2018 Porsche Cayenne will get 671bhp range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid

The next generation Porsche Cayenne SUV – expected later this year – will follow the Panamera by having a 671bhp range topping Turbo S E-Hybrid variant.

In many ways, the Porsche Cayenne is still king of the sporty SUVs, even if it’s been slightly overshadowed in the dynamic stakes by the smaller and even more dynamic Porsche Macan.

With us for 15 years, the Cayenne is due to be replaced – probably later this year – and although, as a Porsche, its revised styling will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, we can expect something new under the skin.

That something new will be a plug-in hybrid powertrain taken from the new Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid which will give the new Cayenne around 670bhp and a 0-62mph of around 3.5 seconds.

On paper, that may make the new Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid slower than the Tesla Model X P100D, but in the real world the Porsche will make mincemeat of the Silicon Valley upstart.

There have been rumours that Porsche would take the electric gubbins from the production version of the new Mission E electric supercar to bolt under the next generation Cayenne, but it seems that has been dropped in favour of the high powered plug-in version

Also likely to arrive in the 2018 Cayenne are new, smaller but more powerful engines, but the biggest change is a completely new platform shared with the latest Audi Q7 and the Bentley Bentayga.

That new platform – which will save a chunk of weight –  coupled with the Turbo S E-Hybrid powertrain, should make the next generation comfortably the quickest SUV in the VW stable.

Perhaps even when the Lamborghini Urus arrives.