5 things you may not have known about the Porsche Cayenne

Since its launch in 2002, the Porsche Cayenne has enjoyed great success for several reasons. Despite the criticism it received from the press – which believed the SUV would never offer the sporty handling that characterises Porsche – the Cayenne proved to be the most capable crossover on track and one of the most versatile vehicles on the market. Its impressive off-road capabilities have always stood out alongside the luxury and comfort of a premium car.

The Cayenne has gone through two generations and four updates. The next model will be unveiled next year, and we would like to take this opportunity to recall some of the reasons that make it such a special SUV.

Below you will find five curiosities about the Cayenne that you probably didn’t know:

1. It is the fastest SUV around the Nürburgring circuit

Which other off-roader is capable of setting a lap time of under eight minutes on the old Nürburgring track? The answer is none. Only the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S has broken the eight-minute barrier – 7 minutes and 59.74 seconds – on the “Green Hell”. To put this into perspective, the most powerful version of the Cayenne comes very close to the time recorded by some sporty compacts such as the SEAT León Cupra (7 minutes and 58.44 seconds) or the Renault Mégane RS Trophy R (7 minutes and 54.36 seconds).

2. A genuine bestseller: production has already reached 800,000 units

In less than a year and a half since its launch (2002), 50,000 units were manufactured, and in the following fifteen months that figure rose to 100,000 examples. To date, it is available in more than 125 countries and production is about to surpass 800,000 units; a sensational record for a brand specialising in low-volume production.

3. The Cayenne S E-Hybrid inherits technology from the Porsche 919 Hybrid of Le Mans

The Cayenne S E-Hybrid inherits much of its technology from the Porsche 919 Hybrid of Le Mans, a fact that is otherwise very common at the Stuttgart brand; Porsche usually transfers the learning from its competition cars to its road vehicles.

Among the technological elements that the Cayenne S E-Hybrid has inherited from Le Mans are its batteries. Within the freedom granted by the World Endurance Championship regulations, Porsche chose batteries as the energy storage system for the 919 Hybrid, rather than opting for flywheels or electrochemical ultracapacitors. Why did it do so? To develop its road cars more efficiently, and in this case the Cayenne S E-Hybrid.

4. The Porsche Cayenne has used 21 different engines

Throughout its history, the large crossover from Porsche has featured twenty-one different engine options. Among its range of powertrains, there have been six- and eight-cylinder units, naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines, and petrol, diesel and hybrid powerplants.

5. The first Porsche model with four doors

It may seem obvious, but this vehicle was the first from the German firm to feature a four-door body. Undoubtedly, this was one of the riskiest bets the brand, which specialises in sports cars, has ever made, but time has proved it right.