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The first-generation Cayenne was what saved Porsche. The based Porsche Cayenne 955 entered the market to a mixed reception, although it was the performance vehicle among SUVs and had comparably good handling as well as powerful engines.[3] The lineup initially consisted of the V8-powered Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo. Later in the model cycle, VR6 and diesel-powered versions joined the lineup. The base model is powered by a VW 3.2-L VR6 engine producing 250 PS (184 kW; 247 hp). The engine is largely the same as the VW engine.
It is not clear if the Cayenne Cabriolet was ever intended for production, but considering how much work was put into the concept car, the project was taken seriously. The car has the nose and brakes from the Cayenne Turbo, but this concept car might have a normally aspirated engine, if at all. Porsche has not unveiled any technical information.
The first-generation Cayenne saw the introduction of the Cayenne S in 2002. While the base Cayenne had a 3.2-L VR6 engine, the Cayenne S got a 4.5 L V8 with more power and torque. The extremely short and compact normal-aspirated V8 produced 340 hp and 310 lb⋅ft of torque. Acceleration for the Cayenne S is strong for an SUV, with 0–60 mph taking 6.9 seconds and the top speed being 150 mph. The Cayenne S also have some visual changes to better identify it, but was otherwise standard Cayenne fair.
The Cayenne S Titanium Edition was designed specifically for the U.S. and Canadian markets. Introduced only for 2006 (as a pre-GTS concept), it was a 1 year exclusive, limited production SUV featuring a lightweight steel body, aluminium hood, titanium-painted accented body parts, side lower rocker body panels, Sport-Quad Tip Exhaust chrome tailpipes, 19" titanium painted alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights, two-tone interior upholstery, Porsche PCM 2.0 w/ trip computer navigation, MP3 audio and Bose cabin surround sound.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo (2002 - 2007)
The first-generation Cayenne Turbo 955 has 450 PS (331 kW), and can accelerate from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.3 seconds. Under the hood, the Cayenne Turbo was fitted with a turbocharged 4.5-liter V8 unit mated to a standard 6-speed automatic. Thanks to the standard air-suspension, the Turbo version could get up to 28 cm (11”) of ground clearance. The German brand needed a car to sell in volumes and save them from a foreseeable financial collapse. The Cayenne Turbo did just that.
Porsche made things more interesting with the launch of a Turbo S version in 2006 to compete with the Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG. The Turbo S is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.5 L V8 that produces 521 PS (383 kW; 514 hp) and 720 N⋅m (530 lb⋅ft) of torque; Acceleration from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) takes 5.0 seconds and the top speed is 171 mph (275 km/h); It features a six-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission.