Porsche Centre Doha has unleashed its sportiest SUV ever – the Cayenne GTS. After the global reveal wowed the audience at the 2012 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, Porsche is introducing this most sporting SUV in a market already in love with the Porsche Cayenne.

The Cayenne – which saw record sales and a 35 per cent increase across the region in 2011 – now comes in an athletic, faster GTS variant, with all the space, comfort and clear layout of an SUV; coupled with the driving fun, dynamics and agility of a sports car.

George Wills, Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, says: “The new Cayenne GTS is not simply a vehicle positioned between the Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo, but represents a model with its own distinctive character developed from tip to toe for emotionally-charged sportiness. It is a vehicle set to grab the hearts and minds of anyone passionate about driving.

“Our SUV range in general has struck a chord with the Middle East market. We have seen the Cayenne in all its variants enjoy enormous popularity in the last few years. Last year, the Cayenne accounted for nearly two-thirds of Porsche’s regional sales. Judging by the high level of interest in the GTS we are already witnessing that this new model will bolster our success.”

The Cayenne GTS’s power unit is the most powerful naturally aspirated engine in the Cayenne model line, with uncompromising power: it has a 4.8-litre V8 engine which offers up 420 horsepower. It will rocket you from 0 – 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds and offers a top speed of 261 km/h.

An eight speed Tiptronic S gearbox with integrated auto start/stop function offers dynamic control, while Porsche Traction Management (PTM) with active all-wheel drive provides a superior feeling of comfort and safety – something you have come to expect of a Porsche even at the high speeds.

The Cayenne GTS’s outstanding driving dynamics are driven by the completely new chassis setup, with lowered body: with steel spring suspension featured as standard, the Cayenne GTS is 24 millimetres lower than the Cayenne S and 20 millimetres lower with optional air suspension. The lower ride height gives the new Cayenne GTS a lower centre of gravity, with a perceptible impact on agility when cornering.

The exterior underlines the vehicle’s sporting character. The Cayenne GTS front section features larger cooling air intakes – similar to the Cayenne Turbo – and a distinctive front apron with additional air intakes. The attention-getter at the rear end is definitely the dominant roof spoiler with twin-wing profile which does not only look good but also increases the down force on the rear axle even further.

Salman Jassem Al Darwish, Chairman and CEO of Porsche Centre Doha, said: “There is a strong focus on sports performance. This new model combines greater engine output, more dynamic power development and a firmer chassis setup with a lower-slung body - yet with a very high degree of comfort.”

Its sportiness is complimented with comfort and luxury. A leather interior comes as standard, including Alcantara trims. The driver and front seat passenger sit on eight-way electrically adjustable GTS sports seats. The rear seats, with single seat styling, offer rear passengers outstanding side support. With its shift paddles, the standard SportDesign steering wheel is poised for manual gear changes and blends harmoniously with the puristic interior.

Exclusive, optional interior packages are available only for the GTS, including contrasting stitching in Carmine Red or Peridot Metallic.

Salman Jassem Al Darwish, added: “A lot of people here in Qatar choose the Cayenne for all its space, luxury and comfort, while enjoying the superior sporting performance and sheer pleasure of getting behind the wheel of a Porsche. Now, with the new GTS model, our customers will be bowled over by the fact that while it still looks like an SUV – with all the benefits of a large, comfortable, family-friendly vehicle - it handles and feels like a sports car – both physically and emotionally.”

The Cayenne GTS has a basic retail price of QR334,400 in Qatar.

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