Porsche Cayenne - page 24

The Porsche Cayenne is already a tech fest on wheels. The brand’s first SUV proved you can have off-road capabilities, luxury, and even performance, all in one package. Over two decades and three generations later, the Porsche Cayenne has evolved into an even sportier, more tech-heavy offering in the high-performance SUV segment. At the same time, Porsche engineers have done a bit of work on the chassis, to better distinguish the Cayenne from its siblings – like the Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Audi Q8, and Lamborghini Urus, which rely on, largely, the same hardware under the skin.

Porsche is best known for its sports cars, predominantly the 911. The rear-engine model, although far from being the brand’s only performance car, shows continuous commitment to perfecting the classic, rear-engine design, we have all loved since 1964. While the 911 would remain as a gas-powered model for as long as possible, Porsche has diversified its lineup over the last two decades. Following the Boxster, Porsche introduced its first SUV, the Cayenne, and a few years later, in 2009, the Panamera high-performance sedan. One thing no one expects from Porsche is a minivan.

Porsche’s headlights are some of the most recognizable in the automotive industry. When it comes to the 911, the German sports car manufacturer has retained the classic forms since the 1964 original. This includes the round headlamps, which were present on almost all 911 generations, except the Porsche 996, featuring the controversial, "fried-egg" headlights. Like other carmakers, Porsche went from halogen to xenon headlights and, eventually, an LED setup on all its models. It started with the 993 generation, which introduced "Litronic” technology - Porsche’s first dabble in H.I.D. tech, only to be permanently replaced by LED technology over 20 years later. As Porsche says, "Light is identity, by day as well as by night", and the German brand’s current, four-line, LED headlight pattern is recognizable almost anywhere. The four-point LED principle, as Porsche likes to call it first became a feature on range-topping models, starting with the 2009 Porsche Panamera Turbo. Since then, the four-point headlight design has evolved and was extended to other Porsche models like the Cayenne, Taycan, 918 Spyder, and even the 911.

Look, I get it. The Porsche Cayenne is the soccer mom mobile for people who think minivans are for suckers. Having said that, this Porsche family hauler practically reshaped the sports SUV segment, over two decades ago. Despite the defiance of purists, the Cayenne has persisted over three generations and has been a cornerstone in Porsche’s growth. In fact, the Cayenne and Macan are consistently, Porsche’s best-selling models. A Cayenne-based sport pickup truck with four-wheel drive seems like the natural progression, given the model’s popularity. So why did it never happen? Read on to find out.

Porsche, like many automakers, has been making big strides toward electrifying its model lineup. It has set ambitious goals for EV adoption, initially aiming for 80 percent of its new car sales to be electric by 2030. But here’s the thing: it’s not always as smooth as we hope in the automotive world.

The first-generation Porsche Cayenne (955/977) entered the market in 2002. Now while it might be getting on in years, don’t let that fool you. This luxury SUV still packs a punch and has a certain undeniable charm that newer models can’t replicate. Back in the day, its 996-inspired front-end looks, off-road prowess, and a range of engine options, including a 514-horsepower twin-turbo V8, made it a unique and compelling choice for enthusiasts who wanted a family hauler. Production of the Gen-1 Cayenne ended in 2010.

The first-generation Porsche Cayenne has seen something of a resurgence in recent years. People are beginning to recognize that the sporty SUV is more than just a ’mall-crawler’. It has become a popular Overlanding and weekend off-roader, especially in the early iterations of the GTS trim. When the Cayenne first came out back in 2002, it divided Porsche purists, some of whom argued that the German brand should stick to building sports cars. In 2006, Porsche participated in the harsh Transsyberia Rally, to establish the Cayenne’s offroad chops for good. The Transsyberia Rally consists of nearly 7,000 miles of varied and unforgiving terrain stretching from the Russian capital, Moscow to Mongolia.

With E.V. sales decreasing, hybrids are making a comeback, even in the high-performance segment. But let’s not kid ourselves; hybrid technology is complex. It’s a delicate dance between the ICE (internal combustion engine) and electrical components, working together perfectly to deliver the best of both worlds. We’re talking about a combustion engine, electric motor(s), battery packs, power electronics, wiring, and all sorts of high-tech wizardry. It’s not as simple as just slapping an electric motor onto an existing gas-powered engine - it requires careful engineering and integration to ensure optimal performance and efficiency.

I am a firm believer that you cannot extract supercar performance from an SUV. Maybe in terms of straight-line acceleration, but not when it comes to cornering. Apparently, I am wrong since Nurburg’s resident YouTuber/ test driver and Norschleife dweller, Misha Charoudin recently published a video with a very exclusive Porsche Cayenne. The SUV in question, is the 2024 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, but it is not the Euro-spec variant, you might expect. Instead, a viewer from Mexico imported the range-topping version of Porsche’s performance SUV, as it is sold on the Mexican market, for and naturally, he had to visit one of the most iconic racetracks for a couple of laps. Porsche has proven over and over again its performance models can take the physics rulebook and throw it out of the window. This spiced-up Cayenne Turbo GT is no exception. Here’s what makes this one special.

Porsche is a sports car manufacturer first and foremost, but times have changed, and in order to stay in business, many high-end car companies need to adapt. Like other carmakers, Porsche eventually branched out into other segments, including four-door sedans. In fact, the automaker’s has been toying with the idea of a four-door model since the 1950s, but so far, Porsche has only two sedan models on offer, with a possible, third one on the way.

Porsche, a name that you usually associate with high-performance gasoline engines, surprised the automotive world when it entered the hybrid market back in the late 2010s. But the German automaker didn’t just introduce a new technology; they also subsequently introduced a new color – acid green (PTS Color Code: 2M8), which is now synonymous with plug-in hybrid Porsches. In this article, we’ll dive deep into this vivid shade and how this bold choice became a key element in establishing Porsche’s unique identity in the hybrid space.

Porsche’s Cayenne is a high-performance, mid-size luxury SUV that debuted in 2003. It’s now in its third generation, which arrived in 2019. One year later, the GTS variant was unveiled, positioning itself between the S and Turbo models. For 2025, the GTS gets better than ever, thanks to an exterior facelift, new tech, handling, and power upgrades.