Now that Porsche is officially part of the Volkswagen Group (and not vice versa, contrary to former Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking's script), the Zuffenhausen-based sports-car, SUV, and performance-sedan manufacturer is making liberal use of the parent company's parts bin. Joining the Cayenne, which shares its platform with the Volkswagen Touareg and the Audi Q7, will be a more compact SUV called the Cajun—and we’ve now learned that it will be closely related to the Audi Q5.
The curious name is supposed to evoke "Cayenne junior," and, indeed, cayenne pepper is an important element in the spicy Cajun cuisine (which also goes by "Cuisine Acadienne," but the similarities with GMC's three-row crossover SUV end here). Reflecting upon the Cajun moniker, we just wish that Porsche would go back to numbers. But a dislike of integer badges—with the remarkable exception of the 911—seems to have permeated the brand thoroughly. This Wiedeking legacy won't go away any time soon.
An Audi by Any Other Name
Using the Q5 as its technical basis means that the Cajun will essentially stand on a front-wheel-drive architecture: Audi's modular longitudinal platform. That said, like the Q5, all versions of the Cajun will be equipped with Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which won't go by its original name here. The chassis remains unchanged in its key parts, but the Cajun gets its own wheels and a tailored braking system. While the Q5 might seem overly aggressive when equipped with the S-line package, that sort of agility and firmness will be just right for the Porsche.
Power will come from engines out of Audi's parts bin, tuned by Porsche for slightly more power and sound. The engine portfolio will include a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6, rated at around 300 hp, and a 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder, good for roughly 220 hp. A higher-boost supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 is possible and could make up to 350 hp. The Cajun could also be offered with the Q5 hybrid’s powertrain, which consists of a 208-hp 2.0 TFSI and a 44-hp electric motor.
As far as diesels go (and they likely won’t come as far as our shores), Audi's 3.0-liter V-6 TDI, sold elsewhere in the Cayenne as well, is a given—probably in two versions, with around 250 hp and 310 hp. An entry-level, 2.0-liter TDI with close to 200 hp is possible. Power will be channeled to all wheels through a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission; the hybrid will get an eight-speed automatic. With the most powerful engines, the Cajun could top 155 mph, the magic mark where the Q5 cuts off and a Porsche won't.
If It Looks Like a Porsche
Judging by the exterior styling alone, it will be difficult to tell just how closely the Cajun and the Q5 are related. Porsche's SUV will be shorter, lower, and wider than the Audi. The Cajun will be launched with four doors initially, but an even sportier two-door version is in the works as well.
The Cajun will take over the Panamera and Cayenne's interior styling language, which means a wide central backbone of knobs and buttons, and an instrument cluster reminiscent of those in Porsche's two-door sports cars. We expect an optional Sport Chrono package, complete with an aggressively tuned throttle, a launch control program, and a prominent stopwatch presiding over the dashboard.
The Cajun will be built at the brand's Leipzig plant alongside the Cayenne and the Panamera. It will be launched in early 2013 as a 2014 model; competitors will include the Audi Q5 and SQ5 (naturally), the BMW X1 and X3, the Infiniti EX, and—at the lower range of the segment—even the coupe-like Mini Paceman, a two-door crossover to be based on the Countryman. That's a rich selection for the automotive gourmet with a taste for SUVs; once again, Porsche promises to deliver one of the spiciest dishes.
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