JEDDAH - The new Cayenne GTS, a bright addition to Porsche's sport utility vehicle range, was unveiled at a ceremony at the showroom of Saudi Arabian Marketing & Agencies Co. Ltd. here on Monday night.

"With its greater power and speed, the Cayenne GTS is bound to show off-road performance," David Matta, general manager of Porsche Centers Saudi Arabia, Samaco, told reporters.

"We know car lovers will embrace the GTS because it contains the highly sporting DNA that can only be found in the Porsche range," he said, adding that the GTS gives yet another option within our truly comprehensive Porsche range.

"With the launch of the exhilarating new Cayenne GTS, there can be no doubt about Porsche's rightful place as a performance carmaker across the board," Matta said. Having made its world debut at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, the 4.8-litre SUV has been tuned to deliver even more pace with perfect poise and precision.

The engine delivers a massive 405 bhp at 6,500 rpm while the torque level registers 500 Nm at a low range of 3,500 rpm. A shorter axle ratio means this new Porsche is capable of scintillating performance, reaching 100 km/h from standstill in just 6.1 seconds. "This is almost unheard of in an SUV," Matta added.

The design reflects the car's attitude, with the front and rear resembling the all-out Cayenne Turbo, and the striking 14mm wheel-arch enlargements, combined with the standard 21-inch alloy rims and low-profile tires provide plenty of visual aggression.

Two new colors have been reserved exclusively for this new model: GTS red and Nordic gold metallic.

The Cayenne GTS gives even greater flexibility to its range, according to Deesch Papke, managing director of Porsche Middle East & Africa. "This model is an incredibly exciting proposition," he said. "It is an SUV with even more power and stunning looks, a four-wheel drive that believes it's a sports car. It stands out from its peers as one of the most sporting of all SUVs on the market."

The basic retail price for the new Cayenne GTS in the Kingdom is SR279,000, excluding value added tax and country-specific requirements.