Think Porsche and the car that automatically springs to mind is more than likely the venerable rear-engined 911. Even so, the marque’s real hero is arguably the Cayenne.
Porsche was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy at the turn of the millennium, prompting the Zuffenhausen carmaker’s brain trust to conceive a new volume-selling model to broaden the brand’s target audience.
Unlike all other Porsche models that started life at the Weissach Development Centre, the Cayenne was developed in secret at a facility in Hemmingen – a small town about 10km away. Strict security measures were adopted to keep the project confidential, including mirrored windows, fenced grounds and vigilant security guards.
The first-gen Cayenne launched in 2002 and – even though the inevitable sceptics brayed that it wasn’t “a real Porsche” – the model line has proved a runaway success, with more than 1.5 million sold over the past 23 years.
We’re now witnessing the most significant evolution in the sporting SUV’s timeline with the next-generation Cayenne, which makes the switch from combustion engines to a full-electric power train.
I join a group of select international media to preview the new EV. Hunkered down a few metres from us at the Porsche Experience Centre in Leipzig, Germany, is a prototype of the all-new, battery-powered Cayenne. Its bodywork is swathed in psychedelic livery, partially concealing some of the vehicle’s details. The reason for this is that the production version won’t be revealed to the world until mid-November.
Although the Cayenne EV shares its PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture with the electrified Macan that The National sampled in April last year, the platform has been significantly re-engineered as the Cayenne has a broader job description than its junior sibling. It must fulfil the role of both performance SUV and genuine all-terrainer, as Porsche markets the Cayenne as a do-everything chariot.
In case you’re worried that ditching petrol power in favour of a pair of electric motors has diluted the Cayenne’s capabilities, you needn’t be. The flagship Cayenne Turbo packs over 800hp, which can be amped up to almost 1100hp for brief bursts via an Overboost function.
Even though the Cayenne Turbo weighs close to 2.7 tonnes (Porsche hasn’t disclosed the exact figure for now), it rockets from 0-100kph in a hypercar-matching sub-3 seconds and blasts past 200kph in fewer than 8 seconds.
The Cayenne EV is equipped with a 113kWh battery pack that sits below the passenger cell, keeping the vehicle’s centre of gravity low. Porsche quotes a touring range of 600km-plus on a full charge. Its 400kW charging capability means a sub-16-minute zap at an appropriate fast-charging station can take the battery level from 10 per cent to 80 per cent.
Another noteworthy development is an 11kW inductive charging pad that will be offered as an option with the Cayenne. Substituting a conventional wall-box, you simply plug it in and place it on the floor of your garage. Every day, when you return from work, you simply drive your Cayenne over the charging pad – there’s no need to mess around with any cables. Leave the vehicle overnight and it will be fully charged by the time you depart for the office in the morning.
Porsche has thrown a veritable barrage of tech at the Cayenne EV, enabling it to handle like a highly capable grand tourer, yet also conquer far harsher terrain than one could imagine. Among the new Cayenne’s highlights is optional Active Ride suspension, which almost magically negates body roll under hard cornering, while also flattening out the ride over corrugated mud and gravel tracks.
For now, we can only witness all this from the passenger seat, with Porsche’s factory drivers demonstrating the Cayenne’s breadth of capabilities. Our first experience is on an off-road track that throws up 80 per cent inclines, wheel-articulation tests, water crossings and side-incline obstacles. The Cayenne romps across it all without breaking a sweat.
However, the real surprise is the Cayenne Turbo’s eye-watering pace and agility across Porsche’s Leipzig handling track. Making a mockery of its estimated 2.7 tonnes, the test driver flings the big SUV into each bend sideways at speeds that seem entirely implausible. After a couple of tyre-smoking laps we trundle back into pit lane.
Conclusion? The electrified Cayenne is a bewilderingly rapid and capable SUV. Buyers in the UAE will need to exercise patience, though, as local deliveries won’t begin until the second half of 2026. The EV models will also supplement the existing petrol-powered Cayennes rather than replacing them.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
OTHER IPL BOWLING RECORDS
Best bowling figures: 6-14 – Sohail Tanvir (for Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in 2008)
Best average: 16.36 – Andrew Tye
Best economy rate: 6.53 – Sunil Narine
Best strike-rate: 12.83 – Andrew Tye
Best strike-rate in an innings: 1.50 – Suresh Raina (for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in 2011)
Most runs conceded in an innings: 70 – Basil Thampi (for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018)
Most hat-tricks: 3 – Amit Mishra
Most dot-balls: 1,128 – Harbhajan Singh
Most maiden overs bowled: 14 – Praveen Kumar
Most four-wicket hauls: 6 – Sunil Narine
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
SERIES INFO
Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16
UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on Quran memorisation:
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champioons League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)
Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)
Playing September 30
Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Uefa Champions League last 16 draw
Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur
Basel v Manchester City
Sevilla v Manchester United
Porto v Liverpool
Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain
Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma
Chelsea v Barcelona
Bayern Munich v Besiktas
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)
Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)
Key developments in maritime dispute
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
