Porsche Cayenne GTS makes North American debut

The world is already familiar with the Cayenne GTS, Porsche's sportiest SUV. But until this week, this prime example of Teutonic excess was unavailable to North Americans. Shown today at the Chicago Auto Show, the Cayenne GTS is kicking things off in America with a price tag of $69,300.

That's pretty nearly the list price of a Nissan GT-R. Although the GTS isn't likely to see nearly as much markup as the Godzilla supercar, it's an interesting thing to consider. The GTS gives you 4.8L 32-valve direct injection V8 good for 425hp. Routed through a manual transmission, that'll get you to 60mph in 5.7s. Compared to the GT-R's 3.8s 0-60mph run time, dual-clutch transmission and 480hp twin-turbo V6, the GTS leaves a bit on the table. But the GT-R won't carry your lumber home from the hardware store, either. The two cars are obviously targeted at different markets, but it's enlightening to see what Nissan can offer for the same money as Porsche.

Porsche's sales in the U.S. last year topped 34,000 - a record for the company, according to Automotive News. Sales this year are likely to fall, however, even with the introduction of the GTS. Despite a four-year trend of growth in the U.S., the downturned economy and threats of a recession are very likely to put a significant dent in the luxury market.