\ufeffThe Cayenne has something in common with Pride Magazine. It was first created in 2002. Back then Pride was a relative unknown among more established magazines and many people questioned whether there was room for another glossy county title. Around the same time, Porsche unveiled a vehicle that seemed equally controversial. A Porsche that was not a sports car. Critics mocked the idea, arguing that a family-sized SUV had no place wearing the famous Stuttgart badge and Pride was facing down some pretty established publications in the magazine market. Things have definitely changed since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today Pride Magazine is well established and so too is the Cayenne. In fact, it has become one of the most important cars Porsche has ever built. The Cayenne and its smaller sibling, the Macan, each sell around 80,000 examples every year. By comparison, the iconic 911 sells roughly 50,000 units annually, while the Panamera, Taycan and 718 Boxster and Cayman each account for around 20,000 sales. So the Cayenne is a very big deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The success of the Macan has given Porsche confidence to move the Cayenne further upmarket. Luxury SUVs such as the Range Rover have comfortably moved beyond six-figure price tags, while rivals including the Aston Martin DBX, Bentley Bentayga and Land Rover Defender Octa have demonstrated that buyers are willing to spend serious money on performance-focused luxury SUVs. That allows Porsche to make the Cayenne larger, more luxurious and more expensive than ever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move to electrification is another reason why Porsche had to get the new Cayenne exactly right. Previous generations have been offered with petrol and hybrid powertrains, but this is the first Cayenne designed from the outset as a fully electric model. Porsche is even developing a wireless charging system that will allow owners simply to drive over a charging pad in their garage to begin charging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prices begin at \u00a383,200 for the Cayenne Electric, while the Cayenne Electric Coup\u00e9 starts at \u00a386,200. Personally, I would save the extra money and choose the standard SUV. It is already a handsome and well-proportioned vehicle, offering greater practicality and versatility. That said, both versions are undeniably attractive and both benefit from Porsche\u2019s trademark attention to detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The standard Cayenne Electric produces up to 442PS with Launch Control and develops 835Nm of torque. It reaches 60mph in 4.8 seconds and continues to a top speed of 143mph. Range is impressive too; up to 399 miles, while rapid charging allows the battery to go from ten to eighty per cent in just 16 minutes at suitably powerful charging stations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are three versions available. The standard Electric is joined by the S Electric, which reduces the 0 to 60mph sprint to just 3.8 seconds, and the astonishing Turbo Electric, capable of completing the same benchmark in only 2.5 seconds. Tempting though those figures are, I would happily stick with the standard model and spend the additional budget on personalising the car. Porsche offers an almost endless selection of colours, trims, wheels and interior finishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All-wheel drive is standard across the range and practicality has not been forgotten. The Cayenne can tow up to 3,500kg, making it ideal for horseboxes, boats and trailers. Inside, occupants enjoy leather seats, heated front seats, adaptive air suspension, ambient lighting with thirty colour choices, adaptive cruise control, soft-close doors, keyless entry, a power tailgate with gesture control and a ten-speaker audio system. Add impressive refinement and genuine Porsche handling and the result is an electric SUV that proves the future can still be exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n