WATCH: Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT sets new record at Yas Marina Circuit
Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT
fastest production SUV
Yas Marina Circuit
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The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT continues to impress with its speed and is now officially the fastest production SUV around the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi with a time of 2:14.046.
Gold standard
As a reminder, the pre-facelifted Cayenne Turbo GT held the record for the fastest lap around the Nürburgring, generally accepted as the gold standard, with 7:38.926 for a few years until the Audi RS Q8 came along last year in a time of 7:36.698.
New format
The record was set in an officially sanctioned event, the first time that the Yas Marina Circuit and Emirates Motorsport Organisation (EMSO) have combined to conduct a newly established format for officially recognised production car lap records.
Piloting the performance SUV was Ramez Azzam, winner of the GT4 class in this year's Dubai 24 Hours, with an average speed of 141.83km/h around the 5.281-kilometre track.
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WATCH: Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT sets new record at Yas Marina Circuit
Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT fastest production SUV Yas Marina Circuit performance SUV luxury SUVs automotive news The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT continues to impress with its speed and is now officially the fastest production SUV around the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi with a time of 2:14.046. Gold standard As a reminder, the pre-facelifted Cayenne Turbo GT held the record for the fastest lap around the Nürburgring, generally accepted as the gold standard, with 7:38.926 for a few years until the Audi RS Q8 came along last year in a time of 7:36.698. New format The record was set in an officially sanctioned event, the first time that the Yas Marina Circuit and Emirates Motorsport Organisation (EMSO) have combined to conduct a newly established format for officially recognised production car lap records. Piloting the performance SUV was Ramez Azzam, winner of the GT4 class in this year's Dubai 24 Hours, with an average speed of 141.83km/h around the 5.281-kilometre track.
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Porsche's Cayenne Turbo GT has claimed the title of fastest production SUV around the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Behind the wheel was racing driver Ramez Azzam, who guided the performance SUV to a blistering lap time of 2:14.046 on the full 5.281km Grand Prix layout — setting a new benchmark at the Formula One venue. This wasn't just a casual run either. The time was set during an officially sanctioned session, marking the first time Yas Marina Circuit and the Emirates Motorsport Organisation have teamed up under a new format for verified production car lap records. At the heart of the Cayenne Turbo GT is the most powerful V8 in a series production Porsche road car. Paired with an eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox, it produces 485kW and 850Nm — enough to send the SUV from 0 to 100km/h in just 3.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 305km/h. But raw power isn't the only story here. Porsche has thrown in serious chassis tech too: Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control with active roll stabilisation, active rear-wheel steering, and carbon-ceramic brakes — all fitted as standard. Azzam, fresh off his GT4 class win at the Dubai 24 Hours, came away impressed. 'The power and sound of the engine is impressive, but what sets the Cayenne Turbo GT apart is its braking and handling performance,' he said. 'For a car of this size to brake so late, carry so much corner speed and sit so flat is remarkable. I could push it so hard and still have confidence. It's crazy.'
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Most powerful car from Ingolstadt trails only Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT on our time sheets. A week ago, we were raving about the loud and proud Porsche Cayenne GTS coupe livin' la vida loca. Now it's the complete the opposite in the case of the unassuming Audi RS Q8 Performance, which is quite ironically a faster car. To the untrained eye, the flagship product from Ingolstadt's exterior styling is, unlike that of the Cayenne GTS, rather subdued. While the RS Q8's optional milled Y-spoke 23-inch alloy wheels and red callipers, along with a blacked-out grille, looks stunning, it is still just cosmetics. Besides the somewhat humble RS Q8 badge on the tailgate, there is nothing shouting about the car's mechanical prowess. No things like the usual red badge on the grille, red accents or other extravagant cues anywhere. 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