Porsche to debut 2013 Cayenne GTS in Beijing [Video update]

The Cayenne GTS is based on the Cayenne S, but its 4.8-liter V8's output has been bumped up to 420 horsepower.

Porsche made international headlines back in 2008 when it launched the 405 horsepower Cayenne GTS. At the time, the model was one of the fastest mass-produced SUVs on the market.

The German automaker has just announced that it will bring the GTS nameplate back to the Cayenne lineup for the 2013 model year.

The new Cayenne GTS is based on the existing Cayenne S, but its 4.8-liter V8's output has been bumped up to 420 horsepower. This marks an improvement of 20 horsepower over the Cayenne S.

The tuned V8 enables the car to sprint from zero to 60 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds and go on to an Autobahn-worthy top speed of 162 miles per hour.

In an effort to raise gas mileage and lower CO2 emissions, the Cayenne GTS comes standard with an automatic start-stop system.

The first generation of the Cayenne GTS was available with a manual transmission, but Porsche has dropped that option for 2013. The SUV will only be sold with an eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission which sends power to all four wheels. Compared to the Cayenne S, the GTS has a lower final drive ratio.

The GTS is fitted with model-specific side skirts and wheel arches, as well as a sport exhaust system that features four flat black tailpipes. The front fascia and the hood are both borrowed from the more powerful Cayenne Turbo. The car sits lower than the Cayenne S, and it is fitted with 20-inch RS Spyder wheels.

No pictures of the interior were released, but Porsche says that the GTS comes with Alcantra-upholstered seats. The front ones are power-adjustable in eight different ways.

For the first time ever in a Cayenne, buyers can opt for the Sport Chrono package. Porsche did not mention exactly what the SUV-bound package consists of, but in the brand's sports cars, it includes specific gearbox mounts, a dash-mounted stopwatch, and what the automaker calls a "SPORT PLUS" button. When the button is pushed, the optional Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system stiffens the suspension and makes the steering more responsive. The Sport Chrono package also includes a launch control function.

Another interesting bit of technology available in the sports car-like SUV is the Sound Symposer system, which according to Porsche "channels authentic engine intake sounds into the cabin."

After making its debut on April 24th, 2012, at the Beijing Motor Show, the Cayenne GTS will hit showrooms next August as a 2013 model. In the United States, it will carry a base price of $82,050, not including a $975 delivery charge.