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Porsche has lifted the covers on the hottest Cayenne yet.
The new Turbo S model packs a 404kW punch with its twin-turbo 4.8-litre V8 - 36kW more than the standard Turbo model.
With a 0-100km/h sprint of just 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 280km/h, the Cayenne Turbo S is hardly an average SUV.
Porsche says it has been created in response to market demands for a more exclusive, sportier SUV with plenty of power and sharp handling.
The extra wick - which pushes torque up by 50Nm to 750Nm - comes courtesy of a higher-flowing exhaust system and ECU improvements.
This doesn't make the Turbo S any thirstier though, with identical fuel efficiency figures to the Turbo model.
It is recognisable by its huge 21-inch SportPlus alloys and colour-coded air intake grilles and wheel arches, and four cast aluminium tail pipes.
And for those with a taste for the extreme - not to mention sexy - ceramic composite brakes are available for those with the good taste to tick the PCCB option. It's the first time that the stylish and effective extra has been available on a Cayenne.
The option will be made available to the rest of the range - provided the vehicle is riding on 20-inch rims or larger, in order to accommodate the 410mm front discs and six-pot calipers and the rear 370mm/four-pot combination.
Steering and suspension systems on the Turbo S include the self-levelling active air suspension management (PASM) and dynamic chassis control, with Servotronic speed-sensitive variable power steering also standard fitment.
Despite the fact that the new Cayenne is quicker than most road cars, it doesn't sacrifice creature comforts, with a two-colour leather interior and memory-set sports seats; Porsche's Communication Multimedia System Management; and a 14-speaker Bose audio system with 5.1 channel discrete surround capabilities.
The touch-screen multimedia system includes a navigation module with a hard drive, a universal audio interface for MP3 players, and a Bluetooth-toting mobile phone module. You can add voice-actuation and a TV as options.
All of this Stuttgart swag doesn't come cheap though - the range-topping Cayenne Turbo S will hit New Zealand shores in November in very limited numbers, priced from $295,000.
