Porsche has launched its most powerful SUV offering in India today. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer has officially launched the Turbo GT variant of the Cayenne for Rs 2.57 crore (ex-showroom). This makes it around Rs 80 lakh more expensive than the GTS Coupe model, priced at Rs 1.75 crore (all prices, ex-showroom).

So, what do you get for this hefty chunk of change? The Turbo GT takes a lot of design inspiration from the Cayenne Coupe Turbo, albeit in a sportier form. This includes a more aggressive-looking bumper at the front, with large air ducts and a spoiler at the rear. You also get carbon fibre bits sprinkled across the bodywork, including the roof, rear spoiler, rear diffuser and more. The wheel arches are now coated in black, contrasted by the GT Design wheels.

On the inside, the Turbo GT gets exclusive perforated Alcantara upholstery, on both front and rear seats. The front seats of the four-door SUV now come stamped with the ‘Turbo GT’ branding. While most of the equipment is somewhat similar to the lower-spec models, the Turbo GT does get the latest generation infotainment unit, with the Porsche Communication Management system. 

Now, coming to the heart of the matter, the SUV gets the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol motor similar to the Turbo. However, folks at Porsche have spent some time re-working the crankshaft, pistons timing, chain drive and more to extract 640PS of power from the Turbo GT. This is 90PS more compared to the standard Turbo model. This helps it in sprinting from 0-100kmph in just 3.9 seconds. 

The updated powertrain comes mated to Porsche’s 8-speed automatic transmission, which claims to shift gears faster than before. Similarly, the handling has been made tighter with a 17mm lower ride height and a stiffer suspension. Aiding it are the 22-inch Pirelli P Zero Corsa performance tyres, which rely on carbon-ceramic brakes to anchor the SUV. 

With its launch, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT will now compete against the likes of Audi RSQ8, Lamborghini Urus, and BMW X5M. It’s clear Porsche has spent a lot of time tinkering with the SUV and we, for one, can’t wait to get behind the wheel.