2004-2006 (955)
The original Cayenne was Porsche's first SUV and only its second V8-powered production car after the 928, arriving in Europe for 2002 and reaching the US for the 2003 model year. It was a genuinely radical move for the brand, and one that provoked considerable skepticism from purists at launch, built on a shared platform with the Volkswagen Touareg but engineered with Porsche's own suspension tuning, brakes, and driving character. Whatever the initial reaction, the Cayenne's sales success is widely credited with funding much of Porsche's subsequent sports car development, including the 987 Boxster and Cayman generations.
The base Cayenne used a 3.2-liter naturally aspirated V6, shared in block form with the Touareg, at 250 hp. The Cayenne S stepped up to a 4.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 at 340 hp, while the Cayenne Turbo used the same displacement with twin turbochargers for 450 hp. Porsche introduced the Turbo S for 2006, boosting the twin-turbo V8 to 521 hp and making it the most powerful Cayenne built to that point. Air suspension came standard on the Turbo and Turbo S, giving those trims a notably more comfortable ride than the base and S models, which relied on conventional steel springs, a distinction the 2007 facelift would go on to address. Production of the original 955 body style ended in early 2007, giving way to the facelifted 957 generation for 2008.
- Model years: 2003 to 2006 (955, before the 2007 facelift transition)
- Trims: Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S (added 2006)
- Power range: 250 hp (base) to 521 hp (Turbo S)
- Transmission: 6-speed manual available on base and S, Tiptronic automatic optional across the lineup
- Notable firsts: Porsche's first SUV; only the second V8-powered production Porsche after the 928; first Cayenne Turbo S