We've become accustomed to the use of hybrid power for efficiency reasons, but now the age of hybrid performance is well and truly upon us. Even Ferrari is using plug-in hybrid power to bolster its internal combustion engines, and sports cars aren't the only ones heading in that direction. Porsche has also applied the technology to its Cayenne SUV, creating the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, which promises to be part supercar, part 4x4 and part luxury limo. And it should still do 40km without burning a drop of petrol. It's even available in the 'Coupe' body style.
In the metal
At a glance, the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe looks much like any other Cayenne Coupe. There are no massive wings, and the ride height isn't especially low, but there are a few distinguishing features. Perhaps the most obvious is the lime green brake callipers fitted as standard, along with the lime green trim around the e-Hybrid lettering on the front wings. There's a model-specific grille, too, and you get four exhaust outlets and 21-inch alloys as standard.
Inside, the Turbo S E-Hybrid looks much the same as a standard E-Hybrid, with the same hybrid instrument cluster that combines digital and analogue displays. More lime green can be found on the rev counter, too, and that's replicated in some of the digital screens. But otherwise, the only real difference is the inclusion of 18-way electrically adjustable seats as standard.
Not that we're complaining, because the Cayenne's cabin is one of the best in the business. Porsche has this uncanny knack of building interiors almost perfectly, with unshakeable quality and a sporty yet understated style. The Turbo S E-Hybrid is no different, and both the materials and engineering on show are first class. There's some debate about the glossy black plastic panel on the centre console, in which many of the buttons are housed, but as long as you're happy cleaning the fingerprints off every so often that won't be too much of a problem.
The same goes for the central touchscreen, which comes with Porsche's latest operating system. It's an improvement on the old one thanks to the updated menus that make it a little more intuitive, but it still has the same plentiful capability and rapid responses, which already puts it a step ahead of many other touchscreen systems. It also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which make it easier to access your phone's functions on the move.
It works well with the hybrid instrument cluster, too, which allows the two screens either side of the main analogue rev counter to be customised to your needs. That means you can turn one side into a navigation display if you so wish, while the other can provide conventional trip information. It's a neat system and it proves you don't need a fully digital display, if only because the solid-looking rev counter is such an attractive thing to behold.
But while all this is common to every Cayenne model currently on sale, the Turbo S E-Hybrid does harbour some differences that will matter to customers, and they're all found behind the driver's seat. For starters, because this is the Coupe model with its fastback-style rear end, there is a little less rear headroom, but that won't matter for anyone except the very tallest passengers. Anyone measuring less than about 1.9 metres in height will be comfortable enough back there.
The Coupe body also cuts the boot size quite noticeably, dropping it from the ample 772 litres found in the back of a regular Cayenne to a slightly less impressive 592 litres. But that's for a basic V6-powered Cayenne - the Turbo S E-Hybrid has a whole hybrid system to hide under its boot floor, and that reduces the space available by another 130 litres. At 460 litres, though, the boot is hardly pathetic. And if you fold the back seats down, you can free up 1,400 litres of carrying capacity.
Driving it
What really separates the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe from its stablemates is the powertrain, and what a powertrain it is. The key component is the 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine that produces 550hp all by itself, thanks to a pair of turbochargers forcing air into the cylinders. That's joined by a 136hp electric motor, taking the maximum available at any one time to 680hp.
That's what's known in the industry as 'lots', and that's no surprise for such a high-end version of the Cayenne. But what's more surprising is that this car has more power than the supposedly range-topping Cayenne Turbo GT - the Lamborghini Urus-slaying supercar on stilts. However, because the Turbo S E-Hybrid is considerably heavier, weighing in at over 2.5 tonnes, it's slower to 100km/h.
But in the world of fast Cayennes, everything is relative, and a 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds is not to be sniffed at. That's roughly on a par with the Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, and that's a properly rapid thing.
Despite that performance, the hybrid system and its 17.9kWh battery pack means those with an eye on economy can achieve impressively low fuel consumption. Officially, the Turbo S E-Hybrid will cover 40km on electricity alone, which means you can pop to the shops without burning a drop of unleaded. And if you have a 7.2kW domestic 'wallbox' charging point at home, it'll recharge the battery in less than three hours.
Assuming your commute is less than 40km, therefore, you can manage a working week without using the petrol engine at all. Do that, and keep long journeys to a minimum, and you might get somewhere near the Turbo S E-Hybrid's official economy of around four litres per 100km. It's certainly going to be more efficient than any of the solely V8-powered Cayenne Coupes.
But while the Turbo S E-Hybrid may be vastly superior to other V8 Cayennes in terms of economy, it can still match them for performance. It compares well with the non-hybrid Cayenne Turbo, which is a little slower to accelerate and has a slightly lower top speed. Admittedly, the much lighter Turbo GT is about half a second faster to 100km/h and it'll do 300km/h, but that car is more than €100,000 more expensive.
And, if truth be told, that extra half second is really difficult to notice in the real world. But there is a noticeable difference in the way the two cars drive. Where the Turbo GT feels light and nimble and lively, the Turbo S E-Hybrid feels an awful lot heavier. Nevertheless, it still drives beautifully, with Porsche's trademark steering and remarkable body control for such a heavy car. It doesn't hide its weight in any way, but somehow it manages to work with it and still drive fabulously. It'll never feel like a Cayman, but it'll corner safely at higher speeds than anyone will ever need.
And despite that, it still rides gloriously. Even in the sportier modes, it feels composed and smooth, but in its more comfortable settings it simply glides along the road. It's a formidable achievement. The way Porsche has made big, heavy SUVs handle, ride and cope with off-roading so well is incredible.
What you get for your money
This high-end version of the Cayenne Coupe will set you back a not inconsiderable €181,134, and that's before you've picked any optional extras. In context, it costs around €80,000 more than the basic, V6-engined Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe and roughly the same as the V8-powered Cayenne GTS Coupe. But it's €110,000 cheaper than the Turbo GT model and more than €40,000 cheaper than the Turbo.
For that money, you not only get the performance, but you also get an extended leather interior, 21-inch alloy wheels and 18-way adjustable sports seats, as well as all the usual Cayenne goodies. Obviously, there's a massive touchscreen infotainment system, which is paired with a kind of hybrid instrument cluster that merges analogue and digital displays. Climate control, heated seats and a reversing camera are all included, of course.
Summary
The Cayenne Coupe is brilliant no matter which version you choose, but this is our favourite. It may not be as focused as the Turbo GT, but the Turbo S E-Hybrid impresses with its sheer breadth of capability. It's a comfortable, quiet, economical luxury car, but it's also capable of savage acceleration, incredible cornering speeds and even some light off-roading. It fits any brief, and for that alone, it's one of the best in the business.
