Designing the brand’s first SUV was no easy task. Twenty years on, Porsche’s designers talk about the challenges.
Twenty years ago, Porsche launched the Cayenne. The sports car company’s first SUV was a revelation, one that surprised purists and delighted buyers. Designing Porsche’s first off-roader was an extreme challenge for the company, and today it is talking about how it all happened.
A Big Leap for Porsche
![Porsche Cayenne 20 Years Porsche Cayenne 20 Years](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/06/img_1.jpg)
At the turn of the century, Porsche was building just two vehicles — the classic 911 and the recently added Boxster, which was a more affordable 911 with the engine in the middle instead of in the back. The last time Porsche had built a vehicle that didn’t look like a 911 was the 968, a car that was discontinued — along with the 928 — way back in 1995.
The automaker that had spent decades building sports cars now had to build the opposite. A four-door, its first, with a high roof plus room for five passengers and luggage. Plus, it needed to have ground clearance and be capable of actual off-road driving.
Most important of all, though, the Cayenne had to have Porsche identity in its design.
911 Identity, Off-Road Shape
![Porsche Cayenne 20 Years Porsche Cayenne 20 Years](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/06/img_5.jpg)
Family Ties Made Job Tougher
![Porsche Cayenne 20 Years Porsche Cayenne 20 Years](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/06/img_3.jpg)
![Porsche Cayenne 20 Years Porsche Cayenne 20 Years](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/06/img_2.jpg)