New Porsche Cayenne pricing announced

Australian pricing for the new Porsche Cayenne has been announced, starting at $116,300 for the standard model and rising to $239,400 for the Cayenne Turbo, a petrol V8 monster with forced induction.

Three models will be offered locally when arrivals of the AWD SUV begin in mid-2018, and they are Porsche Cayenne, Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo.

All models feature smaller, more efficient, yet more powerful petrol engines (no Porsche diesel for now) and the new models' construction is comprised of 47 per cent aluminium, making each variant lighter by up to 65kg.

A range of advanced driving aids will be offered and the new SUV is also being touted as one of the most dynamic in its class.

Rear-axle steering is available as an option for the first time in a Cayenne, while standard features on all Aussie models include an eight-speed automatic transmission, lane change assist and ParkAssist with surround view.

Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo add a panoramic sunroof as standard, while the hard core Cayenne Turbo gets seat ventilation, four-zone climate control, three-chamber air suspension and ambient lighting as standard.

The entry-level Porsche Cayenne is powered by a 3.0-litre turbo V6 (250kW/450Nm) that'll blast from 0-100km/h in 5.9secs with fuel consumption rated at 9.2L/100km.

The Porsche Cayenne S gets a more potent but smaller 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 (324kW/550Nm) capable of reaching 100km/h from standstill in 5.2secs. Fuel consumption is rated at 9.4L/100km.

The big-daddy Porsche Cayenne Turbo gets a rumbling 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 (404kW/770Nm) that makes it one of the fastest SUVs on the planet, scorching from 0-100km/h in just 3.9secs. All that power comes at a cost though – it's very thirsty, with fuel consumption well above the V6's, at 11.9L/100km.

It's not easy to tell at first glance but the 2018 Cayenne design is all-new. Claiming the Cayenne to be the first SUV in the world to make use of active aerodynamics, boasting a roof spoiler and 'airbrake', Porsche has seemingly ignored the Tesla Model X's retractable spoiler.

Inside, the German sports car company has added the Porsche Advanced Cockpit, digitising elements of the instrument panel. There's also a huge high-definition 12.3-inch touch-screen infotainment display that dominates the cockpit.

Porsche says the new Cayenne will be "fully networked and connected as standard", which means lots of apps and connectivity features to bamboozle you.

There's the usual Bluetooth interface with intelligent online voice control, a Wifi hotspot, four USB ports and Apple CarPlay. There's also a Porsche Connect App that allows owners to fiddle with their car via their phone.

First launched in 2002, the Porsche Cayenne has sold more than 770,000 units since, making it the most popular Porsche ever made.

2018 Porsche Cayenne pricing (plus ORCs):
Cayenne auto — $116,300
Cayenne S auto — $155,100
Cayenne Turbo auto — $239,400