A series of leaked in-house renderings of Porsche’s upcoming Cajun compact SUV suggests that the Zuffenhausen-based firm has Range Rover’s Evoque set squarely in its sights…
Set to emerge in two year’s time and underpinned by the Audi Q5 platform, the Cajun looks as though it’s due to receive a coupe-esque body style similar to that of the Evoque. Leaked images discovered by the folks at British motoring publication Autocar show a curvaceous creation with styling cues heavily reminiscent of the company’s 911 sportscar.
There are also elements of the design that can be likened to Porsche’s 959 rally-raid car, such as the raised ride height, that will help to stylistically distinguish the Cajun from its bigger brother Cayenne, as well as the Q5 upon which it will be based. A bespoke interior – including instrument panel, switchgear and the like – will further differentiate the Cajun from its peers.
The Cajun will most likely be powered by a range of revised Audi powerplants, including four- and six-cylinder units in both petrol and diesel guises. Reports also suggest that it will be offered only in all-wheel drive guise with a tweaked version of Audi’s rear-biased all-wheel-drive system at its heart.
Few cars have been subject to as much conjecture as the Cajun, with Porsche fervently denying the viability of such a model before CEO Martin Winterkorn confirmed the project and the vehicle’s official name late last year. It has been reported that the Cajun initially underwent a design development phase that adhered closely to the Audi Q5 before being scrapped in favour of a more dynamically-styled three-door coupe shape – a decision that may well have been influenced by the appearance of the sporty-looking Evoque.
Autocar first uncovered plans for a Porsche compact SUV coupé as far back as early 2006. An inside source revealed that a full-sized clay model had been built for assessment in late 2005 and, at the Geneva Motor Show in February 2006, a senior Porsche boss confirmed to Autocar that the three-door SUV was under consideration.
The production of a smaller (though no less premium) SUV will help the Porsche brand achieve high volume – with the ultimate goal of the VW Group potentially overtaking Toyota as the largest global manufacturer by 2018. The move also suggests that Porsche is making its products slightly more accessible to wider audiences, a departure from its previous status as a two-seater sportscar-only automaker.
