Porsche’s Big V8 Decision Is Going To Make A Lot Of People Very Happy

Porsche has just delivered big news, and it’s melodic to the ears of both combustion and electric enthusiasts. The fourth-generation Porsche Cayenne has now been confirmed with an all-electric powertrain, but the current V8 version isn’t going away either. Porsche plans to offer both the existing third-generation Cayenne with combustion power and the all-electric fourth-gen simultaneously.

At this point, you may be thinking that you’ve heard this before. Stuttgart says it will offer the ICE and EV Macan concurrently, promising the same for the 718 range, and then it prematurely culls these gas-powered moneymakers that we thought would live for years to come. But hold your cynicism for one moment. This time, Porsche has committed to offering three powertrain variants “up to and beyond 2030.” Those discontinued platforms (Macan and 718) were also outdated and no longer compliant with European cyber-security regulations, so keeping production active only for select markets would’ve been costly.

More To Come From Current Cayenne

Porsche can get away with selling the third-generation Cayenne for several years to come because the 2024 Cayenne underwent “one of the most extensive product upgrades in the history of Porsche,” giving the luxury SUV so many significant enhancements that other automakers would have called it an all-new car. Moreover, “the current Cayenne generation […] will be further developed,” and a keen focus will be on powertrains, especially the V8 built at Zuffenhausen. “Extensive technical measures will ensure that the twin-turbo engine is ready to comply with future legislative requirements,” promises the automaker.

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With hybrid, pure combustion, and all-electric options on the table, Porsche is ready for whatever legislators of the world may throw at it. The 800-volt architecture that will underpin the new Cayenne is the same one found beneath the 2024 Macan EV (Premium Platform Electric, or PPE), but it will be further developed to “integrate the latest technology […] to take the Cayenne to a completely new level in a number of ways,” according to Michael Steiner, who leads R&D at Porsche. Porsche, like every other automaker working on an EV, commits to putting particular emphasis on the driving experience, as well as “high-capacity and stable charging, high efficiency, and high level of comfort and everyday usability.”

Our Closest Look Yet At The Cayenne EV

Spy shots of what was previously believed to be the Porsche K1 project (an ultra-luxury three-row electric SUV) have since been confirmed to be of the fourth-generation Cayenne EV, but now Porsche has provided some up-close photographs of development mules, allowing us to get a high-resolution view of some styling elements. At the front, the lower intakes appear to have the same active air shutters seen on the latest 911. There’s also a large slab of a front fascia with narrow LED headlights perched high on the nose.

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At the rear, the taillights will be restyled and the bumper will feature vertical air vent slats, possibly with more active aerodynamic benefits. In the same vein, the wheels are dressed with covers meant to smooth airflow down the sides of the SUV. Finally, a fake C-pillar may hint at this being a longer-than-usual Cayenne, potentially indicating the fusion of the K1 and Cayenne. We’ll bring you more information as we get it.