Spy Shots: Baby Cayenne caught on 'Ring!
by John Neff on May 8th 2008 at 11:53AM 
Click above for high-res gallery of Baby Cayenne spy shots
Porsche almost slid a fast one by spy photographers recently when it began testing a new baby Cayenne SUV prototype at the famed Nurburgring race track in Germany. The thing looks for all the world like an actual Cayenne SUV, but photographers first noticed its diminutive proportions, then its sharply raked D-pillar, and then the different cut lines around its door. Soon it became apparent that this was no Cayenne, but rather a prototype for a new, smaller Porsche SUV that's likely based on the upcoming Audi Q5. Like most people, we've always thought the idea of a Porsche SUV is kind of silly, but make it smaller and lighter and we get commensurately more interested. Click after the jump for more analysis from the spy photographers themselves.
Gallery: Porsche Baby Cayenne - spy shots
[Source: KGP Photography]
From KGP Photography:
Now that the dust has settled, we have had a bit more time to analyze the new Porsche SUV prototype that hit the scene today. Our initial speculation that this prototype was based on the Audi Q5 looks solid now that we have further compared the profiles of the two vehicles. The proportions, door sizes, and basic packaging clearly appear linked. We can also see several design touches that Porsche designers have employed to gain some visual distance with the Q5.
While the side window profile of the Q5 has a slight downward slope as you head toward the backlight, the new Porsche appears to have a flatter--and therefore slightly taller--roof line. Conversely, the Porsche's D-pillar and backlight are sloped, while the Q5 opts for a more vertical rear window. The rear-door cut-lines have nearly identical placement and angle on both cars, but the Porsche's has a greater arc as it turns toward the C-pillar cut-line, due to the Porsche's more bulbous, 911-inspired haunches.
The A-pillars and windshields look like they may be shared between the two cars, but the Porsche moves away from the Audi by shifting its side mirrors off of the A-pillars, and onto the door panels. The small triangular brace that holds the Audi's side mirror has gone to glass on the new Porsche.
The overall surface developent of the Q5 displays some angularity, while the Porsche opts for softer details and a more porpoise-like shape to its nose. The Porsche's ride-height also appears much more aggressive, but as this prototype was being flogged in the middle of a tight corner, some of its low stance is certainly attributed to the suspension loads.
The similarities between the new Baby Cayenne and the Audi Q5 are now becoming clearer. But the changes made to differentiate the Porsche are also becoming more apparent as well.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Eric77TA 11:58AM (5/08/2008)
A Porsche SUV is silly and unnecessary no matter what size it is. The only person I've ever seen that had one that it seemed "just right" for was Carmela Soprano. The Cayenne is a joke. If that's the only Porsche you can afford, look elsewhere for your transport.
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rsfourever 12:39PM (5/08/2008)
"The Cayenne is a joke. If that's the only Porsche you can afford, look elsewhere for your transport."
The Cayenne isn't cheap. You can get Porsche 911 4S for cheaper than a Cayenne Turbo. and I think the base Cayenne is more expensive than the Boxster. I don't think people buying cayennes can't afford other Porsches. I think they just a more utilitarian vehicle.
Now, whether Porsche should be making it or not is a totally different argument...
Kevin 12:39PM (5/08/2008)
None of the Cayennes are cheap cars, especially once you start adding options. I'm going to focus on the Turbo S though, mainly because it's the most expensive of the bunch and thus the best rebuttal to your "if you can't afford a real Porsche..." logic.
A Cayenne Turbo S will run you north of $140k if you add some options. For some people it's not an issue of not being able to afford a 911 or a Boxster, it's that they want a SUV for one reason or another, and they want something that is enjoyable to drive (and let's not get into a discussion about whether these people "need" SUVs or not; that's not your place to dictate to them).
For that market, there's basically two options; the X5, and the Cayenne. The X5 is slower, does not handle as well as the Porsche does, and is not nearly as enjoyable to drive.
Based on your post, I'd say it's fairly safe to assume that you've never driven one, which is a pity really. You're passing judgement on a car that you apparently don't know much about. Are you aware that the old Cayenne Turbo S (the one that weighs almost 3 tons, not the one that was just announced that's quite a bit lighter) will lap the Nuerburgring faster than a Boxster S?
You're entitled to your opinion, of course. But coming from someone whose family has a Turbo S (that I drive once a week), if you truly love cars, you should drive one before looking down on it with such obvious contempt. They're not an evil dillution of the Porsche name that so many people think they are (and nor is the Panamera); in fact, Porsche is perhaps the only company capable of making a tall, heavy vehicle perform as well as the Cayennes do. And besides, Cayenne sales are funding the development of the 911s.
Just my $0.02.
Eric77TA 1:08PM (5/08/2008)
A base Cayenne is the least expensive Porsche available.
Any German car doubles in price once you start adding options, but a Boxster will start adding up just as quickly as a Cayenne.
I have never even SEEN a Cayenne Turbo, that's how many of them there are in the midwest. I rarely see a Cayenne S. They're all typically base Cayenne's.
I've not driven a Cayenne, but if I wanted "Practical" German SUV, I'd get a Touareg that offers most of the performance (of the lesser Cayenne models) at a significant discount.
They last Porsche I drove was a Cayman S and that, to me, is how a Porsche should drive. If I want a Porsche, I'll buy a Porsche sports car. If I want a VW SUV, I'll buy a VW SUV.
porschedevotee 1:20PM (5/08/2008)
Don't think of it as a Porsche SUV. Think of it as an SUV (which has a very well-established buyer base) which Porsche decided to come in and do as well as they could. If for some unfathomable reason, you decided you absolutely HAD to have an SUV, Porsche is obviously going to make the best, most sportscar-like one, right? They saw how profitable the market was and casually strolled in a few years later than all the other automakers with a superior product for the niche. Besides, at least they're whoring themselves out with vehicles to get extra R&D money instead of with ridiculous branding on products that have nothing to do with the company (Ferrari/Lamborghini laptops and Ferrari Segway, anyone?).
Besides, the only Cayenne you should compare with the Touareg is the absolute base version. In that situation, yes, you are paying the premium for the badges only. The rest of the Cayenne family actually has Porsche engines and engineering to go with the badges. You ought to go take one for a test-drive; I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Eric77TA 1:30PM (5/08/2008)
porschedevotee, I'll give you a lot of what you're saying. And I do have to agree that profiting by engineering SUVs is better than stickering pens, Segways and thumb drives.
Dan 2:04PM (5/08/2008)
I think the Cayenne is a really neat car in an underserved niche.
For all the bashing they take from young leftists living the apartment life without kids, a raised wagon platform like this one offers real utility.
If you want that utility, having a sporty option on the market is a good thing for buyer and seller alike.
(Spare me the "I cram my life into a Fit so you can too!" responses. I could live on potatoes, tapwater and vitamin tablets too, doesn't mean I want to.)
montoym 7:01PM (5/08/2008)
I'll see you anecdotal observation and add my own.
You claim that you've never seen a Cayenne Turbo and see mostly base Cayennes. Well, I happen to see almost the exact opposite. I don't believe I've ever seen a base Cayenne and I see about 30% Turbos. Most are Cayenne S's though. Can't say I've ever seen a Turbo S, but I don't see a whole lot of $120K+ vehicles period. I think I've seen maybe 1 997 Carrera Turbo.
Plus, the Cayenne is the cheapest Porsche, but only by about $5K ($43K vs. $48K) and no one is cross-shopping a Cayenne to a Boxster so the price difference(however minor) is really irrelevant.
Nellydesign 3:54PM (5/09/2008)
Porschedevotee and Eric77 have obviously never seen the Porsche Driver's Selection lineup of quality merchandise. Porsche baby stroller anyone??
http://shop2.porsche.com/usa/
Jordan 4:09AM (5/10/2008)
@Kevin
"For that market, there's basically two options; the X5, and the Cayenne."
What about the Ranger Rover sport?
mrcarmine 11:54PM (5/10/2008)
i'm going to run the risk of saying something someone else already said, but some of you guys were getting pretty long-winded so i don't feel like reading it all
anyway, porsche made the cayenne because they saw that something like 70% of porsche owners had at least one more car in their garages, and they were usually minivans or SUVs. SO! why not capitalize on people who already like your brand, who need another, more practical family car, by making that family car?
why not the LS2LS7? 11:59AM (5/08/2008)
"Every Porsche is a race car".
Ridiculous. Good thing they got Livingstone out of the way. Otherwise they wouldn't have room to dilute their credibility further by making vehicles that other automakers have already realized are on the slide.
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jake 2:18AM (5/09/2008)
Holy moly look at the way that truck leans over! That land yacht is going to capsize for sure. Man the lifeboats!
Ferdinand is spinning in his grave.
Nellydesign 3:46PM (5/09/2008)
Having ridden in a Cayenne Turbo S on the Barber Motorsports racetrack driven by a professional I can honestly say it is no joke. People who think the Cayenne is crap have never driven or been in one. I've done both and for a Porsche driver who needs something with a little more utility there's really no substitute. And the money that thing rakes in makes all the 911 Turbos and GT2's possible. SO... quit yer bitchin'.
mk 12:20PM (5/08/2008)
I have never liked the Cayenne as a concept, despite it being very well executed.
This makes even less sense. What next, they are going to build a light pickup truck?
Build CARS, and make them the best. freshen up the cayman's look (less bulbous roof and truncated quarter windows) and give it the power it deserves.
Sorry, but there are other companies that make better SUVs for what SUVs are supposed to be, which are UTILITARIAN.
Even if I were in the market for a premium sporty SUV, I would get a supercharged Range Rover Sport over a Porsche anyway. That is what Land Rover DOES. Porsche does SPORTS CARS.
I would be just as disdainful if LR wanted to start building sport coupes. Stick to your game, and be the best at it before mucking with other things. Even then, just stick to your game.
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carsteve 12:41PM (5/08/2008)
They are bumping the power, displacement, and front fascias of just about all of their models within the next year or two. The Cayman S will likely get something like 315. As an owner of an '07 Cayman S, the power it has is sufficient. I think it would be a mistake to overpower the car. If I had to put a limit on what power the Cayman S should have, it would be between 330 and 340.
Some people appreciate handling more than power, though, the current model (like I have) could use the bump it will get within the next two years, but not much more.
mk 1:57PM (5/08/2008)
I don't think the Cayman/Boxster is particularly under-powered, but I am not so sure it would be easy to over-power such a well designed and well balanced chassis.
I would think it would take power at least as well, if not better than a RWD 911.
911 power levels should not be upsetting to a Cayman's chassis, and the handling will likely stay just as sublime.
Granted I haven't driven one, but I've not read anything negative about 3.6-3.8 engine-swapped Caymans, but rather that it is even more appropriate for the mid-engined chassis.
not to mention that the 987 line doesn't get a limited slip diff.
Lower power and no limited slip seem to me to be handicapping the 987 under the 997, which seems unfortunate to me.
Personally, I think they should look to selling both the 997 and 987 side by side before worrying about ANOTHER SUV.
They haven't even released the Panamera yet. (which is a stupid name. Call it Panamericana or something else entirely. something else entirely would almost be preferable.)
xpolarx 12:16PM (5/08/2008)
So, will this be made in China like the Q5? Mmmm, because that's what Porsche owners want...a "Made in China" sticker on their $50k+ crossover. This is gonna sell like gangbusters...
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Dan 12:21PM (5/08/2008)
Looks like an Aztek
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amastadon 12:27PM (5/08/2008)
Remember that the Cayenne has been one of the most profitable vehicles Porsche has ever made.
Building it gives them MORE money to make BETTER cars.
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