When Porsche launched an SUV exactly two decades ago, some thought the German sports car maker was going bonkers or selling its soul. While such a vehicle may offend sports car purists, the Cayenne ended up pulling Porsche out of financial difficulty and ensured the continued survival of icons like the 911 and the more recently launched Boxster and Cayman.
It has gone on to become one of the German firm’s best selling vehicles ,and the millionth Cayenne rolled off the production line in 2020. The success of this trendsetter inspired legions of other manufacturers to produce luxury sports SUVs of their own.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the Cayenne is in its third generation (E3), and in 2021 it was the brand's second most popular model range with 83,071 units sold globally, behind the Macan midsized SUV with 88,362 sales.
The Cayenne was conceived at a time when the company found itself in a significant economic crisis. With the Boxster launched in 1996, Porsche began to emerge from its slump, but it was clear the 911 and the new mid-engined Boxster alone would not be able to secure the firm’s long-term future.
It was decided the third model range would be an off-road vehicle, as part of a joint project with sister company Volkswagen in which the Cayenne and Touareg would share the same platform but using their own engines and chassis set-ups.
In 2002 the first generation (E1) Cayenne rolled off the production line in Leipzig, Germany and its replacement, the E2, was built there as well. With the launch of the E3 Cayenne in 2017, Porsche moved production to Bratislava in Slovakia to create additional capacity in Leipzig for the Panamera sports sedan and Macan compact SUV.
The Cayenne has never strayed from its origins as a family-friendly touring vehicle with genuine off-road ability (including a low-range transfer case and a locking centre-differential) and dynamic on-road performance. The E1 started with a choice of two V8 engines: a normally aspirated 4.5l with 250kW and a turbocharged version with 331kW. Cornering prowess was aided by Porsche Traction Management (PTM) which distributed power between the front and rear axles.
The first-generation Cayenne was also the first Porsche to feature the newly developed Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) with air suspension, which softens and stiffens the ride depending on driving conditions. The ride height could also be raised when driving off road.
To optimise weight and performance, the second generation E2 launched in 2009 saw the replacement of the low-range transfer box by an on-demand all-wheel drive system with an actively controlled multi-plate clutch, which is still in use today. Porsche also introduced hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains in the E2.
The current E3 generation broke cover in 2017 with a sportier ride and better ride comfort while maintaining off-road capabilities, made possible by a three-chamber air suspension, rear-axle steering and a weight-saving aluminium bodyshell.
MILESTONES
How the Porsche Cayenne started the sports SUV craze
Image: Supplied
When Porsche launched an SUV exactly two decades ago, some thought the German sports car maker was going bonkers or selling its soul. While such a vehicle may offend sports car purists, the Cayenne ended up pulling Porsche out of financial difficulty and ensured the continued survival of icons like the 911 and the more recently launched Boxster and Cayman.
It has gone on to become one of the German firm’s best selling vehicles ,and the millionth Cayenne rolled off the production line in 2020. The success of this trendsetter inspired legions of other manufacturers to produce luxury sports SUVs of their own.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the Cayenne is in its third generation (E3), and in 2021 it was the brand's second most popular model range with 83,071 units sold globally, behind the Macan midsized SUV with 88,362 sales.
The Cayenne was conceived at a time when the company found itself in a significant economic crisis. With the Boxster launched in 1996, Porsche began to emerge from its slump, but it was clear the 911 and the new mid-engined Boxster alone would not be able to secure the firm’s long-term future.
It was decided the third model range would be an off-road vehicle, as part of a joint project with sister company Volkswagen in which the Cayenne and Touareg would share the same platform but using their own engines and chassis set-ups.
In 2002 the first generation (E1) Cayenne rolled off the production line in Leipzig, Germany and its replacement, the E2, was built there as well. With the launch of the E3 Cayenne in 2017, Porsche moved production to Bratislava in Slovakia to create additional capacity in Leipzig for the Panamera sports sedan and Macan compact SUV.
The Cayenne has never strayed from its origins as a family-friendly touring vehicle with genuine off-road ability (including a low-range transfer case and a locking centre-differential) and dynamic on-road performance. The E1 started with a choice of two V8 engines: a normally aspirated 4.5l with 250kW and a turbocharged version with 331kW. Cornering prowess was aided by Porsche Traction Management (PTM) which distributed power between the front and rear axles.
The first-generation Cayenne was also the first Porsche to feature the newly developed Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) with air suspension, which softens and stiffens the ride depending on driving conditions. The ride height could also be raised when driving off road.
To optimise weight and performance, the second generation E2 launched in 2009 saw the replacement of the low-range transfer box by an on-demand all-wheel drive system with an actively controlled multi-plate clutch, which is still in use today. Porsche also introduced hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains in the E2.
The current E3 generation broke cover in 2017 with a sportier ride and better ride comfort while maintaining off-road capabilities, made possible by a three-chamber air suspension, rear-axle steering and a weight-saving aluminium bodyshell.
Image: Supplied
The third generation Cayenne bade farewell to diesel engines in favour of petrol and plug-in hybrids - the latter able to drive up to 44km on electric power alone at speeds up to 135km/h. The most powerful Cayenne model to date is the Turbo S E-Hybrid, with its outputs of 500kW and 900Nm giving it the ability to scorch the 0-100km/h sprint in a supercar-like 3.8 seconds.
In 2019 another milestone was achieved with the launch of the sportier Cayenne Coupé, featuring a sharply sloping roofline inspired by the 911.
RACING SUCCESS
The Cayenne’s off-road abilities have been demonstrated in extreme conditions. In 2006, two private rally teams each entered a Porsche Cayenne S in the Transsyberia Rally from Moscow across Siberia to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, and took first and second place. Porsche then developed a limited run of 26 Cayenne S Transsyberia cars tailored to long-distance rallies as a customer racing vehicle. They scored a one-two-three finish at the 2007 Transsyberia, with seven Porsches making it into the top 10.
The Cayenne has also blazed trails on tar, with the current Cayenne Turbo GT setting a 7:38.925 lap record for SUVs on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in June 2021, with test driver Lars Kern at the wheel. Powered by a 4.0l biturbo V8 engine with 471kW and 850Nm, this uber Cayenne is capable of 0-100km/h in 3.3 seconds and a 300km/h top speed.
Each generation of Cayenne has also spawned sporty GTS derivatives which blend sportiness with good long-distance capabilities.
PLATINUM EDITION
The current Cayenne offers a choice of 19 models in SA, the latest being the Platinum Editions featuring exclusive design elements in a satin platinum paint finish and an enhanced level of standard equipment. Platinum Editions of the 250kW Cayenne, the 340kW Cayenne E-Hybrid and the 324kW Cayenne S are available, as well as the corresponding Coupé variants.
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