Porsche is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its Leipzig, Germany manufacturing plant with another milestone achievement: it’s now produced 100,000 copies of the second-generation Cayenne SUV there.
The 100,000th Cayenne was a pure white, V-8 equipped Cayenne S, destined for Brazil (and, we're sure, a very eager new owner). The Cayenne is currently sold in over 124 markets worldwide, making it a truly global vehicle.
Built in Leipzig alongside Porsche’s Panamera sedan, the Cayenne SUV has become the best-selling product in Porsche’s catalog. While initial sales of the first generation Cayenne, launched in 2002, were slow, the performance of Porsche’s first SUV soon won fans worldwide.
Today, markets such as China can have up to a two-year waiting list for a Cayenne, which has prompted Porsche to add a third shift to the Leipzig plant. Adding the extra shift will give Porsche the ability to build a total of 500 vehicles per day, ensuring that 2012 production will eclipse the 93,800 vehicles built in 2011.
The plant is about to undergo a major expansion as well, as Porsche prepares to manufacture the new Cajun SUV in Leipzig. The automaker will invest some 500 million euros ($647.35 million) in the production site, creating an expected 1,000 local jobs.
