Current Cayenne Lineup / Cayenne Generations / Every Cayenne Model Ever
In 2002, Porsche gave us their first SUV, which would also be the first production Porsche with four doors. No longer just a sports-car maker, it transformed Porsche into a volume manufacturer and a massive money maker. The original Porsche Cayenne shared its platform with the Volkswagen Touareg, but had plenty of Porsche engineering underneath. The Cayenne S when originally release had a 350-horsepower 4.5-liter V-8, while the range-topping Cayenne Turbo had 450 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque, making it easily the most powerful SUV on the market at the time. For the 2005 model year, Porsche added a base model with 3.2-liter narrow-angle V-6 that was good for 247-hp. For 2008, the Cayenne range got a facelift and upgraded powertrains (still considered part of the original generation technically). The Cayenne S's V-8 was increased to 4.8 liters and 385 hp, while the Turbo rose to 500 hp. The base V-6 got a displacement increase to 3.6 liters, up 43 hp and 44 lb-ft. A new Cayenne GTS had a 405-hp version of the 4.8-liter V-8, and was available with a manual transmission. In 2009 Porsche introduced the monster 550-hp Cayenne Turbo S.
The second-generation Cayenne appeared for the 2011 model year, and Porsche kind-of put forward its green credentials with the introduction of a Hybrid model that combined a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 and added an electric motor. The rest of the range got a design refresh and an increase in power. The Cayenne V6 now up to 300 hp, the Cayenne S hit 400 hp and the Turbo nudged 500 hp. The Turbo S and GTS models were dropped, but the GTS came back in 2013 with 420 hp alongside a new 240-hp Cayenne Diesel. The Turbo S returned for 2014 with 550 hp. The Cayenne was facelifted for 2015, and the V-6, Turbo S and GTS models were put on hiatus. The Cayenne S switched from a V8 to turbocharged 3.6 liter V-6, while the hybrid (now called Cayenne S E-Hybrid) was up to 416 hp. The Cayenne Turbo's V-8 delivered 520 hp. The missing engines showed up in 2016, with the base V-6 retaining its 300 hp rating. The GTS once again built on the S' turbocharged V-6 with 440 hp, while the Turbo S offered a mind-twisting 570 hp. Automatic transmissions were now standard across the board. A showy Platinum Edition package was available for 2017 in V-6 and E-Hybrid models.
An all-new Cayenne made its debut for the 2019 model year, and despite having all new sheet metal, the look did not change dramatically. As per tradition, Porsche trimmed the power lineup for the debut year. The base model received a 335-hp 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6, the Cayenne S had a 434-hp 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6, and the Cayenne Turbo had a 541-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8. For 2020, Porsche began offering a four-door Cayenne Coupe with a faster roofline. For 2021, Porsche added the E-Hybrid model, with a combined 455 hp from its 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 engine and electric motor combo. The new Turbo S E-Hybrid combined the Cayenne Turbo engine with a plug-in hybrid system for a staggering total of 670 hp. The 2021 Cayenne GTS once again took the S engine and bumped it up to 453 hp.
The Current Cayenne Lineup
For 2022, the Cayenne receives updates to its infotainment system. With the latest generation of Porsche Communication Management (PCM) comes enhanced support for Apple products, including wireless Apple CarPlay. Android Auto finally joins the party, too. Porsche says that the navigation system has been revamped for improved clarity and quicker route processing. Plus, the voice-recognition software is said to better recognize instructions. This sixth-gen PCM now offers over-the-air technology so that it can be wirelessly updated in the future. A Platinum Edition package, which adds satin-finishes on the SUV's exterior trim and unique 21-inch wheels, is now available on the base Cayenne as well as the S and E-Hybrid models. In terms of models, if you want more decent power, than the base Cayenne's 355-hp turbo V-6 is sold, but the 434-hp Cayenne S offers an even more poke thanks to its twin-turbo V-6 powerplant. The plug-in hybrid E-Hybrid models marry an electric motor and a turbocharged V-6 for a combined 455 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. The Cayenne GTS boasts a 460-hp twin-turbo V-8 with the great-sounding exhaust note and breathtaking acceleration. As always, the Turbo Cayenne models are the top of the heap in terms of power and luxury. If you haven't shopped for Cayenne recently, you can also now choose between the traditional SUV bodystyle as well as the Coupe bodystyle, which is more aggressive and sporty.
Porsche Cayenne Generations
Porsche ventured into the SUV segment almost two decades ago when it presented the Cayenne in September 2002 at the Paris Motor Show. This is just the beginning of a product line success story spanning three generations. The numbers speak for themselves. In the 2007/2008 fiscal year, the Cayenne overtook the Porsche 911 by almost 50,000 units, with an overall production of more than 105,000 units. It proved such a hit that Porsche has continued to innovate and update the platform, now in its third generation.
Porsche Cayenne 955 & 957 (1st Gen) Models
The 955 sold from 2003 until 2007 and includes the Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, and Cayenne Turbo S models. The Cayenne Turbo was the top dog in the Cayenne range until the Cayenne Turbo S made an appearance in 2006. Technically there were no 2007 MY cars but they were indeed sold in 2007. Below we take in-depth to better get to know all the variants from that first batch of Cayennes. Look familiar? Porsche gave us all the same models for the refreshed 957 Cayenne lineup, including the amazing Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S and the base, plus Cayenne S variants. Where things get more interesting with the refreshed Cayenne is the new models and special editions. The rare (600 sold in USA) Cayenne S Transsyberia is a limited-edition model released in 2010 to commemorate Porsche's participation in the 2007 Transsyberia rally. It got the Cayenne GTS V8 with off-road accessories and a cool paint job. The sporty and more driver focused Cayenne GTS was introduced during the 957 years, with its tweaked suspension tuning, naturally aspirated V8 and design tweaks, it was the pick of the first generation Cayennes. Read on to learn about all the models.
Porsche Cayenne 958.1 & 958.2 (2nd Gen) Models
Porsche stuck with the same model lineup for the second generation Porsche Cayenne. The base Cayenne and Cayenne S were the top sellers as expected, while the Cayenne Turbo and Turbo S remained the premium offerings. Our favorite Cayenne (The GTS) was back again, the perfect balance of sporty and fun. The absolute highlight of this new generation is the world debut of the Cayenne S Hybrid, the first plug-in hybrid in the premium SUV segment. While the Cayenne 955, 957 and 958.1 had permanent 4WD, from 958.2 the drive force was sent to the front axle only when the rear wheels lost grip, like in the 4-wheel-drive 911. This meant the Cayenne finally became a road car and the off-road image was left behind. Model-wise, things stayed basically the same.
Porsche Cayenne (3rd Gen) Models
The current Cayenne lineup is pretty standard fare, with all the familiar variants accounted for in the base Cayenne, the Cayenne S, the Cayenne E-Hybrid, Cayenne GTS, Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid available. Porsche introduced the Cayenne Turbo GT version recently which is definitely the top of the range. The biggest model change for the third generation Cayenne was the introduction of a totally new body type, the Cayenne Coupe, available on all models.
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