Porsche Cayenne GTS E3.1 vs Mercedes EQS 450 V297: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Cayenne GTS hits 100 km/h in 4.37 s versus 6.30 s for the EQS 450. Despite lacking instant torque, 460 hp of power compensates. At this point, the Cayenne GTS leads by 1.93 s and sits roughly 23 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Cayenne GTS is doing 142 km/h against 128 km/h for the EQS 450. The gap is 1.40 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Cayenne GTS crosses the line in 12.66 s versus 14.56 s. The 1.90 s gap represents roughly 81 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the Cayenne GTS continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 197 km/h versus 177 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Cayenne GTS finishes in 23.37 s versus 26.37 s, with a 3.00 s lead.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Cayenne GTS is capped at 270 km/h, the EQS 450 at 210 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 9.86 seconds. The 1.93 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.