Porsche will launch a new generation of its Cayenne in 2017, a prototype for which is shown above, and shortly after we may see a sleek, coupe-like version targeting high-end versions of the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.
Talk of the vehicle dates back several years but flared up recently when a test mule combining the high-riding chassis of a Cayenne with the coupe-like profile of a Panamera was spotted near a Porsche test center in Germany.
Automotive News (subscription required) estimates the vehicle will be on sale in the United States by mid-2019.
Though Porsche purists may deride the thought of a third SUV being developed by the sports car brand, from a financial standpoint it makes a lot of sense. Audi is developing a similar vehicle based on 2015’s e-tron quattro concept, the so-called Q6, and this could be twinned by the Porsche to help spread development costs, just as the Q5 is related to the Macan and the Q7 is to the Cayenne.
There also appears to be substantial demand for SUVs with sleeker, more coupe-like styling, as suggested by the number of new entries to the segment. In addition to Audi’s Q6 there will be a Land Rover offering, an Aston Martin offering and possibly even a Bentley offering.
