Sean M.

Cayenne V6 to be released in US in early 2004.

This Cayenne will have a VOLKSWAGEN V6 engine.

First Porsche ever to have a V6.

0-60 in 9.1 seconds, marginally faster than a 1977 924.

Thoughts? Is this progress?

brrt50cal

First Porsche ever to have a V6??? For some reason that doesn't sound right to me...

streckfu's

I'll bet it's still more expensive than the Tourag. Apparently Porsche is trying to get a piece of the VW pie.

Chris_924s

The Toureg's I saw were ALL over 40 grand...
I think it's lunacy- if youre gonna make the big whopper gas guzzling 8-cylinder SUV- then MAKE it. Why the V6- Gas Mileage? It wont improve that dramatically.

If it gets released in the same body Porsche will be slitting it's own throat in the SUV market. Ha! A 60 grand v6 SUV from Porsche? - people will buy H2's.

Poor marketing.

Water944t

Porsche is dead as a manufacturer of elite, purpose built, pure sports cars.

Now they are just another mass-market, limp-wristed fashion clown. Not even the GT can convince me otherwise.

Since Daimler-Benz is now a Chrysler, and Jaguar is a Ford, Porsche just needs to sell their soul to General Motors.

Ferdinand would be seriously pissed, score another one for the beancounters who are slowly turning the world into one-size-fits-all, buy-it-cause-we-told-you-to, trust-us-we-know-what-you-need ****.

streckfu's

Since Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler and Ford owns LAnd Rover and Volvo, wouldn't be nice if Porsche bought GM.

Of course I agree that there isn't the cash left at Porsche for anything so bold. They bever should have dropped the 968 abd 928 series cars. There would be a better sense of diversity in the product line (instead of 20 varieties of the 911 and 2 overachieving SUVs).

Thom

I don't think anything more than Water944t has said.

I only hope Porsche keep on being financially sound so they will always manufacture parts for our now classic Porsches ...

mideastmafia

Why?


SHAUN

SidViscous

Hey wathc out water. I've gotten a lot of guff from the beancounters since yesterday. They're a touchy bunch.

Jessa

V6, flat 6, straight 6 - it doesn't matter. What matters is what the vehicle is capable of. How much exactly does the Cayenne weigh? Somewhere around 5000lb, IIRC. It doesn't sounds like this v6 will produce enough power to pull such a heavy machine and still be good at towing or tearing up stretches of freeway. If this vehicle where all about nimble handling like a 924, the lack of power would be less of an issue, but I think its going to undermine what the Cayenne is supposed to be.

streckfu's

Jessa,
The Tourag weighs basiccaly the same and has a base V6. Granted the towing capacity is not as good as the V8.

I still think it's a bad idea.

mideastmafia

But there is a difference between a straight 6 and a V6.. quite a difference.

SHAUN

ELLSSUU

I remember reading an article (WSJ?) saying that if Porsche sports car sales didn't pick up then they would have to resort to building a V6 Cayenne to support the sales of the current car line up until the 996 and Boxster replacements are ready. The updates are 2 years away IRC. If you've followed Porsche sales this year you would see that the car sales are severely down. Boxsters are hardly moving off the lots.

Like it or not, Porsche needs diversification such as the Cayenne and possibly a sedan type vehicle to support their main substance (world reknowned sports cars). Whilst so many question and even ridicule the existence of the Cayenne it does conceivably keep Porsche viable as a business model if only temporarily. Further diversification is coming, it has to.

Recently Porsche created a successful model by producing the Boxster and 996 with several transferable parts. If profits mark the basis for a good decision then this was the right route. The only problem is that it peeved many Porsche puriest to have a car look so similar to the beloved 911.

IMO, Porsches line up needs the following to support their sports car roots:

=911 in all it's forms (Porsche will never keep it's followers with out this model range) but needs to bring to the U.S. a stripped, lightweight, cheaper version to add to the current range
=986 with a radical change, not the current change the bumpers philosophy, and a hardtop version
=Cayenne with V6, V8 N/A and Boosted versions
=Sedan, V8 and 12, to compete with the Big Benz and Bimmer
=A Name Maker car such as the Carrera GT but it has to be on the level of the Enzo.

Wade B

ELLSSUU, saw spy pictures two weeks ago in Autoweek of the proto 986 coupe. Doesn't look bad, not my cup of tea (I still don't like Boxsters) but IMO won't save the company, and they'll have to endure 2 more years of dismal sales until it comes out. I agree with your points and thought that they should have done a sedan or hybrid sport wagon (the next faddish big thing right now) if they had to do SOMETHING when they announced the Cayenne. I hate the idea of them even having to do anything but sports cars, especially when it keeps them away from the track. Kinda' looks like the handwriting is on the wall, though. Man, a takeover would suck...................

ERAU-944

Water: you are an ididot.

i doubt Porsche will release a V6 cayenne. the two i test drove at hallandale beach convinced me that porsche is not simply catering to the mass markets. they make the best suv to grace God's green earth, whether you believe it or not. there isn't another SUV out there that'll match it. heck, the boxster isnt as fast as the cayenne, nor will it go off road. to me that justifies the cost immensely. sure ferdinand would probably raise an eyebrow, but when he drove the cayenne, he'd grin just as much as when he drove 356/1. i agree if porsche launches a 6 powered cayenne its asking for trouble. last i knew the S and the Turbo were the only two being offered. the Tourag would cover the lower priced good suv scale. do the research then slam the car. go experience one water, and tell me it's not worth the cost.

-Michael-
Cayenne. The next Porsche.