The Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid packs 512bhp to take on BMW's X5 M60i

The recently announced Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid may have stolen the headlines as the most powerful Porsche SUV yet, but for most people, the new Cayenne S E-Hybrid has far more relevance. Costing from £87,100 it undercuts the flagship Cayenne by an enormous £43,100 while still offering a level of performance to trouble most sports cars.

The facelifted Cayenne benefits from updated powertrains across the board, and the S E-Hybrid makes use of updated hybrid tech that brings meaningful improvements in performance and efficiency over the outgoing system. The powertrain is built around a revised 348bhp 3-litre V6 engine, which is mated to a 174bhp electric motor for peaks of 512bhp and 553lb ft. With a 0-62mph time of 4.7sec, the Cayenne S E-Hybrid loses out to BMW’s X5 M60i by a few tenths, but is about as quick to accelerate as a 718 Cayman S. Not bad for a portly hybrid SUV. 

Thanks to a 25.9kWh battery pack, the S E-Hybrid can achieve up to 56 miles on electric power alone, with a full charge taking less than two and a half hours thanks to 11kW onboard AC charging. 

This new model carries the same Taycan-inspired design touches as other new Cayennes, including new LED matrix headlights and a full-width rear light bar, with 20-inch wheels and twin stainless steel tailpipes equipped as standard. Available in both standard SUV and Coupe forms, the former gets silver exterior accents, with the sportier coupe gaining black styling elements. 

The cabin also adopts certain cues from the Taycan, including a free-standing curved instrument pack, a dash-mounted gear selector switch and a simplified centre console. The Taycan’s optional passenger display can also be specified, enabling easy access to navigation, media and video streaming functions on the move. 

Order books for the Cayenne S E-Hybrid are open now, with the standard car priced at £87,100 and the Coupe commanding an extra £3000.