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The $167,000 Porsche Cayenne GTS confirms the luxury carmaker's SUV brilliance

Matthew DeBordJul 22, 2020, 18:12 IST

Business Insider

I tested a $167,070 Porsche Cayenne GTS, from the latest generation of the groundbreaking SUV.
The GTS trim level is intended to deliver sporty performance, sitting as it does between the base Cayenne and Cayenne Turbo.
My 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS had a twin-turbo V8 engine, making 453 horsepower.
The Cayenne GTS is a very special set of wheels: expensive, but with the sort of prizefighter punch that rewards spirited driving — and the ability to haul enough luggage for a week on the road.

The Porsche Cayenne is the greatest SUV ever built by human hands on planet Earth. It shocked the motoring world with its unassailable greatness back in the early 2000s, and it's continued to dazzle over the decades. The third generation ute was a runner-up for Business Insider's 2019 Car of the Year award.

After launching the base version and later the Turbo trim level and the coupé body styles, Porsche has turned its attention to the sporty Cayenne GTS, now available as an SUV and a coupé (that means the coupé version gets a fastback-style roofline).

I got a crack at the car after driving quite a few Porsches in quick succession: the new 911 4S and Turbo S, as well as the Cayenne Coupé. For what it's worth, I still had memories of the Cayenne Turbo from last year. So when the 2021 GTS landed, in a dazzling "Carmine Red" paint job, I was already swimming in Stuttgart goodness and eager for more.

Here's how two days with the sports car of Cayennes went:

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My 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS tester wore a glorious Carmine Red paint job, a $3,150 extra. The SUV started at $107,300, but a long list of options raised the sticker to $167,070.

Porsche Cayenne GTS. Matthew DeBord/Insider

My 2021 Porsche Cayenne GTS tester wore a glorious Carmine Red paint job, a $3,150 extra. The SUV started at $107,300, but a long list of options raised the sticker to $167,070.

I gotta tell you, against a backdrop of Northeastern summertime greenery, that red absolutely pops.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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I personally prefer the silhouette of the SUV body-style over the coupé, but there's no question that the ute form is boxier.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The Cayenne has never been an attractive vehicle, but it can't be mistaken for anything but a Porsche.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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It's all about those distinctive headlights. Bug-eyes? Well, sure, but the swept-back design somewhat mitigates that effect.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

These are high-tech units: LED "Matrix Design" lamps, equipped with technology that Porsche says enables the lights to adapt to oncoming traffic and bend illumination around corners.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

These are high-tech units: LED "Matrix Design" lamps, equipped with technology that Porsche says enables the lights to adapt to oncoming traffic and bend illumination around corners.

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Black and red are two colors that always get along nicely, and for the Cayenne GTS, there is no exception. The front vents and grilles give the SUV an aggressive forward presentation.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Black and red are two colors that always get along nicely, and for the Cayenne GTS, there is no exception. The front vents and grilles give the SUV an aggressive forward presentation.

The grille is really a study in minimalist design — a choice that helps to conceal a sensor for the adaptive cruise control system and a front camera.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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The ride height has been dropped 30 millimeters lower than on the Cayenne S, according to Porsche. This enhances airflow at speed, but owners can use the air suspension to increase ride height over uneven terrain.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The ride height has been dropped 30 millimeters lower than on the Cayenne S, according to Porsche. This enhances airflow at speed, but owners can use the air suspension to increase ride height over uneven terrain.

The Porsche badge brings a modest splash of gold to the hood.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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Let's unlatch the hood and have a gander at the engine.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The Cayenne GTS rocks a 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, making 453 horsepower with 457 pound-feet of torque. The power is sent to the all-wheel-drive system through an eight-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The Cayenne GTS rocks a 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, making 453 horsepower with 457 pound-feet of torque. The power is sent to the all-wheel-drive system through an eight-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode.

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A steering-wheel-mounted selector enables you to switch drive modes: Comfort, Sport, Sport +, and Individual.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The 22-inch "Sport Classic" wheels, in glossy black and brushed alloy tones, evoke an iconic Porsche design, familiar to fans of the cars from the 1980s.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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These snazzy wheels were, as you might expect, are an expensive extra: $2,770.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The yellow calipers? Get ready to write a big check, as they were ...

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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... $9,080, with ceramic-composite, ventilated discs all the way around.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The Yokohama rubber came ready to run.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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These tires are rated for speeds above 149 mph — a good thing, as the Cayenne GTS can max out at 160.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Now for the back end. Sigh. You just can't solve the inherent design problem of adapting a bulbous Porsche rear to a vehicle genre that requires a barn door at is hindquarters.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Now for the back end. Sigh. You just can't solve the inherent design problem of adapting a bulbous Porsche rear to a vehicle genre that requires a barn door at is hindquarters.

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The integrated spoiler helps with performance more than with aesthetics.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The hatch carries all the identifiers you need to explain why you dropped almost $170,000 on a ute.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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The Cayenne GTS has quad pipes, the better to tune its epic exhaust note.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The compensation for an ungainly rump is a large cargo hold.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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With the back seats in use, there's 27 cubic feet to work with; drop the back seats and that increases to 60 cubic feet.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Porsche interiors aren't overtly luxurious, nor are they supposed to be. But the Cayenne GTS's has something else going for it: sporty touches.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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The GTS invites you in.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Carmine red topstitching on the black leather seats matches the exterior, as does the GTS call-out. (The seats are comfy for cruising, yet also sufficiently bolstered for spirited driving.)

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Carmine red topstitching on the black leather seats matches the exterior, as does the GTS call-out. (The seats are comfy for cruising, yet also sufficiently bolstered for spirited driving.)

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The feature is echoed on the rear seats.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Interior highlights are subdued in their elegance.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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The grab handle is rendered in Alcantara. Note that there's one each, for the driver and passenger.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

A large moonroof fills the cabin with light.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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The joystick shifter is par for the course in the luxury segment. I don't much care for these things, but I'm used to them by now.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Rear seat passengers can manage their own climate.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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In fact, my Porsche Cayenne GTS tester was fully outfitted for rear-seat entertainment, an offbeat option for what's supposed to be a high-performance trim.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The system runs on an Android interface and provides assorted entertainment choices, none of which I was able to sample in the brief time I had with the vehicle.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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Rear legroom is ... decent.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

I was able to stretch out, but I'm also not very tall. A less vertically-challenged adult might feel cramped.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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The steering wheel has a fantastic feel, wrapped in suede and with all critical functions close at hand.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

The sport-chronograph lives in the center of the dash — and carries the red from the exterior over into the instrumentation.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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See what I mean? The tachometer is of course front and center. The Cayenne GTS's redline is at 6,800 rpm. To the right is a screen that can display different types of information, including g-forces.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

See what I mean? The tachometer is of course front and center. The Cayenne GTS's redline is at 6,800 rpm. To the right is a screen that can display different types of information, including g-forces.

Porsche's infotainment system is quite good, although it isn't the best. It's outdone by Audi (which is Porsche's corporate VW Group stablemate). GM's Cadillac is also better on the infotainment front. But the system checks all the right boxes, from Bluetooth pairing to USB device connectivity to GPS navigation. There's also wireless charging.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

Porsche's infotainment system is quite good, although it isn't the best. It's outdone by Audi (which is Porsche's corporate VW Group stablemate). GM's Cadillac is also better on the infotainment front. But the system checks all the right boxes, from Bluetooth pairing to USB device connectivity to GPS navigation. There's also wireless charging.

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A Burmester 3D audio system added $7,000 to the final tally. Worth it? Oh yes. This is one of the top systems on the market.

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

So what's the verdict?

Porsche Cayenne GTS Matthew DeBord/Insider

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