"
Porsche" and "
SUV" are not usually two
words you'll find in the same sentence -- until
now. The
Cayenne, previously known by the
E1 code name, is made to compete with such formidable
SUVs as the
Mercedes-Benz M Class and the
Toyota Land Cruiser; from what we see so far of the Cayenne, it looks to accomplish this feat impressively, in true
Porsche fashion.
Styling cues are taken right out of the Porsche 911 Carrera's book, with the sleek curves and lines one expects of the renowned German automaker. This all wheel drive brute is ready for the off-road and highway battles of the (hopefully) near future, with two different engines and trim levels available: a 4.5-liter V8, outputting 350 horsepower (completing 0-100km, or about 62mph, in 7.2 seconds and topping out at around 150 mph) as the Cayenne S; and the monstrous Cayenne Turbo, with a 4.5-liter twin turbo V8, creating a whopping 450 hp.
But it's not just the large engine that makes the Cayenne so impressive -- a slew of advanced technologies, up to and including ABS, braking assistance, stability control, automatic drive train management, independent suspension on all four wheels, hill descent control, and even an electronically adjustable air suspension, make it worthy of the name "Porsche". Unfortunately, it's still in development -- keep your eyes open for this awesome machine.