Porsche unleashes its Turbo machine

Ever wonder why anyone drives something as large as the Porsche Cayenne in London? A revisit to the range-topping model, the Turbo, recently served as a reminder.

Yes, it feels big and yes, it looks rather bling, but it's also an impressive way to travel, with plenty of space, pace and flexibility.

When it was re-launched in 2010, it grew by around four cms, making the interior roomier. It also got faster, its twin-turbo 4.8-litre V8 producing a whopping 500bhp and 516lb/ft torque. The engineers made it lighter by making the doors, bonnet and boot out of aluminium, losing some 185kgs.

The result? Its power-to-weight ratio improved by about 20bhp per tonne, lowering the 0-62mph time to 4.7 seconds and giving a top speed of 172mph. What the figures can't tell you is the way this tall Porsche handles, thanks in part to ingeniously engineered air suspension which makes it feel much like a sports car.

It makes for fast, roll-free cornering, backed by accurate, nicely-weighted steering. It's more nimble around town than you would expect, although rear three-quarter vision isn't brilliant. And the flexibility? That comes from the ease with which the rear seat can be slid, for more legroom, and easily folded, for more stowage.

It's one heck of an all-rounder, as long as you can afford it: £81,589 or £95,655 for the road-test model boasting extra goodies such as ceramic brake discs, dynamic chassis control and electric sunroof.