel mileage. The Cayenne GTS is all about making a statement, and that statement is certainly not ‘I’m thrifty’, but instead ‘catch me if you can’.






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May 13, 2008, 7:07 am