The most powerful road going Porsche is now an SUV, at least by carwow's account of the Cayenne Electric Turbo. The video quotes it at 1,139 horsepower and 1,500 Nm, and the numbers it produces used to belong to track specials. Carwow timed it at 2.46 seconds to 60 mph and 9.98 seconds over the quarter mile, then stopped it from 60 mph in 29 metres, all while carrying a claimed 2.6 tonnes. Carwow gives UK pricing as 80,000 pounds for the entry car, 100,000 pounds for the S and from 130,000 pounds for the Turbo. The car in the video wore 42,000 pounds of options and came to 170,000 pounds.
The options list is where the Turbo separates itself, and not only on acceleration. In the video's spec, rear axle steering is 1,500 pounds, the active anti-roll system is 7,000 pounds and carbon ceramic brakes are 8,000 pounds. Heated rear seats are listed at just over 300 pounds and front passenger ISOFIX at 50 pounds. Worth setting alongside that: our coverage of Out of Spec Reviews' 70 mph range test, published today, found a base Cayenne Electric ordered with the no cost range wheel package returned 344.7 miles. The Turbo in this video was averaging around 2.4 miles per kilowatt hour on 22 inch wheels, which carwow works out to roughly 250 miles. The badge on the tailgate matters far less to range than the boxes ticked on the order form.
Carwow's driving section is warmer than its price commentary. The video reports that rear axle steering cuts the turning circle from 12.7 metres to 11 metres, which the presenter rates as worth having for anyone doing school runs and town driving. Air suspension is described as comfortable even in its firmest setting, and the brakes are praised for progressive response rather than the grabby feel he associates with some EVs. On boot space the video quotes 500 litres with the sliding rear bench pushed back and 780 litres with it forward, plus a 90 litre frunk and a towing limit of three and a half tonnes. Among the features singled out are an optional head up display with augmented reality overlays and a sport plus mode that opens the front air vents and raises the rear spoiler. The complaints are mostly ergonomic: reflections off the curved dash display, cupholders set low in the console, mirror controls down by the driver's knee, and door handles the presenter would rather were conventional.
Inside, the video is more mixed. Carwow praises the steering wheel, the retained physical climate buttons and the configurable driver displays, but calls Porsche's menu system confusing and knocks some interior plastics as hollow sounding when tapped. Carwow dismisses the optional passenger screen as pointless, on the grounds that passengers use their phones anyway. Storage gets a better write up, with a covered armrest tray, wireless charging, several USB-C ports and door bins the presenter demonstrates will take a large bottle. In the back he notes good knee and head room and a floor with footwells rather than the flat floor most EVs have, which he says leaves feet lower and the seating position more natural, and rates the car easy to fit a bulky rear facing child seat into. The rear bench reclines and slides to trade passenger space for luggage. A sunroof that switches between clear, matte and patterned states replaces a blind, and there is a hands free tailgate and frunk.
Bottom line: the Turbo is a demonstration, not a recommendation. Carwow's own verdict is that the entry level Cayenne Electric is quick, comfortable and practical enough, and that the Turbo's ceiling is unreachable on a public road. That reads correct. If you want the fastest electric SUV on sale and you have somewhere legal to use it, buy the Turbo and enjoy it without apology. Everyone else should spend the 80,000 pounds on the base car, tick the rear axle steering box, and keep the other 50,000 pounds.
Commentary on a third-party video. Figures and claims are as presented in the source and have not been independently verified. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.