Is Cayenne the Most Important Modern Porsche?
The latest sales figures from Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) are in—and it’s another victory for the Cayenne.
When all was said and done, the new Macan may have cannibalized some of its sales, but the Cayenne is still the reigning sales champ with 13,721 units sold year-to-date. Now in its second generation, the Cayenne was launched in 2002, a time when sales at the company were stagnant.
“While the Porsche balance sheet speaks for itself, and the Cayenne is often credited with saving a company on the precipice of collapse, some loyalists disliked it, and still do to this day.”
Upon its debut, the Cayenne immediately became the best-selling model, reaching a previously untapped customer base which needed something more practical than a low-slung two-seater for everyday driving.
But the announcement that Stuttgart would release an SUV didn’t come without controversy.
While the Porsche balance sheet speaks for itself, and the Cayenne is often credited with saving a company on the precipice of collapse, many loyalists disliked it, and do to this day. It evidently doesn’t matter that the model has historically been a quite profitable venture for the company, and that the existence of the Cayenne has helped keep the development spigot on for racing and customer cars like the 911, Boxster, Panamera, 918 and models like the upcoming Mission E sports sedan.
To those disaffected loyalists, an SUV seemed to contradict everything Porsche stood for as a company, one that to that time built only sports cars. But to my way of thinking, one buys a Porsche because they actually like to drive. Those drivers think of the vehicle as an extension of themselves and appreciate the engineering that’s been put into it. They often take the long way to their destination. So while it might not quite offer 911-levels of roadholding, and responsiveness, the Cayenne is arguably the most responsive, and agile vehicle of its kind. It is a Porsche through and through.
13-years on, some Porchephiles are still getting used to the idea that Porsche is (almost) a full-line car company. How do you feel about the Cayenne, because conceivably without it, there might not be the vibrant company that exists today, let alone the 911?