Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT Review: The Fastest SUV Money Can Buy?

Introduction

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT makes its intentions obvious from the spec sheet alone. Despite its size and roughly 2.3 tonne curb weight, this is an SUV built with lap times in mind. Porsche’s GT department has reworked the 4.0 litre twin-turbo V8 to produce 631 bhp and 627 lb-ft of torque, and the result is a machine that has already lapped the Nurburgring in under seven minutes 40 seconds.

It looks the part, too. The design is unmistakably Porsche, and the aggressive bodywork gives it a presence that goes well beyond the standard Cayenne Turbo it is based on. Underneath there is shared architecture with related models in the group, but crediting the designers is only fair: this thing looks genuinely naughty.

Who This Product Is For

The Cayenne Turbo GT is for buyers who want SUV practicality without giving up serious performance credentials. If your priority is outright pace in a package that can still carry family and luggage comfortably, very few vehicles compete in this space. It will not suit buyers who want a soft, anonymous luxury cruiser; this is a spiky, focused machine at heart.

Main Strengths

The headline numbers are only part of the story. Beyond the engine, the chassis work is extensive: four-wheel steering, significant adjustments to the camber and toe angles compared with the regular Cayenne Turbo, a lower ride height, and a correspondingly lower center of gravity. The brakes are full-house carbon ceramics, and the 22-inch forged alloy wheels wear huge Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires at each corner.

These elements add up to more than raw straight-line speed. The carbon ceramic brakes offer a lovely amount of feel, and the chassis is remarkably adjustable for an SUV. The Turbo GT rewards being hustled rather than merely pointed in a straight line.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Its 2.3 tonne mass is real. With traction and stability systems switched off, a big, powerful SUV like this can very easily get away from you, so it demands care and respect. Buyers should also accept that the low ride height and track-focused setup make it a specialized choice rather than an all-rounder in the conventional SUV sense. And while it is thunderingly fast, it is unlikely to trouble the outright leaderboard of lighter sports cars on a tight circuit.

How Quick Is It on Track?

In Sport Plus mode with the dampers dialed up and the P Zero Corsas up to temperature, the Turbo GT posted a lap time within a whisker of the BMW M3 xDrive, and only eight tenths slower than a Cayman GT4, still the quickest road car timed around the West Circuit at Bedford Autodrome.

For a vehicle of this size and weight, that is an extraordinary result, and much of it comes down to usable torque rather than just peak power.

Buying Advice

If you want the fastest SUV money can buy, the Cayenne Turbo GT is the obvious answer. Use the drive modes to your advantage, keep the stability systems engaged on public roads, and treat the immense torque with restraint until you know the car.

Conclusion

It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the Cayenne Turbo GT is a monster in every sense: hugely fast, seriously braked, and surprisingly rewarding to drive. As an expression of what a performance SUV can be, it sets the benchmark.