When Porsche took the wraps off the Cayenne at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, it left the show-goers, fans and automotive enthusiasts across the world shocked.
What were they thinking? How can Porsche – known for their pure-bred sportscars like the iconic 911 – think of making an odd-looking SUV like this? What a crazy decision, this! These were just some of the questions and statements hurled at the German car-maker. Guess what? Porsche had the last laugh.
In just over 18 years, Porsche has rolled out 1 million units of the Cayenne from its assembly line at Leipzig, Germany. The landmark model was a GTS painted in Carmine Red, headed to a German customer.
In all these years, the Cayenne has gone through three generation changes, defied physics with its incredible handling despite riding high off the ground, made its mark in the tough Transsyberia Rally on more than one occasion, holds a Guinness World Record for towing the gargantuan Airbus A380, blossomed into a handsome brute of an SUV, spawned the trendy Cayenne Coupe and forced brands from Lamborghini to Rolls-Royce to sit up and take notice. That it managed all of these looking right at home in the porch of a 5-star hotel as well as traversing through slush and snow makes the Cayenne Porsche's ultimate all-rounder.
Debuting at a time when the SUV boom was still in its infancy, the Cayenne was well-placed to capitalize as demand for high-riding vehicles like these soared across segments and price bands. As a result, Porsche's luxury SUV bet saved the brand from folding up and sowed the seeds for the success and reputation it enjoys today.
With the Macan mimicking the same success formula in a smaller package, Porsche now has two best-sellers in its range bringing in all the money needed to develop their sports cars and more. So, the next time you see the brilliant new 911 out on the road, thank the Cayenne!
Just so you know, the 911 took 54 years to achieve the same feat.
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