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Haute Cayenne

TechArt's "muy caliente" Porsche Cayenne Turbo

When Porsche's Cayenne first came out, initial reactions were mixed. Sure, it lives up to Porsche's reputation for superb performance, even in off-road conditions, which is not the company's forte. On the other hand, some observers, especially Porsche purists, have remarked that it looked like a 911 with a lifted suspension, creating an ungainly crossbreed (or crossover, to use a more polite expression).

Body Mods

Porsche tuner TechArt, which specializes in 911s, applied its talents to both the appearance and performance of the Turbo Cayenne, even though it hardly needs much help in the latter department. CEC's president Claus Ettensberger, who distributes TechArt products in the U.S., offered this explanation about the changes in the Cayenne's styling: "We always felt the vehicle looked a bit unfinished."

The TechArt body mods do give the Cayenne a mellower flavor, with a more fluid quality. The lower valance in the front with quad fog lamps adds some mass, so the nose doesn't look too elevated from the suspension. The new air dam and side skirts make the Cayenne look a bit lower, while both also help with downforce, according to CEC. And the headlights and taillamps have a different trim, which create a more dramatic presence.

Suspension Control

For now, the interior of the Cayenne is pretty much stock, other than some custom DVD/LCD consoles behind the front-seat headrests and a mobile phone console. TechArt is well known for special interiors, so look for a new steering wheel, a carbon interior trim kit, and different leather options.

At the rear are a new bumper, apron, and hatch door trim. These help the body lines flow better, giving them a smoother sweep, instead of ending abruptly. In all, the TechArt components create a cleaner, sportier sport-ute, in keeping with the impressive performance upgrades.

While some Porsche purists may choke on the notion of an SUV built in Stuttgart, even in stock form the Turbo Cayenne is one remarkable machine. The 4.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 cooks up 450 bhp and 457 lb.-ft. of torque, enough power to propel it to 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds, and to an electronically limited top speed of 165 mph.

Power Bump

Yet TechArt couldn't resist turning up the heat on the Turbo Cayenne. The first thing the company did was add its own engine-management software and dual high-airflow air filters, bumping up the output to 510 bhp, and torque correspondingly to a mighty 509 lb.-ft. Planting your right foot to the floor is an exercise in excess, with a absolutely corrupting influence. It's enough to make you mortgage your house to buy more gas.

To keep the Cayenne a bit more glued to snaking switchbacks, TechArt added a Bosch electronic-suspension control module that allows you to manually lower the ride height by another 1.4 inches than stock, and raise it an extra 0.6 in. beyond stock height for off-road purposes. The switchgear looks like it was installed at the Porsche production line.

Last of the performance modifications are 20-inch TechArt Formula wheels (approved by Porsche) with Michelin Diamaris tires, size 275/40ZR20. A 22-inch version is also available.

Wheel Formula

As already noted, the TechArt Cayenne displays explosive power down the straights and strong torque out of the corners. Figure on a 0-60mph time in the high-fours, numbers typically reserved for exotic sports cars. What's even more startling is the handling. It's hard to believe you're behind the wheel of a vehicle with enough cargo space for a week's worth of groceries. What's amazing is that something with such a high profile can drive so well.

True, we did note a bit of looseness coming out of corners as this large all-wheel-drive rig puts the power down while getting some grip at the same time. The exhaust was left stock, so you get this extra thrust without any annoying noise. There's just that wonderful note of a twin-turbo V-8 at full revs.

Sport-utility vehicles aren't supposed to be this fast or nimble. Normally, they're lumbering and intimidating. At least that's the conventional wisdom. Okay, maybe a few SUVs, such as the BMW X5 4.6is and Infiniti FX45, boast handling and straight-line performance that can rival sports cars, but they don't do as well off the pavement as the Porsche Cayenne. Now, with TechArt's enhancements, the distance from competitors has just been increased. And Porsche purists will have no reason to feel embarrassed to be seen driving an SUV.