Just read this from Autotech Daily. Sure sounds like what happened in 92 with the 928.

PORSCHE TO SKIP 2007 CAYENNE
Porsche AG has decided not to offer a 2007 version of its Cayenne SUV, according to Automotive News. The automaker will continue to produce the 2006 model until the end of the year but won’t resume production until the freshened 2008 model is introduced sometime next year. That vehicle is expected to be unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
U.S. sales of the pricey SUV, which was launched in early 2003, are down 14%
through July this year after slumping 25% last year vs. 2004 levels, AN notes. Dealers currently have about a 51-day inventory, according to the newspaper. The 2006 lineup includes the “Titanium Edition” of the Cayenne S, which features titanium-colored trim and some exclusive exterior and interior finishes.

 

Kill the damn thing - I would rather own the VW version anyway.

 

Agreed, Porsche got the low-hanging fruit during the SUV era, so how about back to just sports cars?

 

The Cayenne has been fairly plagued with problems (it would seem from the Cayenne forum) since day one through the 2005 models. It may be that a lot of potential buyers are reading consumer reports, forums, or other surveys and deciding against the VW/Porsche SUV. Toureg sales are slow too and the VW version seems just as plagued as the Porsche. Add in the exceptionally poor commitment from PCNA on issues like discontinuing support for the CD-based NAV systems, ignoring persistent vibration problems, etc., and you have a recipe for driving customers away.

I've driven both versions of the SUV (and a lot of others) and really like the way the Pepper drives. However, I really don't like the way PCNA is treating owners with real, persistent issues. Extended warranties are a hit-and-miss deal with at least one company insolvent and - if rumours are true - some companies not covering the Pepper.

I think if Porsche and PCNA stepped-up and acted with a little more commitment to the Pepper and their owners they could sell 10-15k every year.

For some background reading search for threads on the Cayenne forum by 'ltc'. I've met LTC in person and not only is he sharp and level-headed he helped me out in a pinch when my '91's fuel pump seized at Beaver Run a few years ago. And, to boot, he has professional inside knowledge of many things at Porsche.

Edit: In summary - I think the Pepper was a good idea that was very poorly executed.

 

The big problem Porsche has is the current resale value an 03 with 60,000 miles is about $ 40,000 Why is that a problem for Porsche ? two fold, one is they are eating it on lease terminations since many were leased from Porsche Financial. Second , due to low resale ALL the leasing companies have LOWERED the estimated residual values which means much HIGHER monthly lease payments for a new one . And because the current leases have a much higher than market value buyout few "owners" at lease end will decide to BUY the car which floods the resale market and futher reduces the value. But perhaps the main point to consider is Porsche has probably sold or leased more Cayennes in 4 years than they ever sold 928s in 17 years....

 

Or much less. With the persistent gremlins many Pepper owners have reported a lot of prospective Cayenne purchasers are steering away from out-of-warranty Peppers and looking only at CPO vehicles with a Porsche warranty. Thus there seems to be a big price differential between CPO and non-CPO Peppers.

 

Dave I thought the NADA value was a bit optomistic I have not been to the Riverside highline wholesale auction for a long time to see the parade of lease return Porsches roll across the auction block one every two minutes or so...

 

Personally I think Porsche making an SUV was always akin to Lamborghini's "SUV" from I think the '70's. A very bad idea. No chance they can be successful in a market where competitors are like Goliath to David .... and very used to luxury bling-bling trucky soccer mom mentality. Porsche cannot operate that way.

 

Ditto.

My .02 is that they looked at BMW's success and went for it. BMW was already used to mass-producing vehicles for non-sporty folks though...

 

I think there's a lot of truth to that. Certainly in times past Porsche marketed to a small group of cognoscenti. However, with the introduction of the 986 (perhaps arguably with the 928) I think Porsche started (perhaps unknowingly) marketing to a crowd that expected more appliance-line functionality and 'Lexus-like' service and owner commitment. The soccer-mom-type market would of course be the paragon if that crowd. Porsche doesn't seem to be executing to keep that market.

Whatever. The Pepper is still the best-driving SUV I've ever tried. It is the only SUV I could stand to drive for more than a a half-hour. I will eventually need a tow vehicle (as soon as I get my '89GT in track-worthy condition) and cannot have yet another vehicle that sits. So, my tow vehicle needs to do DD duty too. And thus my problem: I'd like a Cayenne but am not masochistic enough despite maintaining/repairing/restoring three 928s to buy one.

 

Porsche made 928's in '92, they just didn't sell them in the US. It sounds like they just have enough inventory in Cayennes that there's no need to keep making ''07's, which are nearly identical to the '06, to keep up with demand until they have the new design '08's in stock. Not sure if it was a simliar issue in '92 with US 928 supply/demand. And they'll probably be selling the '08's next summer, maybe sooner. This just doesn't seem like a big deal - SUV sales are down across the board.

I agree with Dave, the Cayenne is a great driving SUV.

 

Simple. Its supply and demand. Demand is down across the entire SUV market with the higher gas prices. That brings higher inventory, so it is an easy strategic decision that they are making. Not sure that any other factors (problems, support, etc.) really apply here. The product was profitable and that is the bottom line when you are running a business.

KJ
84 928 blk at

 

Oh c'mon now. The LM002 is an awesome truck! I'm not kidding - 5.7 liter V12?

If I ever win the lottery, I'll buy one to tow my track car.

 

More on the Cayenne's future:

https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-955-957-2003-2010/291375-2010-cayenne.html

 

Thanks Nicole - finally a proper Porsche station wagon.