Following the successful worldwide launch of the Porsche Cayenne -- success measured in many ways including two top magazine awards and more than 7,300 Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo V8 models sold in North America to date -- Stuttgart, Germany-based Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche AG today announced the introduction of a third Cayenne model, which will be powered by a six-cylinder engine. It will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September and subsequently go on sale in Germany and Europe.

Once it is introduced in North America during the first half of 2004, this latest Cayenne model -- named simply Cayenne -- will feature the same standard-setting on- and off-pavement capabilities of its V8-powered siblings while offering its own impressive performance figures. It can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 9.1 seconds and has a top test track speed of 133 mph (214 km/h).

The Cayenne will have a V6 engine, the first ever offered in a Porsche. Engineers at Porsche further developed the stock engine and modified it for the most severe off-pavement driving conditions. It has four valves per cylinder and produces 247 horsepower (SAE) at 6,000 rpm and 229 lb.-ft. of torque between 2,500 and 5,500 rpm.

Aside from its power source, the Cayenne will offer all of the features first introduced on the Cayenne S and Turbo, including the Porsche Traction Management permanent four-wheel drive system, Porsche Stability Management and air suspension.


Since its arrival at the end of 2002, the Porsche Cayenne has been making a name for itself in the vibrant luxury sport utility segment, offering best-in-class on-pavement driving characteristics and exceptional off-pavement performance. In 2003, AutoWeek Magazine readers named the Cayenne the Best SUV/Off-Road Vehicle as part of the magazine's 14th Annual "America's Best" Survey. The Robb Report also presented its "Robb Report Best of the Best 2003" award to the Cayenne in the sport utility segment.

This latest addition to the Cayenne line-up will expand Porsche's potential customer base within the high-end SUV segment and will provide more opportunities for Porsche's 204 North American dealers.

Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga., and its subsidiary, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., are the exclusive importers of Porsche vehicles for the United States and Canada. A wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG, PCNA employs approximately 250 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts, marketing and training for its 204 U.S. and Canadian dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class service.







First Porsche makes an SUV, now a V6, next a V8 in the 911 model range...is Porsche shooting themselves in the foot by trying to reach out to more potential customers?

 

This is ridiculous....Porsche needs to wake up and realize that they're a sports car manufacturer. 0-60mph in 9.1 seconds and a top speed of 133mph is just insulting.

I really hope it flops...I could almost understand a Cayenne with a large V-8, NA or turbo, but goddamn.

 

No shit man. I never would of thought that that I could buy a Civic DX today and absolutely destroy a 2004 Porsche in a race.

 

:ghey: er than Morpheus

That is all

 

The V6 is the 3.2-liter VR6 that makes 217 hp in the Touareg and 240 hp in the Golf R32 and Audi TT 3.2.

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=01105263

Main points:

"The V6 offering comes after disappointing sales of the V8 edition of the German off-roader in Europe, where buyers have shied away from the more powerful but notoriously thirsty Cayenne S and Turbo in favor of more fuel-efficient luxury offerings such as the Volkswagen Touareg.

In the United States, the Cayenne went on sale in March and hasn’t experienced any such sales disappointment. The truck is selling at the rate of about 1500 units per month, at which rate it will breeze past the company’s U.S. sales target of 12,500 annually. The U.S. number represents half of the total worldwide production prior to expanded capacity for the newly announced model.

Sources suggest that the 308-hp, 553-lb-ft 5.0-liter V10 turbocharged diesel V10—currently offered in the Touareg—could be next for the Cayenne."

 

hjerk:

Yay! Let's dilute the Porsche name even more!!!

 

Yeah, I guess that's impressive if you're used to walking

 

Just the thought of racing one of those and bragging to my buddies I beat a Porsche makes me tingle. :rofl:

 

Its a smart move by Porsche b/c in other parts of the world, namely Europe right now, Cayenne sales haven't been spectacular because the cost of fuel is so high. A V6 version makes sense for those markets because Porsche can still make a load of profit moving more models and gain through economies of scale. It doesn't hurt either that the 3.2L engine is a production engine widely used by VW/Audi's performance models.

 

Personally I think the V6 Cayenne should be a euro-only model kind of like the V6 VW Phaeton. Over here in 'murrica the thing is selling just fine so Porsche doesn't really need to make the model line more accessible.