| First Drive | Goodwood, England | Porsche Cayenne Turbo |

Porsche's Cayenne Turbo has always been a crazily rapid and capable 4x4, but the new one moves the game on significantly.

In the Metal

The new Cayenne manages that rare trick of offering more interior space inside while appearing smaller on the outside. It's still a big car, but it's softer looking, even with the Turbo's assertively shaped intakes and vents on the front. Familiarity has mellowed the Cayenne's looks, while Porsche's designers have managed to better integrate the 911's styling cues into the Cayenne's SUV dimensions. It'll still divide opinion, but we reckon it's pretty handsome, while inside the Panamera-derived cockpit looks good and works brilliantly.

What you get for your Money

At £81,589 - before you've added a single option - the Turbo is double the price of the entry-level V6 Cayenne. A great deal of that money is spent on the engine, which is a 493bhp twin-turbo V8 that allows the Cayenne Turbo to reach 62mph in just 4.7 seconds. It'll do 172mph too if you can find somewhere with a long enough straight and liberal speed limits.

Equipment levels are greater in this range topper too, including air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management, satnav and telephone, 19-inch alloys, heated seats, Bose audio and bi-xenon lights.

Driving it

That Porsche chose to let us drive its new Cayenne Turbo on the track alone is telling. That it's Goodwood is a concern, as the narrow, fast track has no run-off and is a serious test for any road car. Especially when it's damp. The Cayenne Turbo shrugs it off with impunity though, driving around the tough circuit with such control and pace you'd have a job keeping up in a regular 911. The way the Cayenne seemingly laughs at the laws of physics is difficult to comprehend. The 4.8-litre twin turbo's power is relentless too, its 516lb.ft of torque being delivered from 2,250- to 4,500rpm.

Improvements across the entire range see the Cayenne lose some of its bulk, but it's still remarkable the way Porsche has managed to make the Cayenne Turbo change direction. The steering is quick and precise and there's even a modicum of feel at the wheel's rim. The complex 4x4 system picks the wheels best suited to use the power, allowing the big Porsche to use all its power more of the time. The suspension retains control over the weight and height, the Cayenne feeling more like a sports saloon than a big SUV. It's even possible to exit corners with some opposite lock on, the Cayenne's friendly nature allowing you to broach and breach its limits with confidence. The only weak link in the otherwise incredibly rounded dynamic package is the brakes, which grumble after heavy use on track.

Worth Noting

The only gearbox offered on the Cayenne Turbo is an eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic; and - unless you plan on never interacting with it - be sure to pay a little extra for the sports steering wheel and paddles. They're essential to properly engage with the gearbox. Amazingly, given the Cayenne Turbo's incredible ability and pace, it returns 24.6mpg on the combined consumption cycle. That's better than the first generation Cayenne V6 - though not if you're driving it around Goodwood...

Summary

Porsche's Cayenne Turbo has always been a impressively capable machine, but the new one is so devastatingly rapid and competent it's plain ridiculous - like a rugby prop forward that's also a gymnast and 100 metres sprinter mixed up in one weird genetic experiment. The performance is so extraordinary it's unlikely you'll ever scratch the surface on the road, but it's great to know that you've got so much should you ever need it. Or when the 911 is being serviced and you've got a track day booked...