gnat

Found it. It's in the Dec 2014 issue starting on page 98 and I was a bit off on the time line.

Mid-90s they study non-sports car markets.
They approach MB to partner on the next G-wagon.
They deal is almost closed when Benz throws out that they want 5% of Porsche. Porsche walks out.
They then approach VW who is on board with the idea.

Where I got confused on the origination was that the article discussed one of the designers (Murkett who also worked on the 959 and 964) that started in 83 who at one point designed a Porsche "school bus" which apparently turned out to be a Minivan.

gnat

The two were always designed together and the 911 was the focus with the Boxster as a lead into the lower market (like the 928 and 944 of old). It was the parts sharing that was the key factor in making them so profitable. Also part of the reason the 996 is still looked down on to this day

996tnz

Mercedes were stupid to walk away IMO. If ever a car needed some Porsche (or Lotus) magic breathed on it, it was the original ML. Test drove one and didn't go near another Merc for over a decade. Just awful roly-poly porpoising dynamics. Actually, just remembered I did test drive other two Mercs that same week, either before or after. That E55 Kompressor and S600 had looks and power going for them, but also didn't like bends in the road as much as I did. Plus interior quality wasn't what it used to be.

al617

Does the 2006 cayenne v6 has the the same motor mount as the 2006 touareg v6?

raolc

Nice read! Mercedes is purely luxury in my mind and I'm not a fan of their lame soccer-mom style performance. Glad Porsche, VW, and Audi are partnered up - that's a winning team for sure!

ourtour

Last week I changed my 05 Touareg V8 full option and 06 Cayenne Turbo S both SUVs trunk struts. Found out something interesting things. Touareg's air suspension tubes are thicker and stronger in light turquoise/green color, Cayenne has thinner, flimsy, softer tubes in black color. Touareg panels has plastic/vinyl male fasteners that snap into female plastic/vinyl that mounted on the body. Cayenne panels has male metal/spring fasteners that snap into female rectangular shape holes on the body. Touareg struts covers are hard plastic and foam in the center that seal the strut opening, the cover is snap on to the body. Cayenne struts covers are foam and the nasty glue that seal the strut opening. I just don't believe what I saw. Touareg has better quality parts and cost 1/2 HALF of the Cayenne. A friend used to work at Porsche North America told me that Porsche has 18% profit margin while VW has less than 15% profit margin. Now I experienced my self. Cayenne Turbo S does not even have the rear private pull up screen, it's an option. Touareg has the rear private pull up screen standard. Not to mention that Cayenne used the hard plastic coolant and T pipes that costed me $3K to replace. Man oh man, whatever the hell Porsche did to the first generation Cayenne was a total ripoff to the consumers. Porsche ought to be ashamed itself.

Audidude

Keeping what is really quite an old thread going (because it's interesting) and realising this is a Cayenne forum, so I will inevitably stand on sensitive toes, but here goes:

The sensitivity of the Porsche psyche to any comparison of a VW is amusing (please note that I also have a 911), and belies the reality that there are major overlaps in design and equipment between the Touareg and Cayenne.

mudman2 particularly cracked me up with this;
”We had these discussions in 03 with VW fanboys

there is no result possible and they buy androids "
so Porsche guys buy Apple??

But they are also very different in many ways, particularly in performance handling and brand cachet.

I needed a strong towing machine and room to service at the track and accommodate two Labradors (not all at the same time!) , after my Amarok was incinerated after a birds nest fire in the engine bay.

I don't need my SUV to provide driving thrills (check out my sig....), it needed to fulfil Utility (that's the U in SUV) purposes.

I bought a '17 150kw TDi which fits the bill perfectly.

What I didn't expect was a vehicle so top-end luxurious in an entry level model (pretty much all options standard except for LED running lights and air suspension, which I didn't want or need).

And the price point was so far below a Cayenne it was laughable. Total bargain in my opinion.

So, Cayenne guys, don't be so snooty about the Touareg - it's a great vehicle with far more in common with Cayenne than you'd like to believe but it doesn't go like a sports car.....I have enough money left over to go buy another real one of those if I want....

Cheers

TomF

Fair enough... but your 911 is a 996, and not an aircooled one! Seriously, the Touregs are really a great value for the most part. VW bashing by Porshefiles goes way back to the 914, and will continue just as the various families that control VAG and Porsche continue to squabble.

Incidentally, I lived on Lake Pupuki on Aukland when I was a kid. I sure miss NZ! It is pure heaven.

Cheers,
TomF

vandal968

As a long-time owner of water-cooled Porsches, 944, then 968 now 955 (still have 968). The 911 snobs used to always say water-cooled cars aren't real Porsches. They are strangely silent on the topic these days....

cheers,
c

Audidude

Oops, sorry, my bad, I didn't know the 996 wasn't a real Porsche and disqualified me from being a Porsche fan boy...

Pfeffer

I could not care less. Mine cost quite a bit more than a Touareg of the same age, with fewer km and more options. I just preferred how it handled and what the interior looked like.

vandal968

I tried to talk myself into a Touareg, twice. They really are inexpensive and I might like the dashboard better than Cayenne. I just couldn't get past the pedestrian looks, it's like a Golf that got sent to fat camp. Never got around to driving one.

cheers,
c

rdboxster

I had a Touareg TDI for 5.5 years and 69k miles. I bought the VW over a Cayenne mostly due to the TDI, which Porsche didn’t offer in 2012, and the cost difference. I had a Touareg executive which was well equipped and was less than a base Cayenne. The Touareg was really a good vehicle with a great diesel motor. VW service was pretty bad which is the main reason I am done with them. Thanks to VW stupidity I was given close to 90% of what I paid for the Touareg with the diesel buyback which helped make a great decision to get a Cayenne GTS. There is no question in my mind that there is a big difference between the GTS and the Touareg Exec. No negative to the Touareg but as you move up the Cayenne model line they get just that much better. The ride, interior trim, seat comfort, handling and overall feel of the GTS is a vast improvement. Again no negative on the Touareg as it is a very good $50k vehicle.

TomF

LOL I had a 2000 C4 Cab at one time too...it was a fun car, but had it's challenges.

Cheers,
TomF