2011-2014 (958)
The second-generation Cayenne launched for 2011 as a full ground-up redesign, and the headline change was a genuine surprise for a Porsche SUV: a substantial reduction in weight, up to 400 lbs lighter than the outgoing first-generation car depending on trim, achieved through a new platform shared with the Volkswagen Touareg and extensive use of lightweight materials. It remains, along with the 918 Spyder era, one of the periods where Porsche most aggressively chased weight savings across a model line.
The base Cayenne used a 3.6-liter V6 at 300 hp, while the Cayenne S returned to a naturally aspirated V8, now at 4.8 liters and 400 hp. A Cayenne S Hybrid also joined at launch, pairing a supercharged V6 with an electric motor for 380 hp combined, Porsche's first hybrid Cayenne. The GTS came back for 2013 using a 420 hp version of the naturally aspirated V8, prized today by enthusiasts as the last GTS in the lineup before Porsche moved that trim to a turbocharged V6 in the following generation. The Turbo topped the range at 500 hp from a twin-turbo 4.8-liter V8, with the Turbo S arriving for 2013 at 570 hp, the most powerful Cayenne built up to that point. This generation also retained a 6-speed manual transmission as an option on the base Cayenne, the last Cayenne generation to offer three pedals at all, before the 958.2 facelift made the 8-speed Tiptronic automatic mandatory across the board.
- Model years: 2011 to 2014
- Trims: Cayenne, Cayenne Diesel, Cayenne S, Cayenne S Hybrid, Cayenne GTS (returned 2013), Cayenne Turbo, Cayenne Turbo S (added 2013)
- Power range: 300 hp (base) to 570 hp (Turbo S)
- Transmission: 6-speed manual available on base Cayenne, 8-speed Tiptronic automatic across the lineup
- Notable firsts: first Cayenne S Hybrid; significant weight reduction versus the first-generation Cayenne; last Cayenne generation available with a manual transmission