Driving Porsche’s most powerful car – and no, it’s not a 911

MUNICH, GERMANY—Think of any racing Porsche you’ve seen on the road—with big wings, bold colors, and big wheels. Now prepare for the unpleasant fact: No one had more power than the SUV you see here. This is the new Cayenne Turbo Coupe, a fast, dual-motor, updated version of Porsche’s electric SUV.

It produces 1,139 hp (850 kW) and 1,106 lb-ft of torque (1,500 Nm), enough to propel the 5,637 lb (2,557 kg) machine and its 113-kilowatt-hour pack from zero to 60 mph) in 92 seconds / 4 seconds. This makes Porsche the most powerful car maker in the world and among its fastest, only the best Taycan Turbo GT.

But unlike the standard, functional version of Porsche’s sultry electric sedan, the Cayenne Coupe is designed to carry friends, family, and whatever else you can fit under its hatch. Is it possible? That’s what I went to Munich to research.

It’s not the most beautiful car, but there are reasons to love the Cayenne Coupe besides its looks.

Credit: Tim Stevens

Formula E-inspired

Manufacturers love to trumpet any technology that hits the road. With SUVs, such comparisons are more difficult, but in its high-speed Turbo form, the Cayenne Electric has a valid link to Porsche’s efforts in Formula E.

Porsche has been competing in the world’s largest air sports exhibition since 2019, win several races. Much of Formula E has already been used, meaning manufacturers cannot change things like the chassis or bodywork. They can, however, build their own motors.

In its Formula E competition, Porsche found a way to install a cooling system between the stator and the rotor, which makes the electricity more and more constant without overheating. The same design is now used on the rear wheels of the Turbo electric version of the high-end Cayenne.