► New Cayenne to be revealed soon
► Very little disguise in latest shots
► Built upon same platform as Audi Q7
These latest photos from CAR’s spies give us a closer look at the brand-new Porsche Cayenne, due to be officially revealed later in 2017.
Porsche’s largest SUV has sold in giant numbers since the original model was launched in 2002, and its successor in 2011; the new car will be the third-generation Cayenne.
Despite the stickered headlights and blanked-off details, it’s not difficult to see that the Mk3 Cayenne’s styling is very much a gentle evolution of its predecessors.
What’s under the skin?
The new Porsche Cayenne is built on the VW Group’s MLB platform, the same architecture as the Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga (and, before long, the Lamborghini Urus).
It’s the shortest car yet to be built on the MLB structure, smaller than both the Q7 and the Bentayga to give the Cayenne greater agility and a lower kerbweight. It’s also lighter than the outgoing Cayenne, with a lower roofline.
What engines will feature in the next Porsche Cayenne?
A choice of two V6 petrol engines for entry-level models – the regular Cayenne with 335bhp, and the Cayenne S with 434bhp. The latter is expected to dip under the five-second mark from 0-62mph.
There will also be a Porsche Cayenne Turbo with a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 and a very serious amount of power – it’s expected to develop no less than 540bhp.
As with the current-generation Cayenne, diesel engines will feature, with both V6 and V8 options using established engines from Audi.
Hybrid versions will follow, too; the most affordable will use the same 2.9-litre V6 engine as the regular Cayenne S. A very high-performance Hybrid S is also planned, utilising the Cayenne Turbo’s V8 and with a total power output as gigantic as 670bhp.
We’ve previously spied a test mule for a separate model rumoured to be an all-electric Porsche Cayenne Coupe, potentially twinned with the upcoming Audi E-tron – click here for the full story.
What else should we expect?
The interior will almost certainly follow similar design cues and layout to those of the current Porsche Panamera’s ‘Advanced Cockpit’. It’s likely to feature a similarly futuristic screen layout, with digital dials (although a traditional analogue tacho may remain in the centre), broad display screens and touch-sensitive surfaces in place of buttons.
The majority of models will ride on steel springs and passive dampers as standard, with air springs and PASM adaptive dampers as an option at extra cost. The Turbo is expected to be fitted with the air suspension as standard.
Oh, and there’ll be a bigger boot.
We’ll have the first official pictures of the new Porsche Cayenne as soon as it’s revealed – come back soon for the full rundown on Porsche’s new SUV flagship.
Read all of CAR’s Porsche reviews here
