Porsche set out to make a splash with the new Cayenne Turbo Electric, but the ad that pits the electric SUV against the legendary 918 Spyder turned into a marketing misfire. The premise—proving that a heavy SUV with up to 850 kW could outpace a supercar of the past—sparked a wave of criticism from both loyalists and newcomers to the brand.

On paper, the Cayenne is formidable: up to 630 kW (857 hp) in standard mode and as much as 1,156 hp in Overboost, with a 0–100 km/h sprint in 2.5 seconds. For a 2.6‑ton machine, that’s a standout result. And in the dash to 100 km/h, the crossover really did edge out the 918 Spyder.

But once the test stretched to 200 km/h, the 918 showed its teeth again: 7.3 seconds versus the Cayenne’s 7.4. Instead of a clear victory lap, the clip underlined how oddly Porsche tries to justify a heavy electric crossover by setting it against icons from its own back catalog. The numbers impress, but the narrative doesn’t land.

Fans of the sports brand saw a hollow gesture: matching an SUV against a 2013 supercar telegraphs not the power of technology, but a shortage of ideas. Meanwhile, those watching the EV space wonder why Porsche sidesteps direct showdowns with current competitors like the Tesla Model X Plaid or the Xiaomi YU7 GT, which come in at a fraction of the price.

In the end, the Cayenne Turbo Electric looks less like a revolution and more like a product that aggressive marketing couldn’t quite rescue—one that risks slipping into the background as a barely noticed experiment.