Only a few times in automotive history has one model saved a brand. The Cayenne was met with mixed emotions at when it arrived in 2002, but since then no less than 760,000 examples have been sold. Porsche needed something new to entice buyers into the showroom at the turn of the century. The Boxster and Cayman were not in danger, but people viewed the brand as a sports car company. The Cayenne redefined the luxury SUV. Last night at the Porsche Museum, Dr. Porsche and his team took the cover off Cayenne’s third generation.
Chairman of the Executive Board Oliver Blume had this to say “We have completely redeveloped our successful model. It has been visibly and tangibly improved and perfected in all respects. The Cayenne has also been digitalised and networked throughout to give it a forward-thinking design”. The scene was host to dancers, a laser light show, and the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra.Cayenne borrows styling from the 911. It arrives with staggered tire sizes, rear wheel steering, and AWD as standard equipment. Two twin turbo V6 engines will be initially available. The base model will offer 340 hp and the Cayenne S will have 440 hp. Both are bolted to an 8-speed Tiptronic S automatic.
For incredible comfort on or off road, it has triple-chamber air suspension and Porsche 4D Chassis Control. Even with all the new parts, it weighs in at 143 lbs less than current examples thanks to clever engineering. The first production example will remain on display as part of a special display entitled “New tracks. Every destination. Always Porsche.” The exhibit is planned to run until February 25th, to showcase the history of the Cayenne. No mention of a V8 was made, so if you need a great deal on a powerful Porsche, check out our Cayennes for sale and stay with us for all your Porsche news.
