I was tempted to downgrade to S this time because S is plenty fast now. But then I realized I have to add more options to S to get it to where I want, so the price difference is not that big. Plus S with a so many options would depreciate more than Turbo with less options, even though both would be the same equipment level in the end - options just depreciate more, and no one besides me would buy so fully equipped S anyway. So I went with Turbo. But I like options :-).

 

Same as WCH BOS. We went Turbo because we wanted the quickest, fastest, highest-performing large midsize SUV this side of a Urus. (The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio may be a little quicker, but it's way too small for us. Plus... Italian as a daily driver? I don't think so.) The true AMG Benz SUVs (think AMG 63 or 63 S) in this segment are dated, and due for a refresh soon. We had no interest in buying old tech. BMW wasn't even a consideration due to reliability concerns, like Alfa. We've seen way too many newish BMWs on flatbeds to consider one at any price.

The number-one reason my wife chose the Cayenne was handling. Number two was the Porsche mystique. We just lost our minds a little when we ordered a Turbo. It's a bucket-list purchase. As WCH said, forget about rationalizing this car. It's entirely an emotional decision to buy one. We just tossed the price aside.

 

 

 

I ended up loading up my Cayenne Turbo build with just about every option. I realize I will take a huge hit if I don't hold on to it, but it's been awhile since I bought a Porsche fully loaded and was excited about all of the new tech (including head up, rear wheel turning, etc). Went with Jet Black and Truffle/Cohiba interior. Wished there were an all-cohiba option but this gives me a darker dash.

 

 

We went through the same thought process. I sort of addressed it above, but to be clear: We agree with you about the Turbo. So many options we wanted are standard on it. By the time we got done, we were less than $20K apart (before we added PCCB and a few other bits later on -- now we're about $25K more on the Turbo).

You're already a veteran Porschephile, so I am the last person to offer any real advice. But our train of thinking was that the value wasn't there for heavily optioned S versus a lightly optioned Turbo. Which is why we went Turbo -- that, and its awesome badassery.

 

 

 

We looked at the SVR and the Sport V8 Supercharged. I liked them both, and I REALLY liked the price of the Sport as we spec'd it out, but there were three problems.

One: My wife wanted something unique. Rovers are relatively common in our area -- particularly where she works -- and she didn't like the idea of seeing herself surrounded by them regularly. Cayenne Turbos may as well be unicorns.

Two: Acceleration and handling, both objectively and subjectively, are not in the same class as the Turbo. (I am basing the handling statement on driving a few previous-generation Cayenne S's. Everything I have read indicates the 2019 is even better -- across the board.)

Three: Rover quality is a little iffy. We were both concerned about long-term reliability. We skipped looking at BMW entirely for the same reason.

All that being said, the V8 Supercharged sounded angry. I mean, ANGRY. We are hoping that the Turbo with Sport Exhaust will give off the same vibe.