The Cajun was only recently named Macan, so we don’t know yet what the badge on the bootlid of the Porsche Pajun will read. We do know for sure, however, that the bonsai Panamera is an active project. Chairman Matthias Müller recently told the German business weekly Wirtschaftswoche that ‘such a model would make an attractive addition to the range in about five to six years from now.’
While the Macan is a joint effort with Audi, home of all VW group mid- to full-size crossovers and SUVs, the 4900mm Pajun is a Porsche through and through. The schedule for the marque´s future front-engined four-door sports cars looks like this:
• In spring 2013, we are going to see the extensively restyled and upgraded (new V6) Panamera
• At the next Frankfurt Show in September 2015, Porsche will unveil the all-new Panamera MkII
• In late 2016 or 2017, the brand intends to start producing the Pajun aimed at A6, 5series, E-class
The hardware underneath the 2017 Porsche Pajun
Timing is tight because the second-edition Panamera and the Pajun are both based on a new architecture dubbed MSB for modular sports car matrix. The flexibility of MSB is such that it can be front-, mid- and rear-engined as well as rear- and all-wheel drive.
Although the Pajun aims at the mid-size offerings from Ingolstadt, Munich and Stuttgart, its prime targets are A7 Sportback, CLS and 6-series Gran Coupe. Expect two bodystyles: a five-door coupe that looks infinitely better than the hunchback Panamera, and a very sporty shooting brake to be released twelve months later.
The five-door Pajun coupé is said to combine Audi A5 Sportback overtones with Porsche’s own 911-inspired design language. The shooting brake features a third side window, a much longer roofline with integrated spoiler, slim wraparound taillights, a deep tailgate and a large and fast rear window. The Pajun can be optioned up with ceramic brakes, PDK, air suspension, four-wheel drive, torque vectoring, sport chrono plus and an extended choice of driver assistance systems.
Engines bound for the Porsche Pajun
Enginewise, this car relies solely on the V6. While the Panamera will soon be available with the brawny V8 TDI developed by Audi, the Ingolstadt-sourced 3.0-litre V6 TDI earmarked for the Pajun is expected to deliver 260 and 320bhp in the diesel S.
Also in the pipeline are two petrol-fed 3.0-litre six-cylinder units. The lesser version is believed to churn out 320bhp and 325lb ft, the twin-turbo edition should be good for 420bhp and 413lb ft. Waiting in the wings is an even more potent turbo S motor rated at 520bhp and 502lb ft.
Pajun prices are going to range from €65,000 to more than €100,000, sources say.
For Porsche, the Pajun is instrumental in reaching its mid-term volume target of 200,000 vehicles per year. Like Cayenne, Panamera and Macan, it is bound to further reduce the sports car maker’s dependence on sports cars.