With its decision to develop a ‘sporty multi-purpose vehicle’, Porsche presented its design department and its boss at the time, Harm Lagaay, with major challenges.
This was the first time in the history of the company that, instead of a two-door sports car, a blueprint for an SUV was required. This was, in a way, the exact opposite of a sports car layout: a big, high-roofed car with four doors and room for five people and all their luggage. Additionally, the Cayenne needed much greater ground clearance than a classic sports car, as it was expected to count among the best when driving off-road as well. Internally, the Cayenne is known by the code letter E for Enduro, with the first Cayenne named E1 and the current model being the E3.
This was the first time in the history of the company that, instead of a two-door sports car, a blueprint for an SUV was required. This was, in a way, the exact opposite of a sports car layout: a big, high-roofed car with four doors and room for five people and all their luggage. Additionally, the Cayenne needed much greater ground clearance than a classic sports car, as it was expected to count among the best when driving off-road as well. Internally, the Cayenne is known by the code letter E for Enduro, with the first Cayenne named E1 and the current model being the E3.
“Of course, it wasn’t at all easy to express the identity of the Porsche brand in a car that had absolutely nothing in common with the existing models made by our company,” said Lagaay after the work was done. The designer spent a whole year on the headlights alone. It wasn’t just that they had to incorporate the low and high beams and the cornering light while preserving the clear lines of the Cayenne body – these were among the components that guaranteed the brand identity.
Even today, any car fan can recognise the face of the 996-generation Porsche 911 in the front end of the first Cayenne. This impression was reinforced by what is referred to as the topography of the front section. The highest point of the wings and the headlights is above that of the bonnet. This is a distinguishing feature for a Porsche, because these contours are a clear visual reference to the design of the iconic 911. However, it was significantly more difficult to realise this specific design in the Cayenne, with its big V8 engine under the bonnet.
The highest point of the wings and the headlights is above that of the bonnet – a decisive characteristic for a Porsche.
Michael Mauer was also pleased that Porsche was willing to invest so much in design and construction as part of the internally named "Colorado" development project. In 2004 he succeeded Harm Lagaay as head designer: “For me, the Cayenne is about a fundamental question. No matter which type of vehicle concept would have been used to enhance the 911 and Boxster sports car lines, the step to the third Porsche made a brand out of the product. And the design gave the car, the proportions of which take it as far away from the sports car as it is possible to go, a Porsche identity that transcends the brand name.”
This remains evident today in the distinctive shoulder at the back of the Cayenne E1 – in which Ferdinand Alexander Porsche played a significant design role – as well as the smooth surfaces of the body and the omission of a traditional radiator grille between the headlights. These classic Porsche characteristics also reduced the significance of the comparatively large air intakes in the front apron. A front-mounted engine requires air for combustion and cooling. And Porsche customers were already used to front air intakes from the sports cars. In this case, though, they are responsible for cooling the brakes.
This remains evident today in the distinctive shoulder at the back of the Cayenne E1 – in which Ferdinand Alexander Porsche played a significant design role – as well as the smooth surfaces of the body and the omission of a traditional radiator grille between the headlights. These classic Porsche characteristics also reduced the significance of the comparatively large air intakes in the front apron. A front-mounted engine requires air for combustion and cooling. And Porsche customers were already used to front air intakes from the sports cars. In this case, though, they are responsible for cooling the brakes.
Modelling of the Cayenne in Porsche’s design studio in Weissach.
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