According to Volkswagen AG CEO Martin Winterkorn himself, there's a new baby Cayenne in the works. In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel, Winterkorn said Porsche "will get a new SUV, a smaller brother to the Cayenne which might be named Cajun."I guess the name is appropriate if Porsche insists on spicing up its lineup with controversial vehicles. Should this be the case, can we expect the Panamera coupe to be called the Tabasco? Or perhaps the Texas Pete? Name game in the comments below.
The tuning company says that buyers will have the option to base their car on either the current- or previous-generation Porsche Cayenne.
Aside from chopping off the rear doors, Medrad will also upgrade the Cayenne Turbo's 4.8-liter V8 boosting output by nearly 250 ponies to a total of 740-horsepower and allowing it to complete the 0 to 60 mph (96km/h) sprint in less than 4.4 seconds.
Even in bone-stock form a 500-horsepower second-gen Turbo hits sixty (that's 96km/h) in 4.4 seconds, so don't complain. Usually I'm not a big fan of aftermarket wheels, but these Kahn units sure do look good.
For now, though, it's all just renderings.
Lumma is crafting an add-on lip spoiler with integrated fog lights, LED running lights, headlight trim, and a ton of carbon fiber bits for the Cayenne's front end.
Its carbon-Kevlar hood will feature functional cooling vents and be raised slightly to cover the windshield wipers (reducing drag) around the cowl area.
Instead of buying a real '50s classic (the actual car was at a Mecum auction last year), CarDesign says something more "suitable" for the Russian condition needed to be crafted.
R.A.D. is using steel for the space frame and fiberglass for the body panels, building a funky four-seater that will go like stink and possibly even have roof-mounted aerodynamic luggage carriers.
Set to make its world premiere at this month's 2010 Beijing Auto Show, the Hawtai B35 "improves" upon the first generation Cayenne's looks by adopting a very Bentley-like fascia with a large chrome grille.
If not the first, one of the first tuners to preview its Cayenne II proposal is Cargraphic. The German tuning house issued a teaser photo (or rendering, we're not sure) of the SUV but withheld details on the program.
The verdict is still out on the new Cayenne's styling, but from what we can tell by these images, the next generation of Porsche's most profitable model looks less clumsy and a bit more sleeker than its predecessor thanks to a lowered roofline, steeper angle of the rear tailgate and sharper looking snout.
Then again there's that awkwardly styled rear end that could be mistaken for any other SUV - Crossover model - you didn't hear the word "Nissan" from us...
The interior has been redesigned from the ground up with the dashboard and center and lower consoles looking very similar to the Panamera sports sedan.
Not surprisingly, the Cayenne's dashboard looks very similar to the Panamera sports sedan featuring a five-gauge cluster and a center stack dominated by a large screen with the climate controls positioned underneath. Flanking the gear lever on the elevated lower console are the suspension controls and numerous other buttons.
The next Cayenne will be built on a modified version of the Panamera's platform that will also be shared with the second generation VW Touareg.
Word from Germany is that Porsche's engineers have worked overtime to reduce the SUV's weight as much as 200kg or 440 lbs over the current model with obvious benefits in handling, fuel economy, CO2 emissions and of course, performance figures.
The direct-injection powerplants are expected to be carry-over units from the Panamera. A VW Group-sourced V6 petrol producing around 300-horsepower will serve as the entry-level engine, while the range will top out with Porsche's 4.8-liter V8 delivering 400HP in naturally aspirated form and 500HP in turbo spec.
The V8 models will most likely feature Porsche's seven-speed double-clutch PDK transmission as standard.
Porsche will also offer the new Cayenne with a V6 gasoline-electric hybrid powerplant as well as a V6 diesel engine.
It's no secret that Porsche is readying a replacement for the current generation Cayenne, but we didn't expect to see the German firm taking the wraps off the luxury SUV so quickly. The completely undisguised 2011 Porsche Cayenne prototypes were bagged by Carscoop reader Aaron C. in what appears be an official filming of the vehicle in Auckland, New Zealand.The Cayenne featured in these pics seem to be on par with the numerous camouflaged prototypes that have been caught on camera lately - for example, check out these spy shots of the 2011 model over at our friends at Worldcarfans.
Unfortunately, Aaron wasn't able to get better pictures of the 2011 Cayenne, but his input from the brief 'tet-a-tet' with the new SUV is very enlightening.
Here's how Aaron describes his encounter with the 2011 Porsche Cayenne:
"They were being filmed so they were uncovered and people were constantly detailing them. They were left hand drive (NZ cars are right) and they actually closed the Auckland Harbour Bridge for the film shoot. It was a huge production so must be for the official release. Security didn't allow anybody to get close."
"It all happened really fast so I can't really comment on the front but from what I saw it was signature Porsche and didn't notice any major changes to the grille. At first I didn't realize what it was, but I can tell you it is a significant improvement."
"First impressions is that it is less boxie and appears slightly smaller, almost like the current model was put on a diet and sent to the gym. Also, it sounded much deeper than the current model."
Kudos to Aaron C. for the Scoop!
Even the name "ENCO Exclusive Gladiator 700 GT Biturbo" prepares you for something that's not going to score any points in the "taste" department. And true enough, the German tuner's Porsche Cayenne Turbo proposal gives another meaning to the term "lipstick on a pig" - dark red lipstick to be precise. You can see it everywhere; on the massive 23-inch alloy wheels that are shod in 315/25 R23 rubber, the two tone paintjob, the engine cover and even the carbon-fiber inserts and the roll cage in the interior.But that's not all. The Gladiator also gets a full body armor kit with a restyled front bumper that incorporates a huge mouth-like grille and a lower apron, a new carbon fiber bonnet, wider side panels with air vents, side skirts, roof spoiler and a rear apron with an integrated diffuser that also houses a pair of tail pipes in the center.
Move on to the interior and aside from the dark red carbon trim elements and the roll cage you'll also find four bucket seats from the 911 GT RS with carbon backrests.
And you'll probably need those bucket seats as the tuning firm gave the stock Cayenne Turbo's V8 engine larger turbos, a sport exhaust system with manifolds and sport catalytic convertors.
Along with numerous other modifications the result is an output of 700 horsepower and 850 Nm or 627 lb-ft of torque, more than enough to propel the Gladiator from naught to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of around 290 km/h or 180 mph.
The engine kit is complemented by a high-performance braking system with 410mm x 36mm brake disks and 12-piston callipers up front and 380mm x 32mm disks with 4-piston callipers at the rear while the tuner also fitted the Cayenne with an electronic suspension module that lowers the car by some 50mm.
No prices were released but we gather that money won't be an issue for those who find the Gladiator 700 GT Biturbo fascinating enough and at the same time are able to afford a Cayenne Turbo.
Via: Jalopnik
The biggest of the boardroom battles between VW and Porsche may be over, but that hasn't done much to stop the usual rumors from making the rounds. First, Germany's Autobild reported that VW CEO Martin Winterkorn was pushing for a couple of volume vehicles - a baby Boxster and junior Cayenne - and a third, Panamera-based, model. More recently, however, Car magazine is claiming that VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech wants to take the Porsche brand in another direction, pushing it back to its roots.
How? By killing off the Cayenne and Panamera once they have run through their respective life cycles, the argument being that VW AG produces more than enough sedans and SUVs already.
The big questions are: 1) How would people feel if Porsche aced its controversial (if popular) Cayenne and the new Panamera, and instead concentrated on strictly building sports cars? and2) What sort of lineup would we be looking at?
After all, a baby Boxster would be right in line with the old Porsche philosophy, and a larger GT would help make use of the Panamera's platform if the humpback saloon did indeed bite the dust. Of course, no one but the suits within the company know what's really going on, but it's always fun to speculate.
By Phil Alex
Phil Alex was born in Rhode Island in 1985. He graduated with degrees in Finance and German from Wofford College in 2007 and has had an obsession with cars and travel. Currently he resides near Japan's international airport in Narita. He makes no apologies for his articles and welcomes all feedback, as long as it is adamantly worded. If for any reason you are inclined to vent some more, check out more of his posts on the Examiner here.
