The engine will be built at the Zuffenhausen plant while the body and final assembly will be at a new plant in Leipzig, Germany, the Cayenne is expected to raise the company’s worldwide sales by 50 percent.  Porsche expects current Boxster and 911 owners to consider the Cayenne as an addition to their garage, despite the fact that typical owners already have a five-seater sedan and an SUV beside their Porsche. 

The Cayenne’s power output and four-wheel drive configuration can be traced directly back to the 959 formula, a car that broke the mold back two decades ago.  With the same twin-turbo and all-wheel drive formula, Porsche thinks that its latest offering will not become the demise of the brand.  More than ever, the company sees the Cayenne as a potential to bring the word ‘sport’ back in the ‘sport utility’ equation in a seat-slamming, heart pounding manner that only Porsche could do.  Designed as an integral part of the Porsche family, only time will tell if this car will reach the same cult status as its sports car brothers, the immediate concern for Porsche is that critics should put cynicism aside and look at the Cayenne for what it is: a ground-breaking, mud-plowing sports car.  Traditional male owners shouldn’t be afraid of seeing lipstick-armed moms in the Cayenne.  What traditionalists should be scared off is seeing these soccer moms in racing glove and Nomex underwear blasting the hell out of their Boxsters.  An interesting thought, don’t you think?

¤