Toyota powered Cayenne?

[Chris Moon]

Can a minivan be far behind?

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101084

[martinreinhardt]

Maybe Porsche is becoming top heavy and needs to be reorganized Just started to accept the Cayenne, but a Hybrid and a Toyota engine.

[Tim Comeau]

I love the idea of hybrids. They might start to make up for the environmental damage the huge SUV's have made in the last 5-10 years.
But a Toyota engine? Is nothing sacred at Porsche anymore?

[ajackson]

For all the things one could fault porsche for, making their suv a bit less damaging to the environment shouldn't be one of them.

[Jad]

To some extent, you have to applaud Porsche for realizing they don't know everything about everything and get assistance from the current leader in hybrid tech. Do I expect this vehicle to live up to Kary's track standards for a Porsche, no, but it should handle its designed street use reliably without as much oil disappearing and maybe Porsche can learn something for future projects.

Anyone want to race minivans in 5 years

[Chris Moon]

Aside from just wanting to stir the pot a little, I pointed this out because it shows what I think is the odd direction Porsche has taken. ( I know the Cayenne topic has been beaten to death, but my motor needs a rebuild and until I can get that done, I need another passtime.)

Is it a bad idea to have a hybrid Cayenne? Of course not, but why does a company that has made a great name for itself within the industry for excellent engineering need a Toyota powerplant? Or maybe more to the point, why does the Cayenne weigh 5000 lbs in the first place? It's only 200 lbs less than a Chevy Tahoe, but it only has room for 40 cubic feet less cargo!? I can understand wanting to expand the variety of models to better assure the future of the company, but why does it have to be so ugly when the VW looks so much better?

On a different topic, maybe Toyota should hire Porsche to help them with their F1 program. Porsche has never said they weren't interested in building an F1 engine again, just that their pockets weren't deep enough. Hmmm?

Cheers,
CM

[Pete Millikin]

I'm OK with Porsche producing a non race vehicle with hybrid power. They have already decided to not be a pure sports car company, using this strategy to help stabilize their income stream and remain an independent manufacturer. Since the Cayene has been a financial success, I doubt this stategy will change.

If Porsche conquers the world by making a grocery getter with a leading edge hybrid powerplant, great. Since the hybrid devlopment dollars have been spent by Toyota, the shared profits and Porsche manufacturing capabilty are available for......sports or racing cars. It could continue to defocus Porsche from racing but such is the risk when you have different product lines.

Last thought. The 944s have that big hatchback and aren't really a racecar. Porsche should just bring back it back and stuff the hybrid engine in it. This will be the final evolution of the 944, a grocery getter. Curt, Dan, your thoughts on the electro-water pumper?

[Tim Comeau]

DOH!......(Pete) The 944 is a race car. Check Porsche history.
Alan, I didn't mean the Porsche SUV was a gross polluter.......just all the other stinking SUV's that you can't park next to, can't see around, etc.

Jad, I knew times had changed when I was at full throttle accelleration down the hill on Montezuma Rd with some other 40-something dad in a turbo Volvo like mine. Maybe it's me who's changed? Maybe Mini van racing isn't too far away?...........................but please, not a Porsche mini van!

I want the old PORSCHE back.
Helmut Bott, Helmut Flegel, Norbert Singer, Hans Metzger, Peter Falk, Ferdinand Piech.

I really have high hopes for Uwe Brettel as head of PMNA. Coming from the Super Cup program, I know where his heart is. Porsche Racing.
Nuff said.........

[Jad]

Pete, don't forget, that non-racecar grocery getter got ttod at the last autocross, you are second in your class to a grocery getter, and my grocery getter in stock form beat your prepared car in every AX you entered... maybe you aircooled 911 types have to use meaningless words like 'real' racecar and 'real' Porsche to justify yours cars, cause quantitative words like fastest and winner don't seem to apply - since the 80's

At least electric motors are aircooled, you airheads should like that, maybe there is hope for aircooling.....

[Jim Bohorquez]

Actually, the fastest lap at leMans two years ago was by a Panoz Hybrid, the Q9 or Sparky.

Sparkly or the Q9, was built by Zytek, the company that builds the EV Elise. Because the electric motor has abundant torque and the high horsepower of the Rouch Engine, the Q9 or Sparky, out-accelerated all cars and did very well, but had software problems during the race. The regenerative braking was not optimized properly and when the track conditions deteriorated the lap times dropped and the car was a handful in the corners. It was off track multiple times, and finally retired.

Electric Motors for Electric Vehicles come in both "AIR" and "Liquid" cooled...... the fight continues ....

If you think Electric Vehicles are slow, go to ACpropulsion.com.

The TZero electric sports car that AC Propulsion builds,beat all but a twin turbo Porsche at Fontana during a high performance shootout. Ferrari, Cobras, Lombarginis Corvettes and Porsches were there. It also has a 450 mile range. I hope to have one by the next "Festival of Speed".

If I have it by the "Other car Autocross" I will bring it out for all to see.

[Tim Comeau]

Jad,
those silly air-cooled guys probably don't even know that water cooled heads were used in the 935's.

[Jim Bohorquez]

And the Jules 936 had Liquid cooled intercooler and Liquid cooled heads

[bibbetson]

Last thought. The 944s have that big hatchback and aren't really a racecar. Porsche should just bring back it back and stuff the hybrid engine in it. This will be the final evolution of the 944, a grocery getter. Curt, Dan, your thoughts on the electro-water pumper?

OH NO, you didn't just say that Pete! Maybe you just ment to think it... Maybe I will have to put wheel barrel tires on my car so you can keep up next year.
Ok all you 944 owners out there lets all to the all mighty 911.

insert Dan Chambers joking legal ease here...

[Pete Millikin]

Holy moly, struck a nerve on that one. My apologies, just a bad joke at the expense of the 944 folks. Ok, the official Porsche non- race-car-grocery-getter is the Cayene.

I'm a traditionalist and like the 911 air cooled heritage. In times past this technology was nearly dominant, but it has not been state of the art for Porsche in competition since the 80's. However, these old air cooled buggies are still very competitive against all comers (air or water cooled) today in our racing. I think the point is moot since the TTOD medal count is owned by a certain red 914 -6 anyway.

I enjoy the competition and congratulate the winners, air cooled, water cooled, electric, hypbrid, as long as it's a Porsche.

[Jad]

All in good fun I am always impressed with all the Porsches everytime we have the driving school. 50 cars from the 60's through current day are driven hard for 2 full days, many of which have never been pushed before, and seldom is there a mechanical breakdown. In comparison, often for various reasons, someone needs to bring a BMW or other car to the school, and the other car seldom survives the weekend. So air or water cooled, front, mid or rear engine, Porsche makes some of the best cars and has been for a long time....of course, a Cayenne has never survived (or attempted) the school (can't imagine tires could make the weekend)