Sprint Sumo - The new Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Imagine that the Japanese sumo national team would travel to the Olympics and compete there on the 400m hurdle. A natural disadvantage would arise from a natural advantage. Simply by changing the discipline in which you compete. This is how you can imagine the problem if you want to turn a 2.2 ton SUV into a sports car. But who, if not Porsche, should be successful there? And that's exactly what you did with the first generation. Now the third generation of the Cayenne was available for the first test - and once again the question arises: can this work? 

Review: Porsche Cayenne Turbo

Sumo wrestlers and sprinters in personal union

The third generation of the Cayenne also shares the platform with the group brothers. Audi Q7 and Bentley Bentayga are on the same platform. However, you don't see that in the luxury sports SUV from Zuffenhausen. When it comes to design, in particular, people have taken it easy. One can criticize that again on the one hand - but it is now normal. The wheel cannot be reinvented every time. From the front, the massive air inlets in particular have an impact on the viewer; on the sidelines, it is hardly noticeable that the new Cayenne is 9 mm lower than its predecessor. You can see earlier that it has grown by a good 6.5 centimeters.

Even though Zuffenhausen had to rely on the parent company's platform for a variety of reasons, they are taking their own path with strategically important components. At Porsche, people are proud of the changes that have preceded the group brothers. The rear axle and front axle are Porsche's own developments, and the powertrain too is based on one's own ideas.

There are also other innovations such as active aerodynamics, a special brake system and the interior operating concept from the Panamera.

All or nothing?

When it comes to engines, Porsche relies on turbo engines right from the start. In addition to a 340 PS strong V6 with mono turbo is a 2.9 liter V6 bi-turbo with 440 PS for choice and the V8 bi-turbo with 550 PS, which we have chosen in Crete for a first test.

As the Cayenne Turbo, it currently marks the top of the food chain for sports SUVs. And that with a weight of easily 2.2 tons. So much for the topic: “National Sumo Team”. In order not to starve helplessly on the 400m hurdles, Porsche digs deep into its bag of tricks. The 4.0 liter V8 works convincingly with its 770 Nm. But performance isn't everything, you have to get the mass under control. The top Cayenne therefore also gets all the fascinating features as standard that would have to be ordered as an option with a lower engine size.

The four-wheel drive of the Cayenne is equipped with a variable torque distribution and torque vectoring and domesticated clearly tail-heavy. For the first time, Porsche relies on mixed tires for the Cayenne. With 285 tires on the front axle and 315ers on the rear axle, the turbo is convincingly frosted. The whole course in 21 inches. In addition, as with the Panamera, for the first time an active rear axle steering for the big SUV. In addition to clear advantages in terms of handling, this also reduces the turning radius to manageable 11.5 meters.

For the first time, there is also an active rear spoiler at the rear of the SUV. Up to 30° adjustment angle allows it to perform various tasks. In addition to optimizing air resistance, it also works for the comfort of the passengers. When the panoramic roof is open, it balances the air flow and prevents unpleasant humming in the interior. From 170 km/h it also works as an “airbrake” and can shorten the braking distance by up to 250 meters in the event of emergency braking from 2 km/h.

770 Nm are an argument

The Cayenne Turbo subtly thumps burnt petrol into propulsion. Sparbrötchen and accountants could increase the efficiency of the drive, if they renounce the V8 and choose, for example, the modern V6 bi-turbo. But seriously. A Porsche SUV with less than 8 pots? That sounds like self-mortification. So get into the sportiest sumo the ash train has ever seen.

And I mean it. Rear-biased all-wheel drive. Effective three-chamber air suspension, active roll stabilization and torque vectoring - all networked and controlled via Porsche's new 4D Chassis Control. The fact that the Pirelli P Zero are mounted in an almost immoral size takes care of the rest. The Cayenne allows for a new interpretation of the physical limits. It demystifies all other “sports SUVs” as fat and awkward sumos. Throws itself into curves as if it didn't know what curb weight is stated in the vehicle registration document. Understeer? Even when provoked roughly, he shys away from it and distributes so much force towards the outer wheel at the rear of the curve that he pulls himself upright out of the curve.

In terms of sound, the 4-liter eight-cylinder should show a little more - but as an excuse, the optional sports exhaust system was not installed - the sound was therefore very modest. Only subtle.

tungsten carbide 

One of the supreme disciplines at Porsche has always been negative acceleration. The braking. You don't allow yourself any slip-ups. And that despite the fact that our test car didn't even have the optional ceramic stoppers installed. Instead, massive 415mm brake discs on the front axle shone in an unnaturally light color. Almost mirror-smooth. The gray cast iron discs surrounded by a ten-piston fixed caliper are one of the innovations from Porsche. PSCB stands for “Porsche Surface Coated Brake”. After a short break-in period, a tungsten carbide coating makes the disc shine brightly and evenly, like a mirror. This high-strength coating extends the service life, guarantees a stable brake tool and, by the way, reduces the formation of brake dust. It may sound silly, but one of the most important features of the new PSCB is in fact that the rims are hardly ever dirty by brake dust.

It's good that, despite all the beauty, the inner values ​​and performance of the brake system are so convincing. Because with 286 km / h, this sumo wrestler is likely to leave many a sprinter in the slipstream.

If you like to drive the long distance, but are quenched by the thirst (loose 15+ liters) of the Turbo - you will also be able to order a diesel in the coming year (possibly 18 months). And if you only commute between the Bauhaus villa and school, you will soon find a plug-in hybrid variant.

The interior becomes the lounge

Anyone who knows the new Porsche Panamera now knows the interior of the Cayenne. A large 12,3-inch touchscreen dominates the dashboard, including an elegant layer of black lacquer with touch panel operation. Likewise the cockpit. Two 7-inch TFTs frame a round, analog rev counter and convince with a magnificent display, high contrast and loving graphics. The fact that Porsche is also offering Amazon Music as an app for the PCM for the first time and that the voice control has been expanded to such an extent that you can now also activate the seat heating with it - details are on the edge of an impressive feel-good atmosphere.

Habby's conclusion:

Nobody will be surprised that the Turbo is everything but not a bargain at just under € 140.000. You can feel it on every corner that you could build on 15 years of experience and 770.000 predecessors sold. Never before has an SUV been more impressively able to combine both long-distance travel comfort and the unrestricted dynamism that one associates with a Zuffenhausen resident - pardon me, in the short apron of a sumo wrestler. This Cayenne irons out the competition. Also on the 400m hurdles course.

engine and gears

Dimensions and performance