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Road Test: 2006 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
Overall Review
By: Frank Filipponio
Photos by Drew Phillips
July 05, 2006

Article Images

I know what you’re thinking. Just what we need as gas prices continue to hover in the three dollar range. Another powerful SUV that promises to propel you a mere 13 to 18 miles for every gallon of super unleaded you pump into its massive tank. And to make matters worse, this is another variation of an SUV that at one time threatened to bring down one of history’s greatest sports car names. While purists still scoff at the mere idea of this thing wearing a Porsche badge, the Cayenne continues to gain supporters, and this new Turbo S before us has taken another great stride towards proving it deserves a place at the Stuttgart family reunions.

The first thing you notice as you approach the Cayenne Turbo S – assuming you're not a crazed Porschephile who actually notices the usual subtle nose and tail modifications, wheel/tire/brake upgrades, and unique colors offered on more exclusive versions of its models – are the huge exhaust tips jutting out below the rear bumper. It is one of the few tipoffs to the power lurking inside this new über-ute.

This new-for-2006, limited edition Cayenne Turbo S packs a wallop with 520 eager horsepower being generated by its twin-turbocharged, 4.5-liter V-8 engine. To provide such performance, Porsche engineers revised the engine control system and installed larger intercoolers to increase boost by just over 4 pounds to a maximum of 27.5 psi (1.9 bar). That makes it the most powerful street Porsche ever behind the racecar-based Carrera GT. With production of that wonderful supercar recently coming to an end, the point is sort of moot anyhow.

When introduced at the L.A. Auto Show back in January, one reporter stood up to ask Porsche's Executive Vice President of Research & Development to justify why the world needed such a powerful "grocery- getter." In response, Wolfgang Dürheimer repeated the old company line to great effect: "Nobody needs a Porsche. They want a Porsche. And
Porsche to most means performance without compromise." This Cayenne Turbo S is the embodiment of that philosophy.

Flowing through Mensa-worthy all-wheel-drive and stability management systems, and routed through a 6-speed manumatic gearbox, the additional power of the Cayenne Turbo S will quicken your trip from a standing start to 60 miles per hour by more than half a second over the “normal” Cayenne Turbo and its lowly 450 hp. The sprint now takes just 4.8 seconds. Given enough distance and disregard for traffic codes, the Turbo S will eventually top out at 167 miles per hour. That puts it a notch above the supercharged Range Rover Sport and in the same league as the Mercedes-Benz ML63 and America’s own hot rod ute, Jeep’s Hemi-toting Grand Cherokee SRT-8.

Providing further control for the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, the braking components have been upgraded. Up front, six-piston aluminum monobloc calipers clamp down on internally vented 15-inch discs, while the rear has to make due with four pistons and 14-inch discs. Standard 20-inch Cayenne SportTechno wheels or optional 20-inch Cayenne SportDesign wheels both come wrapped in 275/40 high- performance tires, and give the car an aggressive stance and swagger.

Not that many owners of this exclusive high-performance conveyance will dare challenge the dunes, but thanks to technologies such as Porsche Traction Management, the newly expanded capabilities of the Turbo S are not limited to paved roads. Plenty of ground clearance and good approach and departure angles mean you won't embarrass yourself on
most camping trips. When tires touch paved roads, however, that's when this Porsche shows its best side.

While many SUVs have an inherent tendency towards nose-heavy handling characteristics, Porsche engineers direct the majority of the engine’s torque (62 percent) to the rear wheels, providing the Cayenne with handling dynamics more in line with what owners of Porsche’s rear-drive sports cars have come to expect from the marque. Not only does this set the Cayenne apart in the SUV marketplace, but these traits have helped the Cayenne become the best-selling Porsche in the range.

Although already a handsome SUV, the Turbo’s larger grille opening, bespoke aluminum accents and the aforementioned model-specific wheels and brakes make this S a looker. Moving inside, we find more aluminum and leather everywhere and we also see that Porsche has chosen to equip the Cayenne Turbo S with lots of standard equipment including a Porsche Communication Management System with navigation and a 14-speaker Bose audio system.

Of course that doesn’t stop Porsche from being Porsche and offering buyers the opportunity to double the base price by checking a few more boxes on the order form. Major options include the choice of a basic moonroof or the astronomers’ delight panoramic roof, keyless locking and ignition, four-zone climate control, a rearview camera that extends like R2D2’s third leg when reverse is selected, and many other goodies.

But what’s it like to drive, you ask? Simple. Porsche. Twin-turbo. 520-hp. V-8. Phenomenal acceleration that has you doubting the speedo’s accuracy. What’s not to like? Well there is that little matter of this thing weighing as much as two Carrera GTs, tipping the scales at 5200+ pounds. It also feels a bit too cushy inside to make you believe it will hold the road the way you’d hope a Porsche would. While the powerplant is more than willing to get up and go at the slightest prodding of the gas pedal, the higher center of gravity and added bulk make it feel more like an S500 than a C6 Corvette. Not exactly floaty, but you can definitely feel the lag between input and response. Not out of line for a luxury Sport Utility Vehicle, but nobody will confuse
this thing for a sports car.

But wait, that pass was in Normal mode. The adjustable-on-the-fly suspension can also be set to Sport. And it can be lowered also. Now in its lowest setting and Sport mode, the Turbo S’s transformation is amazing. Instantaneously recasting the character of the vehicle, the sharper responses, tighter steering and virtual elimination of body-roll give the impression the nose has been lowered by a foot-and-a-half. It’s really only a few inches but the extra confidence this lends the driver is much appreciated when speeds start heading towards double the legal limit. As g-forces rise you also feel the cushioning in the seats compress and you become aware of the racecar-like inner shell that has plenty of lateral support for when you decide to carve some canyons. Feels much lighter on its feet. Now that’s more like it. Still no Cayman, but moving from S500 to CLS55.

So this ends up being one stereotype-busting drive. In the interest of full disclosure, know that I've never been a fan of SUVs when there are so many wonderful, versatile, and great-handling wagons available. In that light I have to view this test as something of a revelation. Amazingly quick and agile for something with this kind of interior room and cargo capacity, I'm actually pretty impressed. I’m sure owners of the standard Turbo have been chuckling for years at those who turn their noses up at the idea of a high-performance sport-ute.

Those same owners, however, may now feel the pull of the S’s extra power. It’s hard to stop when you get caught up in a horsepower war. But maybe Porsche is trying to make it easier for those who feel the desire to move up but might not be able to justify the added expense. They can wait a few more weeks and chances are the decision of whether
or not to buy a Turbo S will make itself. Only 600 examples of the 2006 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S are being imported to the US, making it even more rare than the Carrera GT. And starting at $111,600, it’s a relative bargain as well. After driving one, I now know they GO fast. I’m sure they’ll go from dealer inventories even faster.