Two decades have passed since Porsche introduced its first SUV, the Cayenne. It was a very important model for the automaker then and it is still in its third generation. In its initial offerings, the Cayenne set standards in the SUV space, and that still holds true today with the Cayenne Turbo GT.
But how far have Porsche SUVs come since 2002? This drag race aims to illustrate just that, it belongs to the UK Carwow. In this battle, three generations of Cayenne are lined up to see the development progress between each version.
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The Porsche Cayenne Mk1 comes in Turbo trim, which is powered by a twin-turbo 4.5-liter V8 that produces 444 horsepower (331 kilowatts) and 457 pound-feet (620 Newton-meters) of torque. It’s not the most powerful version of the Mk1; that honor belongs to the Turbo S from 2008 which produced a maximum power of 542 hp (405 kW).
Meanwhile, the Mk2 variant is the Turbo S from the facelift version, carrying a 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 562 hp (419 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of traction. It’s definitely more powerful than the Mk1 entry and surprisingly, it’s also a lot lighter at around 220 pounds (100 kilograms).
The Mk3 that represents modern times is not the stately Cayenne Turbo GT; it’s a pre-facelift Turbo S e-Hybrid. With electrification involved, this SUV can produce 671 hp (500 kW) and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. These figures come from the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine and electric motor. However, with the battery involved, the newest Cayenne in the fight is quite beefy, weighing in at around 5,512 lbs (2,500 kg).
At this point, you probably have an idea as to which crossed the market a quarter mile first of these three Cayennes. Can the big power overcome the added weight? Watch the video to find out, but as always, let us know what you think in the comments section below.
