By the time you read this -- if you read this -- the well-connected in what we laughingly call an industry will have already sampled the next great legend: Porsche’s Cayman. You’ll note the spelling is several letters removed from Cayenne; there’s a reason for that. While the Cayenne is Porsche’s well-regarded entry into this country’s SUV sweepstakes (it was a runner-up to the Hummer H2), the Cayman celebrates all that is traditional Porsche.

We will, of course, eventually drive the Cayman, but in the here and now we’ve got the Cayenne S, the automotive equivalent of getting Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds while this publication’s movie guy gets the Tom Cruise variant. Okay, the Cayenne isn’t that old, but the story’s been told. No matter -- we’ll tell it again.

For those living in the better zip codes, one Porsche (ideally the 911 Cab, but that’s all negotiable) was good; two were even better. Of course, as a constructor of only sports cars, this limited the Porsche prospect’s options, and those of Porsche itself. Porsche has (reportedly) considered a sedan since the days of the 928, but the smart money saw a Porsche effort as doing little more than repeating -- at a higher price -- what BMW and Benz had already accomplished.

With the growth of the SUV market, however, Porsche saw an opportunity. In partnership with Volkswagen, a common platform was laid out, with each manufacturer responsible for its own drive train and sheet metal. VW’s effort begat the Touareg, in V6, V8 and diesel variants, while Porsche initially introduced two V8 derivatives, one mit Turbo and one mitaus Turbo. More recently, an entry-level V6 has been added, with a base price just over $40K.

Our week spent in a Cayenne S confirmed our original impressions; this is one very capable piece of engineering. The 4.5 liter V8, generating 340 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, drives all four wheels through a 6-speed Tiptronic transmission. The Cayenne’s all-wheel-drive system will automatically divert up to 100 percent of available power to the end of the car with available traction. And if you think all-wheel drive is viable only in the northern climes, consider the number of all-wheel-drive models from Audi and Subaru currently sold -- in significant numbers -- in the Sunbelt.

Inside, you and up to four others are coddled in one of the better interpretations of Germanic luxury. Leather covers most surfaces, the dash-mounted navigation system looks more like a big-screen TV, and controls enjoy the functionality for which the Stuttgart firm is justifiably famous. This is one SUV whose operational enjoyment actually exceeds its considerable size.

We’re never sure, however, whether its enjoyment meets -- or exceeds -- its considerable price. With a base window sticker approaching $60K, you can make a cogent argument for the Cayenne S. Add even a few of the many available options, however, and you’re very suddenly competing with big boats and condos. Of course, telling your friend at the club that you just closed on a $75K condo won’t leave much of an impression at all.