Latest news with #PorscheCayenneGTS
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
DRIVEN: Porsche Cayenne GTS adds the spice without insanity
The Porsche Cayenne GTS slots neatly into the middle of the line-up. Image: Jason Woosey There is something about the guttural roar of a V8 engine that resonates deep in my soul, and I know I'm far from alone in feeling that. With ever-stricter emissions regulations and Europe looking to ban the sale of new internal combustion-engined cars from 2035, sadly it's an indulgence that might not be around for too much longer. But it's encouraging to see how Porsche has democratised the eight-cylinder format, as much as such a thing can be at this price point, in its latest Cayenne line-up. Heavily updated in 2023, the Cayenne offers V8 power in most versions, with the venerable 4-litre V8 producing 349kW and 600Nm in the Cayenne S, 368kW and 660Nm in the GTS, 485kW and 850Nm in the Turbo GT and a mighty 544kW and 950Nm in the Turbo e-hybrid. The GTS, which we spent some time with recently, aims to hit a sweet spot in the line-up. Spicier than the regular models, but less outrageous and also somewhat more attainable than the turbo-badged variants. You might not expect price to be a huge factor at this level, but consider that the Cayenne Turbo models are listed between R3,873,000 and R4,506,000, while the GTS is yours for R2,572,000 in its regular form and R2,653,000 as a 'Coupe'. Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe Image: Supplied It might not boast a great deal more power than the Cayenne S model, but the V8 in the GTS has undergone extensive technical revision compared with the previous iteration, while the eight-speed automatic gearbox offers shorter shift times in Sport and Sport Plus modes. The GTS will sprint from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds, according to Porsche, making it 0.6 seconds quicker than the S and 0.7 seconds slower than the Turbo e-hybrid. The top speed is listed at 275km/h. But what truly sets the GTS apart is its sportier chassis tuning. Not only is it 10mm lower to the ground than regular Cayennes, but it's also equipped with adaptive air suspension as standard, along with Porsche Active Suspension Management and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus. You will however, have to pay extra for the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) system. The GTS also gets some tasty trimmings, including 21-inch RS Spyder-design wheels in anthracite grey, unique frontal design with larger air intakes, dark-tinted headlights and tail lights and a Sport Design package that brings High-Gloss Black treatment to body elements such as the side skirts, wheel arch extensions and side window trims. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ It has more than enough, both visually and mechanically, to make it feel a good step above an ordinary Cayenne. Given some open road to play with, it feels really brisk but it's not incredibly fast and won't push you back in your seat like the Turbo models will. But does it really have to? Personally I'd take that mood-lifting V8 rumble over a slightly faster acceleration time any day. With the exhaust flap liberated via a button on the console, it is loud and proud, but even in its quieter mode the engine is still enticingly audible. The Cayenne is also one of the better-handling SUVs out there, as I got to experience first hand on a Sunday drive to Magaliesburg in the rain. The steering gives you a sense of connection to the road, and the vehicle is every bit as agile as you could expect from an SUV that's not exactly small in size. But despite all the GTS mods, the ride quality never felt harsh or uncomfortable. Porsche has done wonders in lending a balanced feel to the GTS. The cabin has also been given some love, with a GT sports steering wheel, Race-Tex trimmings, eight-way adjustable sports seats and suede-like roof lining. A Bose surround sound system is also fitted to this model. Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe Image: Supplied In addition, the Coupe features a panoramic glass roof as standard. The 2023 facelift introduced a new display and control concept for the Cayenne, featuring 12.3-inch dual screens as well as an optional passenger-side screen. The new cabin architecture places frequently used controls directly on or next to the steering wheel and thankfully there are still physical controls for the climate system as well as a traditional volume knob. The infotainment system is relatively easy to use, once you learn the lay of the land. The material quality and overall finish are, of course, completely on point for Porsche. This vehicle is reasonably practical too, but keep in mind that the Coupe version has a slightly smaller boot than the regular Cayenne, at 554 litres versus 656, and the sloping roofline does rob it of some rear headroom, which may affect taller occupants. VERDICT The Porsche Cayenne GTS strikes a fine balance within the range as a spicy model that's not too over-the-top. It's practical, luxurious and sporty, but won't be up your alley if you're looking for insane performance. But as enticing as the GTS is, we wouldn't overlook the hugely competent Cayenne S, which is almost R200,000 less expensive. IOL
The Citizen
27-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Audi RS Q8 dares to go where Mercedes and BMW SUVs can't
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. Audi RS Q8 not just a pretty face But anyone who dares to underestimate this curved coupe-styled SUV when the lights turn green will soon find out the pretty face is very brawny underneath the bonnet. In fact, so brawny that it is the second fastest SUV on The Citizen Motoring's time sheets. A 0 to 100km/h sprint time of 3.71 seconds puts it second behind the 3.29 seconds clocked by the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT. In other words, the Audi RS Q8's sprint time is faster than any production SUV BMW and Mercedes-Benz have built – the two like-for-like German premium carmakers Ingolstadt often finds itself ranked behind. The RS Q8 and Porsche Cayenne are incidentally built on the same Volkswagen Group MLB Evo platform alongside the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga. Not bad company to find yourself in. It's hard to miss the 23-inch alloy wheels. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe And that is not where the similarities end. The Audi features the same engine that powers the Cayenne Turbo GT, the 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo petrol engine that produces 471kW of power and 850Nm of torque. This is the most powerful engine to feature in any Audi product yet. The power is sent to all four corners via eight-speed Tiptronic. Poke the bear and find out Adding the car's credentials is the lap record around the Nürburgring's Nordschleife as the fastest production SUV. Race driver Frank Stippler completed the 20.832km track in 7:36.698 minutes. What we really enjoyed about the Audi RS Q8 is its soul that comes alive when you floor the accelerator. Something that we felt was missing with the BMW M5, that has become just too sanitised. The Audi does not put on an audible show quite like the Cayenne GTS, but has enough growl from the V8 to let you know you're in business. That along with a proper jerk during launch provides such great feedback that you become reluctant to lift. ALSO READ: Sporty Audi Q8 leads brand's range of big family SUVs with pride Should you leave the braking a bit late, the stopping power matches the urge and can give you a fright at first at how deadly effective they are. Ceramic brakes are standard, along with 10-piston callipers with the discs measuring 440mm at the front and 370mm at the rear. State-of-the-art tech The Audi RS Q8 features a 48-volt Active Roll Stabilisation system as standard, along with a mechanically locking central differential and retuned RS adaptive air suspension. The latter raises the overall ride height by 90mm. Other hardware includes the RS exhaust system and the optional RS Driver's Package. The latter consists of rear-axle steering, RS sport differential and increasing the top speed from 250km/h to 280km/h. Handling is superb and once you see how easy it is to throw into corners, you start yearning for the race track so that the RS Q8 can properly stretch its legs. ALSO READ: VIDEO: Audi RS Q8 parking by itself bad news for the male ego Classy cabin The inside of the RS Q8 is a combination of classy sportiness and elegance. The optional RS Design Package fitted to our tester featured a red interior theme and the stitching on the seats, floor mats, steering wheel, seatbelts, doors and centre console consisted of three colours. It works well together with brushed aluminium, oak wood, and carbon twirl touches. The Audi RS Q8's cabin is a luxury lounge. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe The steering wheel is covered with Alcantara and Dinamica micro-fibres are generously used throughout the cabin. On the tech side, there is a 10.1-inch infotainment system with MIB3 software and an 8.6-inch climate control panel underneath. The digital instrument cluster measures 12.3 inches. Awesome all-round product As you'd expect from a car costing more than three bar, it comes standard with a comprehensive set of safety systems. The Audi RS Q8 is a superb package that does not have to bow down to its traditional rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW for a change. It can be extremely civilised on a school run, yet an absolute hooligan through the twists. It looks good, feels good, sounds good, drives fantastically well and most importantly, has a soul. Something that is few and far between these days. Audi RS Q8 road test data
