Les Comes, Spain – At its launch, the new Cayenne will be available in five model variants: Diesel, S Diesel, S E-Hybrid, Turbo and the S that we’re featuring here. According to the Porsche folk, the plug-in S E-Hybrid that we had been quite eager to drive was important enough a model to have its own launch-drive event, which is expected to follow quite closely after its Paris Motor Show debut.

S gets forced-fed
Instead of the previous naturally-aspirated V8, the S now gets a biturbo V6 (like the Macan) that displaces 3.6-litres and produces 420bhp and 550Nm (+20bhp and +50Nm over the earlier V8). We should mention its ‘clean and green’ credentials, because despite the hike to engine performance, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are rated at 9.8-9.5l/100km and 229-223g/km respectively, with the former dropping by 0.9l/100km. Translated to real life driving, the 0-100km/h sprint takes 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 259km/h.

Is it all under-the-skin changes then?
Not quite, but we’re not that fond of waxing lyrical over little nips and tucks for face-lift models despite the long paragraphs that can accompany a new crease in the bodywork. Suffice to say, the Cayenne now looks wider and more menacing than before, with a decidedly ‘sportier’ look to go with its Porsche tag. Most notable are the floating four-point LED Daytime Running Lights (especially when coupled to the optional LED headlights that are standard on the Turbo), which really give this facelift a distinct and instantly recognisable light signature.

Also, we’re far more interested in vehicle dynamics than pure looks since beauty is far more than just skin-deep. The suspension too, has been fine-tuned even further to offer sufficient thrills for sporty driving, yet retain that level of comfort that the Cayenne’s fans have come to expect from Porsche’s large SUV range.

There’s a good depth to this facelifted Cayenne’s abilities that sees it effortlessly switch between on- and off-road driving – for both hard-pressing and genteel cruising driving styles. On the mountain roads and winding trails, it’s possible to carry a decent amount of speed into and out of the corners, despite its 2-tonne kerbweight. Even in the rough, it was never too firm to be mud-ploughing – sadly, we never got to properly get to grips with what the car was doing on the 4×4 course in Les Comes, since the instructor who rode shotgun was well, not the most comprehensible we’ve had and almost seemed to be in a rush for us to get through that portion of the programme.

The Cayenne gets an optional Sport Chrono package too, which comes with a Performance-Start function, kinda like a launch control system. This is initiated when you depress both accelerator and brake pedals at the same time and a display in the instrument cluster indicates that the vehicle is ready to start; engine speed is increased and the Tiptronic S is prepared for the launch so the important gear changes for the run from 0-100km/h are optimised, resulting in a 0.1 seconds improvement in the sprint timing for all the Cayenne models.

Belly of the beast
The cabin of the Cayenne S boasts a taut sense of quality that is almost Germanic no-nonsense in execution. There’s a logical consistency to the control layout, especially the toggles, switchgear and knobs that are mounted on the rising centre console. In addition to the usual array of air-con controls, there is switchgear for the the air suspension’s height adjustment, locking differentials for on- and off-road use and the suspension settings for the Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus driving programmes. It’s easy for smaller owners to load stuff into the boot now, since there’s a feature that lets one lower the loading level by 52mm with the tailgate open. The rear bench seating has also been optimised for greater occupant comfort on long journeys, while other niceties include a cost-optional soft-close function, just in case you feel it’s too much effort to slam shut the doors…

NEED TO KNOW – Porsche Cayenne S
Engine 3,604cc, 24V, V6
Power 420bhp at 6,000rpm
Torque 550Nm at 1,350-4,500rpm
Gearbox 8-speed Tiptronic S
Top Speed 259km/h
0-100km/h 5.4 seconds (Performance-Start)
Fuel efficiency 9.8-9.5l/100km
CO2  229-223 g/km
Price TBA

For the full review, look out for Carbuyer Singapore issue 227