Originally Posted by Carrera GT

Better styling? Hell, anyone can visualise the 996 Turbo headlights on that nose and the Cayenne S getting the Cayenne Turbo grill and the Cayenne Turbo getting the 996 Turbo headlights, making room for a V6 (borrowed from VW or Audi) Cayenne base model. Then take the Cayenne (basically a lifted four door sports sedan) and drop it down to be a real four door, all wheel drive, V8 sports sedan (just as BMW, with the class-defining 5 Series, releases it in the same awful body work as the new "look away lest it burn the eyes from your head" ugly 7 Series) and so it's becoming possible that Porsche will have that often-rumoured sports sedan. Then we'll see the next iteration of the 911. My guess for the 911 is a "wet" 3.8 engine pumping 400hp normally aspirated and as much as 525hp or 550hp in Turbo trim -- still leaving "head room" for the Carrera GT at 610.

Then again, maybe part of the Porsche purist in me is living in the past, after all, no matter how the Cayenne performs, it is by definition a "true Porsche." I don't expect I'll ever buy another new 911 (my last will be one or more of the '73 911S, the '98 C2S or the '97 Turbo and I'm in the process of picking up a '92 Cup car) but I fully expect to buy the Cayenne and I've owned the Boxster -- doesn't that suggest that Porsche can "live in the past" with people like me and still run a profitable business.

In the ominous words of Fred Schwab before he left Porsche Cars North America, the Cayenne is the vehicle that will generate the revenues Porsche will need "to remain independent." Is anything more important?