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2018 Porsche Cayenne Spied Once More Enjoying the Last Bits of Winter

In Northern Sweden, spring is just a slightly milder winter, so the all-new 2018 Porsche Cayenne is still out there testing away its new features that will make it one of the most enjoyable SUVs on the market.
2018 Porsche Cayenne 17 photos
Photo: CarPix
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Porsche can do no wrong with the Cayenne, and that's because even if they don't change anything about the car's underneaths, it's still going to be a blast to drive. At fist, people called it a "glorified Volkswagen Touareg," but that was just the people who had never driven one. It's a completely different proposition, and not because the VW is bad, but because the Porsche is just so good.

Not the type to rest on their laurels, Porsche engineers changed quite a lot on the new Cayenne, and we're very anxious to see how that translates into the real world. For one thing, the new vehicle will use the same MLB SUV platform first launched on the new Audi Q7 and then borrowed by the Bentley Bentayga as well. Two more models are going to use it as well, and those are the new Touareg and the upcoming Lamborghini Urus.

The most important benefits of using this platform - apart from the obviously reduced manufacturing costs - are going to be seen when the car is put up on a scale. But, most importantly, they're going to be felt through every corner and on every acceleration: the 2018 Porsche Cayenne is expected to drop over 220 lb (100 kg) of weight, which might not seem like a lot, but it is.

Since the Cayenne has always been about the best possible dynamic performances in an SUV - the Turbo S version does dispatch the Nurburgring in just eight minutes, after all - a lower weight combined with improved engines are the kind of changes that the regular customer wants to hear about.

Design-wise, it's still early to judge based on the pictures, but we would expect a mix of Macan and Panamera Sport Tourismo - but mostly Macan. That's really good news, as the smaller Porsche SUV has always been the better looker of the two, so the more of its design cues make it on the Cayenne, the better. Namely, expect to see the elongated taillights and... well, not much else. Porsche will probably apply the 911 design philosophy on its SUV as well, so the changes won't be that spectacular.

Inside, though, the Cayenne will hopefully get rid of the crowded dashboard and go for a much cleaner design. Some of its more conservative clients won't appreciate that, but Porsche can't keep the Cayenne in the past: it has to give it all the modern interfaces, and that includes touch-sensitive surfaces and even gesture control.

The new Cayenne is expected to debut sometime next year, following the release of the Panamera, which is expected this year. That means the current facelift will be quite short-lived, but, hey, nobody's complaining. With novelties such as the active rear spoiler, the four-wheel steering, new V6 and V8 engines, and a thoroughly updated interior, you can count the 2018 Porsche Cayenne as a hit already.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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