With the Cayenne, Porsche certainly ruffled feathers amongst the purists and stoked debated about sportscar makers doing SUVs. Purists felt the carmaker diminished its brand value by making an SUV. However the market ruled in the German carmaker’s favor with the Cayenne having found worldwide acceptance and opened up the flood gates for SUVs from sportscar makers.
Porsche could once again shake things up with a 911 SUV.
The 911 is certainly an iconic design and very central to the Porsche brand. However, so far, Porsche has only used it as an inspiration and borrowed design cues for its other vehicles. It hasn’t really introduced the sportscar in other body styles and certainly not with the same moniker.
All of that could all change with the German brand confirming that they could do a cranked-up 911, much like the 959 Paris Dakar racer or the 911 Safari edition rally cars. Belonging to the 1980s, the 959 had adjustable suspension and all-wheel-drive system. Porsche was the only team to get both of its cars, the 911 SC 3.0, across the finish line in the tough East African Safari Classic Rally in 1978.
Speaking to Autocar at the Los Angeles Motor Show, Detlev von Platen, Member of the Executive Board for Sales and Marketing said, “The 911 is the center point for all design at Porsche and you will see its influence in other vehicles. But taking the 911 and making an SUV out of it? Taking it higher? That could be a good idea, and of course it (cranked up 911) won't be a model range but it will be a limited, a very niche product.”
If the 911 SUV indeed is materialized, it would be interesting to see if the 911 moniker would be used on the vehicle or if the brand would go with a suffix or another name entirely.
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