12 Nov 07
Under the bonnet, thanks to improved breathing, the normally aspirated 4.8-litre V8 has had its power boosted by 20bhp to an impressive 405bhp. There's also a lower final drive for the manual to ensure performance doesn't taper off in top gear.
Before moving away we stab the 'Sport' button that sharpens up the throttle response, shifts the PASM dampers into sport and, most importantly, opens a valve in the rear exhaust that floods the cabin with a glorious noise that swings from polite cultured V8 to a very rude American NASCAR.
It's one thing sounding like a race car, but the Cayenne can almost back-up its heroic soundtrack. Performance is strong, with the GTS nailing the 0-62mph dash in just 6.1 seconds in manual form, topping out at 157mph. The penalty will be felt at the pumps, thanks to an average fuel consumption figure coming in at a disappointing 18.7mpg.
On the move, the GTS does nothing less then astonish. On smooth, sinuous Portuguese roads, in no time we're enamoured with the involvement the Cayenne commands and stunned by the speeds it can carry cross-country.
With anyone with any sense of financial nous, ordering a manual gearbox on a large 4x4 is equivalent to torching a very large pile of cash. Here, however, this curious combination works and within a few short miles we're convinced the GTS is the sharpest, most engaging, best-handling SUV we've ever driven.
The manual shift is quick and the large capacity engine so willing to rev, it's easy to brush the rev limiter, expecting the shove to go on and on forever. Ultimately though, it will be the automatic most buyers will choose (an option at £1,760). It's a fine match, only occasionally dogged by a rather lazy response to a downchange.
