Wow, this is a very complex question that we have no intention of answering. We will merely present some unequivocal facts, some personal insights and let you decide for yourself. Â As many of you true enthusiasts out there, like us, your initial instinct was to reject the mere concept of any kind of Porsche utility vehicle. Â Much less an SUV. Â Conventional wisdom would have one assume (and not without good reason) that the words “Porsche” and “Utility” are like oil and water, quite oxymoronic, and perhaps even matter & antimatter….they simply don’t and shouldn’t mix. Â Using the words “Porsche” and “Utility” in the same sentence would seem like sacrilege to some, but those of us whom have had the opportunity to dig deep into Porsche’s surprisingly humble beginnings, know better.
This is an undeniable fact: Ferdinand Porsche has designed and built all kinds of utility vehicles, including Tractors and Tanks.
———————————-
EXHIBIT #1 – Porsche Traktor Diesel Super:
In the early 1930’s Prof. Dr. F. Porsche started design work on the “people tractor†right along with the design work of the “people carâ€. Eventually, both designs materialized into historical products that are still enjoyed by thousands of people 60 years later.  Prof. Dr. F. Porsche produced three prototype tractors in 1934, all equipped with gasoline engines. The Porsche diesel engine design with its unique air-cooled feature was just not quite ready for production at that time. Through numerous tests this design let to a fully developed air-cooled diesel engine with a power range from 14 hp to 55 hp. By the early 1950’s Prof. Dr. F. Porsche had designed 4 basic models, 1 cyl., 2 cyl., 3 cyl., and 4 cyl. versions, all have individual and interchangeable cylinders and heads. Another interesting fact is, that Prof. Dr. F. Porsche also had a 4-wheel drive tractor on the drawing board as early as 1946.
EXHIBIT #2 – Porsche Tiger:
Porsche produced several designs for heavy tanks during the war, losing out to Henschel & Son in both contracts that ultimately led to the Tiger I and the Tiger II. However, not all this work was wasted, as the chassis Porsche designed for the Tiger I was used as the base for the Elefant tank destroyer. Porsche also developed the Maus super-heavy tank in the closing stages of the war, producing two prototypes.
EXHIBIT #3 – Volkswagen Kübelwagen:
During World War II, Volkswagen production turned to the military version of the Volkswagen Beetle, the Kübelwagen, 52,000 produced, and Schwimmwagen, 14,000 produced.  The Volkswagen Kübelwagen (short for Kübelsitzwagen, meaning “bucket seat car”) was a military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the German military (both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS). Based heavily on the Volkswagen Beetle, it was prototyped as the Type 62, but eventually became known internally as the Type 82.   With its rolling chassis and mechanics built at Stadt des KdF-Wagens and its body built by US-owned firm Ambi Budd in Berlin [1], the Kübelwagen was for the Germans what the jeep was for the Allies.
———————————-
For those of you still in doubt over the purpose and relevance of the Cayenne’s very existence (and justification thereof) it is difficult not to agree that while this is no 911, it is one Porsche model that is here to stay. Â In this post we asked the question, is the Cayenne Turbo the Ultimate Porsche because of its all-around magnificence! Â You could take this Porsche anywhere and get there fast and in style and with all of the confidence in the world that you are driving a serious machine, a force to be reckoned with. Â Take it to the track, drive the kids to school, fetch the pizza or take-out, take it uphill, downhill, over the hill, through the river, on the beach, across the desert, snow, ice, even Transsyberia! Â Here ‘s an overview of that you get when you can muster $104,800k (starting msrp) to drive a Cayenne Turbo off the lot:
Engine:
Engine layout — Front Engine / All Wheel Drive
Cylinders — 8
Displacement — 4.8 liter
Horsepower — 500 hp
@ rpm — 6000 rpm
Torque — 516 lb ft
Compression ratio — 10.5 : 1
Transmission:
Drivetrain — Porsche Traction Management (PTM). All Wheel Drive.
Tiptronic S — 8-speed
Porsche PDK — n/a
Performance:
Top Track Speed — 172 mph
0-60 mph — 4.4 sec.
Body:
Length — 190.8 in.
Width (without mirrors) — 76.3 in.
Height — 67.0 in.
Wheelbase — 114.0 in.
Drag coefficient (Cd) — 0.35
Curb weight — 4784 lbs*
*On average, the new Cayenne Models shed about 400lbs!!
Still doubting the performance, handling, and overall wrath? Then here’s a Porsche vs. Porsche Autocar video, which pins the New Cayenne Turbo vs. it own brethren, the 911 Carrera 4S. Cannibalistic of them, maybe, but necessary to evidence what Porsche has really accomplished with the Cayenne and there is no better benchmark.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo vs. Porsche 911 Carrera 4S:
[Source: Autocar]
Now, of course, after all of this hype, the 911nation drivers simply had to go and see it for ourselves! Â My father and I drove out to the famed Champion Porsche, the world’s largest volume Porsche dealership for the past 23 years, to test drive the new Cayenne. Â We didn’t jump straight into the car, but took a minute to walk around the lot and the new showroom and soak in the glory of Porsche’s latest and greatest before honing in on the new Cayenne’s. Â We linked up with the Bruno Giordano, who accompanied us for a test drive of the new 6-Cylinder Cayenne (we were running late and the new Turbo was sadly unavailable). Â Each of us took to the wheel, me an amateur Cayenne driver (although I had the best time in my group during a Cayenne Figure-8 Autocross event during PDE course on Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, AL) and my father a daily 2008 Cayenne driver.
Our conclusion: take one out for a test drive…you’ll be impressed (even in the 6-Cylinder) with all the goodness under the hood and the amazing detailing in the cabin. Â Lord help you if you are not a convert afterwards!
Here are some additional images of our visit to Champion Porsche:
For a more on this amazing Porsche beast, check out this in-depth more technical article on the ins and outs of the new 2011 Cayenne Turbo from Autoblog:
“First Drive: 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo sheds 4,177 Twinkies – and it shows”
Also check out a recent article on the new Cayenne models featured in June/July 2010 issue of Christophorus Magazine:
…oh, and don’t miss the featured Porsche ad and video on the top of the side bar….they’re worth it!
If you like this post, then please subscribe by E-mail or RSS reader to stay connected and gain access to much more.  911 Nation is the Ultimate Porsche Lifestyle Blog committed to bringing you the latest news, cars, products, stories, and just about everything else sought by the true Porsche enthusiast.  That’s what we do!  You can also help support our mission by connecting with us through Twitter and Facebook. Take the proper precautions when pushing the limits and be safe out there!
Related posts:
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
The Cayenne and Panamera are for a totally different market segment. I consider the 1973 911 Carrera RS the ultimate Porsche. Don’t need all that weight, horsepower and fancy electronic driving aids.