For Porschophiles steeped in the lore of the 911, it's sometimes hard to accept that a truck is the best selling Porsche on the market.

The Porsche Cayenne was the first ever SUV from the fabled sportscar maker and it caught the interest of buyers in a way the Volkswagen Touareg (on which the Cayenne is based) and Audi Q7 (which shares the same platform) did not.

If you go to the Porsche Canada website you'll find no less than six different trim/power variants of which, the GTS is, arguably the most desirable.

The Cayenne GTS made its world debut at the last Frankfurt Motor show and features a specially developed chassis. It was also the first Cayenne to offer an electronically controlled damping system and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) that was previously reserved for sportscars only.

Standard on the GTS is the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system that integrates the anti-lock braking system and the all-wheel drive Porsche Traction Management (PTM) that, combined, contribute to its enhanced performance.

The PTM system, with an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch, can alternately shift the drive output from the engine between the front and rear axles according to grip levels. The clutch can perform shift intervals in under 100 milliseconds, quicker than the reaction of the engine to load changes. Standard torque split is 38/62 per cent front/rear.

Also part of handling package is driver-adjustable air suspension.

Ride height, torque split and degrees of damping are controlled by rotary toggles on the transmission tunnel that can be adjusted on the fly.

The GTS rides on truly impressive looking 21-inch alloy wheels made to look all the more so with 14 mm wheelarch extensions. Stopping power is vented discs, 13.8-inch with six-piston calipers at the front, 13-inch with four-piston calipers at the back.

The car boasts an enhanced version of the direct fuel injection (DFI) 4.8-litre quadcam V8 engine that produces 405hp at 6,500 rpm, 20 hp more than in the Cayenne S. Maximum torque remains unchanged at 369 lb/ft.

In order to further exploit this horsepower increase, the GTS comes as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox and a shorter axle final drive ratio than the Cayenne S (4.1:1 as opposed to 3.55:1). The Cayenne GTS can thus accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds with the six-speed manual transmission.

The Cayenne GTS came also with the Tiptronic S six-speed automatic transmission as tested. With a top speed limited to 257 km/h, it accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds.

Fuel consumption with Tiptronic as tested was 16.2L/100 km (17 mpg) city and 10/8L/100 km (26 mpg) highway.

Besides the wheels, the GTS is recognizable by the styling it shares with the Cayenne Turbo like the big air ducts at the front.

But perhaps the best part of the GTS is the interior. Mine was fitted with the optional ($4,440) "Havana" leather in a wonderfully lush honey gold color throughout. The front seats were something I'd like to have in my living room being great just to look at. And with the 12-way adjustment, everyone can find a conformable position.

As mentioned above, this week's tester came with Porsche's long-serving Tiptronic six-speed automatic with sequential manual shift accessed by either tapping the shift lever or by a pair of rocker toggles on the steering wheel.

It's one of the best such systems on the market but I doubt it will long before the new seven-speed, twin-clutch Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) is fitted as an option.

With those big 21-inch rims you are already tall in the saddle, but nudge the selector up and you get a whole new view of the world. Of course, this is for going off pavement, but I can see it being pretty handy in the winter with the kinds of snowstorms we had last year.

The engine has more power that you'll ever want, but it's there when you need it. I've always said lots of horsepower doesn't get you into trouble, it gets you out.

The Tiptronic is nice and I think the six-speed manual is out of place on a machine like this. Frankly, I've become PDK fan after experiencing it on the 911 and Boxster.

You don't point the GTS as much as aim. Face it, you've got a lot of truck beneath you. But with a little fine tuning with the ride height and damping, you can go around corners better than a lot of sporty cars on the market.

Braking is phenomenal especially when entering the off ramp. Acceleration is likewise. It hauls like no other truck you're ever driven.

The other curious thing is how it stands out in the crowd. You know how when you drive a certain vehicle, you notice others on the road? I saw Cayennes seemingly everywhere I drove and, to my surprise, some drivers flashed their lights on and off as a form of greeting.

At one stop for a bag of milk, a Cayenne S owner came over and started chatting to the point I had to excuse myself because he would have talked all day.

Truck camaraderie? Who would have thunk it!

The GTS with Tiptronic has a starting price of $91,090 but, being a Porsche, you can add a host of packages in options to tickle your fancy as well as your wallet.

This week's tester was modestly enhanced with aforementioned special leather interior and as well as Bi-Xenon headlights ($2,130), navigation/infotainment system ($4,500), audio interface ($600), floor mats ($200), trailer hitch ($860); moonroof ($1,630); Bose sound system ($2,310) and Bluetooth interface ($950). Along with the $100 air tax and the $1,115 shipping fee, the as tested total was $110,895.

Sounds like a lot and it is, but if you want a SUV with 60 years of sportscar race winning heritage, the Porsche Cayenne GTS might be just what you need.

And, take it from me; you'll kinda like having other owners flick their lights at you.

(PORSCHE CAYENNE GTS 2009 AT A GLANCE)

BODY STYLE: Luxury performance SUV.

DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, all-wheel-drive.

ENGINE: 4.8-litre DOHC V8 (405 hp, 369 lb/ft)

FUEL ECONOMY: Tiptronic as tested, 16.2L/100 km (17 mpg) city, 10.8.L/100 km (26 mpg) highway

PRICE: Base, $91,090, as tested, $110,895 including $1,115 shipping fee.

WEBSITE: www.porsche.ca