Audi to Develop Future Porsche Cayenne, VW Touareg

The Volkswagen Group is making significant changes in its product development plans and, after announcing earlier this week that Porsche will be in charge of future sports cars and big sedans, the company is now giving the brand with the four rings a new role. Audi will develop the Group’s SUVs, including the future Porsche Cayenne, the Volkswagen Touareg and the new Audi Q7.

The first project developed by Audi is the upcoming baby SUV to be sold with a Porsche badge, namely the Cajun, that will share its underpinnings with the Audi Q5.

"This decision was made in agreement with all of the brands involved and will create synergies throughout the group to the benefit of both the brand and the customers," the spokesman said according to an Automotive News Europe report.

"This is not badge engineering. Porsche will be responsible for the engines and performance of the next Cayenne. It will drive like a Porsche and perform like a Porsche,” a Porsche representative commented on the move.

As mentioned, Volkswagen Group revealed earlier this week that Porsche will be in charge of the future sports cars and sedans to be sold under its brands.

The maker of the Cayenne will thus make use of VW's "modular standard matrix" that the Porsche Panamera and future Bentley models will be based on, as well as a platform for front-mid- and rear-mid-engined sports cars for Porsche, Audi and Lamborghini. Porsche has rejected Volkswagen's initial plans of using a VW-developed platform for sports cars such as the 911, fearing that the underpinnings wouldn't meet Porsche's stiffness standards.