German Car Forum

PRESS RELEASE:

The 250,000th Cayenne to roll off the line is a fuel-efficient diesel vehicle

Leipzig. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has today produced the 250,000th Cayenne at its Leipzig plant. The milestone vehicle is a white, 6-cylinder model with a diesel engine that will be delivered to a customer in Austria. The Cayenne, an sporty SUV, has been produced in Leipzig since 2002. "The introduction of the Cayenne as the third model in the series was an important strategic step for Porsche. The five-seater is not only a great addition to the range for our many long-term Porsche customers, but it also opens up to us an entirely new customer segment on international markets," explains Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, Chairman of the Board of Porsche AG. Thanks to its typical Porsche genes, the easy-to-handle Cayenne uniquely combines sportiness with robustness and absolute off-road capability.

Porsche has sold 150,000 vehicles worldwide from its first generation. Since the market launch of the second generation in February 2007, Porsche has been able to increase sales even further thanks to the vehicle's fuel efficiency, higher drive performance, and improved drive-handling. For this reason the sports car manufacturer has also continued to expand production at the Leipzig location. In the 2007/08 fiscal year just expired Porsche was able to sell 45,478 units of the Cayenne series. Important Cayenne sales markets are, apart from Germany and the USA, the future markets of China, Russia, Latin America as well as the Middle East.

Today the Cayenne series is available in seven different models: The entry-level model comes with a 3.6-liter, six-cylinder engine with 290 HP (213 kW). The diesel model, which Porsche will unveil for the first time between March 5 - 15, 2009 at the Geneva International Motor Show (Automobilesalon), has a three-liter cubic capacity engine with 240 HP (176 kW) and has a fuel consumption of, on average, only 9.3 liters per 100 kilometers [25 mpg]. The more powerful S version is driven by an 8-cylinder engine with 4.8 liters cubic capacity with 385 HP (283 kW) while the Cayenne Turbo achieves a 500 HP (368 kW) performance. The leading model of this product line, the Cayenne Turbo S has a twin turbocharger with a 550 HP (404 kW) engine. The particularly athletic GTS model offers, in addition to its 405 HP (298 kW) powered 4.8-liter engine, a specially developed sports suspension and an accentuated dynamic design. The seventh model is the Cayenne S Transsyberia for on-road and off-road driving. The road version of the robust Cayenne Transsyberia rally car is based on the Cayenne S, however with the increased improved-performance engine model from the Cayenne GTS.

The most recent survey results from US market research institute J.D. Power rate the Cayenne for its excellent manufacturing quality and high reliability. Last year the renowned company surveyed 81,500 new car buyers in the USA on their satisfaction with the vehicle. The result: Porsche achieved the best ratings. The Cayenne customers surveyed were impressed by all aspects of their athletic SUV. This also applies to owners of older models: In used car analyses trade magazines confirm the Cayenne's "fantastically low defect rates." Even with high kilometer readings and engine stress, there were practically no engine and transmission damages, axle problems or worn-out steering. The early Cayenne vehicles from 2002/2003 have already covered distances of more than 300,000 kilometers, often on dirt roads and uneven terrain.

I bet the GTS made up most of those sales.

That pictures makes the Cayenne look even more god dam ugly

lol unfortunately thats not right, the V6 contributes to most of the sales figures.

And that just proves people have more money than sense to buy one

Cayenne buyers mostly buy it for its brand only. It's an ugly vehicle whose sporty pretentions don't have any interest for the majority of its customers.

This is why they could use the super-weak VAG V6 (petrol and diesel) instead of proper motors. Nobody cares, if it bears the right brand and has enough air intakes to impress the neighbor.

The only thing they see is the Porsche logo.

I still don't understand how somehow could "design" that, especially for a brand like Porsche. Ugliest German SUV ever, by a mile, even worse than the X3.

I hate that ugly car,please be replaced ASAP!

Not true at all. All Porsche cars carry the company's DNA and the Cayenne have been praised by journalists ever since it came out. It's one of the most capable off roader of all SUVs while possessing sporty characteristics. If the car was all brand then sales would have crumbled very shortly after launch but that hasn't been the case.

I think there is a little jealous feeling among some posters that can't stand the success of the Cayenne. It's was not the best looking SUV at the initial showing but has and is continuing to improve. It's a winner!!

My Dad owned a Cayenne S. He chose it only because it's a Porsche. He finds it bad looking, and couldn't care less about the sporty pretentions of the car.

The Cayenne is an excellent vehicle, but saying a 2.6 tons re-badged Touareg with harder suspensions is a perfect Porsche is wrong. Especially if the car is ugly as hell, making a 914 looking splendid.

Where's the DNA of Porsche? It's heavy as hell, needs thousands of chips to work, has miserable performances compared to its power, is engineered exactly like any other SUV in the market with no originality anywhere, looks like sh!t, has an insane consumption.

If that is a true Porsche, only because its hard suspension, relatively direct steering and expensive chipwork make it handle better than a range -Rover...

The Panamera is a true Porsche: unique-looking, sensational performances. The Cayenne is a cash-machine whose only aim is to allow Porsche to create true Porsches.

But they could at least have designed it. Instead of an heavy blop, they could've hired a designer to give it a shape.

Off course some bought it soley for the badge factor. But people are not so naive, if they were then the Cayenne would have faced the same destiny as the Maybach which sales are in the toilet. Besides that the Cayenne does look pretty ok in real life and I can put my hand on my heart and say that the Turbo is an attractive car. The main issue with the Cayenne is that it photographs horrible, but the reliability is good, so is the utility and the Turbo is a blast. It's a good car and well worthy of a pat on the back.

Maybach's sales are bad because it has competition. A much better resolved competition, with both a better-looking roduct and a better image.

Cayenne sells well because nobody with a comparable badge makes such a vehicle.

Don't get me wrong: the car's impressive.

But it's no Porsche for me, every single detail on the car is the negation of what Porsche stands for.

A Porsche is not twice as heavy as the competition, has not totally conventionnal underpinnings, does not look like a caricature, does not consume 20l on idle, does not offer a ridiculously weak diesel-V6, does not give poor performances compared to its totally insane power.

I may sound a bit harsch on the Cayenne. But it's that i'm a great fan of Porsche. What they made with this ugly fat SUV is therefore deeply annoying me. And of course, first the petrol V6, then this disgusting diesel... The Cayenne's been close to make me reject Porsche.
It's however enough for me to see a 911 to regain faith.