Aug. 27, 2022 11:59 AM ET Nurburgring Show Does Porsche want to improve its existing Nurburgring lap record, or is it waiting for Aston Martin and Lamborghini to challenge it? We're big fans of the Porsche Cayenne Coupe Turbo GT. Associate Editor Ian Wright recently called it the perfect car for any occasion. Chatting in the office, he further stated that it was a hill he was willing to die on. We haven't heard from Ian in a few days, so we should probably start searching the hills near his house. Even though the Cayenne Turbo GT is only a year old, it's already receiving a substantial facelift as part of an update that will be made to the entire Cayenne range. We previously received a series of spy shots of a disguised Cayenne running laps of the Nurburgring, and now we have video footage of the SUV in action.
 The GT is easy to spot thanks to its model-specific roof spoiler and those aggressive dual oval exhausts. Its 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 produces 631 horsepower and 626 lb-ft of torque. It's more powerful than most sporty SUVs (including its Audi RS Q8 cousin, but not the more upmarket Urus) but still easily beaten by the Aston Martin DBX 707 and Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, which is returning for the 2023 model year. Thanks to the recent unveiling of the Lamborghini Urus Performante, we know this engine can produce up to 657 hp. The next big step for this engine will likely be some sort of hybridization, adding at least another 100 hp to the mix.
Will this hybrid engine debut on the Cayenne Turbo GT? It's highly unlikely. The Cayenne, Urus, and Q8 all share this platform, and there's a clear hierarchy if you look at the specifications. There's no way the Volkswagen mothership would allow a Porsche to be more powerful than a Lambo. Still, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT currently holds the record for the fastest SUV around the Nurburgring. It set a time of 7:38.925 seconds on the 12.9-mile layout of the Green Hell. It doesn't have anything to prove, so why is it out there? Well, Lamborghini might be vying for the crown too, and Aston Martin told us its own attempt was coming in due course. As far as we know, most of the Cayenne facelift updates are limited to the interior, and you don't need the Nurburgring to test a new digital instrument cluster. People often think the Nurburgring is only used to develop sporty cars and set new records. More often than not, manufacturers use it to test and refine a car's suspension setup and electronic nannies. It's how they ensure a car understeers instead of snap oversteers on the limit. Having said that, Porsche recently set a new EV Nurburgring lap record with the Taycan. Porsche updated the Taycan's 4D Chassis Control system to improve its previous lap record, which is standard fitment on the Cayenne Turbo GT. Since the updated system drastically impacted the Taycan's time, Porsche will likely add the revised version in the updated Cayenne. That could explain why Porsche is hooning the GT around the Nurburgring. It may be going for an improved record or optimizing the 4D Chassis Control system for its best-selling vehicle. Is Porsche Cayenne more reliable than Range Rover?Value-conscious drivers may also want to compare the Porsche Cayenne vs. Range Rover on reliability. According to J.D. Power, which assigns each vehicle a score from 0 to 100, the two rivals are more or less neck-and-neck. The Range Rover scored 80 out of 100 in its last test, while the Porsche Cayenne scored 81.
Is Porsche Cayenne a reliable car?Is the Porsche Cayenne Reliable? The 2022 Porsche Cayenne has a predicted reliability score of 81 out of 100. A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average, and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.
What is the difference between a Cayenne and a Coupe?As far as cargo space, the Cayenne Coupe has about 20% less space with the rear seat in place, but with the rear seats folded, the difference is less than 10%.
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Cayenne vs Cayenne Coupe.. Is the Porsche Cayenne 2022 a good car?While its cabin has limited cubby storage, and the ride can be too firm for sensitive types, the 2022 Cayenne cultivates the joy of driving far better than most of its peers, which earns it a place on our Editors' Choice list.
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