Porsche Cayenne 2018: coupe version in the works?

Porsche Cayenne 2018: Everything you need to know

03 August

Porsche is gearing up for another new car launch this year with plans to debut the third-generation version of its Cayenne SUV at this year's Frankfurt motor show.

Details of the upcoming car are scarce, but images of the development mule posted by AutoExpress reveal the Cayenne has an iterative design compared to its predecessor.

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The design of the new SUV's headlights and interior is still camouflaged, although this will be revealed, along with official performance details, when the car appears in production-form later this month.

Until then, here's everything we know so far about the flagship SUV:

Design

Porsche has revealed the development mule of its flagship SUV, which suggests the new car will have a handful of design tweaks.

Images posted by AutoExpress show that the front end has a more angular design, with sharper vertical vent structures and an extra air inlet beneath the grille. The lights have been kept under wraps, but we can expect the company's signature four-point LEDs that appear on most cars in the range.

At the rear, the Cayenne now has a sloping roofline and two creases on the boot lid that are similar to the Audi Q7. The result is a car that looks sportier and more purposeful than the outgoing Cayenne, although the SUV is expected to undergo further styling tweaks before making its debut.

Engines and performance

The Cayenne's engine lineup will "largely mirror those already launched in the Panamera", says Autocar, which means 335bhp and 434bhp V6 petrol motors. These will be joined by a 540bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine for the range-topping Turbo model.

Buyers can also expect a pair of hybrid engines, says the magazine, comprising a 456bhp 2.9-litre V6 and a 670bhp 4.0-litre V8. But Porsche has yet to confirm these figures.

Thanks to the Cayenne's new short-wheelbase chassis, Car&Driver says it's "lighter than its predecessor by 100 to 250 pounds" and comes with a "rear-biased but fully variable all-wheel-drive system". There's also "a standard steel-spring suspension setup with variable dampers as a step-up enhancement".

On the Road

While the Cayenne isn't due to reach the market until next year, critics have already been behind the wheel of the SUV's development car.

The new architecture and suspension tweaks mean the Cayenne "feels more Porsche than before", says AutoExpress. Switching the car into Sport or Sport+ makes it feel more "agile", giving it better balance and reducing body lean.

The SUV's driving position is "similarly imperious" compared to the old car, says Autocar, while the cabin's space is "almost unchanged" despite the lower roofline. The boot is "usefully bigger", too.

The magazine was "delighted" to discover the car's electric power steering is "at least as linear as the old hydraulic set-up" and "more accurate". But the overall feeling of the car is "more fluent than fun", especially for a Porsche.

Price and release

Prices have yet to be revealed, but Car&Driver says more details will emerge when the car makes its debut at the Frankfurt motor show on 30 August. This suggests a release date either towards the end of the year or in 2018.