Love it or hate it, the Cayenne is here to stay. The latest iteration of the shared VW Group SUV platform to wear Porsche badges is lighter, sleeker, and a bit less expensive too. Pricing revealed on the retail website shows the 2011 Porsche Cayenne starting at $46,700, almost $2,000 less than the previous model.

Things ramp up quickly from there, however. Choose a Cayenne S and you'll be shelling out 63,700 smackeroos, while the S Hybrid will set you back another $4,000. The Cayenne Turbo, Porsche's maddest SUV creation, hits the streets at $104,800--before you load up the options.

Tick a few comfort and convenience options on the base Cayenne and things can quickly head north of $70,000. Whether stripped down or loaded up, the 2011 Cayenne is rated at 7.1 seconds to 60 mph and tops out at 142 mph, though, so you get a fair amount of bang for your buck. Of course, Lincoln's MKT EcoBoost, while not necessarily on par with Porsche build quality, can be had in luxurious configurations, and delivers very low 6-second 0-60 mph times for about the same cash outlay. The Porsche will also likely outrun it when the pavement runs out, but who really offroads a Cayenne, anyway?

TheCarConnection's Bengt Halvorson spent the last few days testing the Cayenne in the environs of Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Alabama, and a full set of drive reports will be forthcoming shortly, including a first drive take, a look at the hybrid, and the Cayenne's off-road experience, so stay tuned.

[Porsche]