First drive: review of the 631-hp Porsche Cayenne Coupe prototype Car News

When it debuts later this year, the new top-of-the-line version of the Cayenne Turbo will give Porsche a direct rival to the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga Speed.

Promising up to 631 horsepower from a tweaked version of Porsche’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 gasoline engine, the still-unknown model will be sold exclusively in the Coupe body style and will sit above the existing Cayenne Turbo. in the range.

A focus on weight reduction will make it much lighter than the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, which produces a combined 671 hp from a gasoline V8 and electric motor, but weighs 2,535 kg.

Read the full report: 631-horsepower Porsche Cayenne Turbo Coupe rivals Lamborghini Urus

Before its official reveal, we were invited to drive a prototype representative of the production version, but with a slight disguise covering various exterior details, including a reworked roof spoiler and new fender elements. The 22-inch Neodymium wheels are another gift to the new model’s additional performance potential.

Inside, the changes are more subtle. Up front, a new Alcantara trim with contrasting stitching, sport seats and a thicker on-board sport steering wheel with a Sport Response button that allows you to select the different driving models via a rotary controller. At the rear, the three-seater bench is replaced by a pair of individual seats, giving the interior of the new model a more distinct 2 + 2 character.

Departing from Stuttgart, what’s remarkable about the upgraded Cayenne is how mundane it feels in everyday traffic in Comfort mode, given that you’d expect an SUV that’s been perfected for to run records at the Nürburgring is always hardcore. Adaptive air suspension features shock absorbers 15% firmer than the current model. And, yes, there is determination in the way it rolls, but nothing else that will convince you that it can’t be used every day.

The advantage of four-wheel-drive steering is that it not only helps improve agility at speed, but also provides increased maneuverability at low speeds. This is a blessing in city driving situations, as it helps provide a relatively tight turning radius and general ease of use.

As we hit clearer roads, it is the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged gasoline engine that is tuned in. There’s a wonderful nature of traction to the reworked V8; the power delivery is smooth and, despite the added boost pressure from the turbocharger, without any noticeable lag. With a slight nudge from the gas pedal, you’re already on your way to tripling the numbers.

It’s higher up in the rev range, however, where the detailed engine modifications really make their presence felt. The midrange punch is fierce, pulling the four-seater with all the intensity of a much smaller, lighter supercar on a wide open throttle. It pulls harder, and with more enthusiasm, than the 542 hp version of the same engine.