Skip advert
Advertisement

A Mk1 Porsche Cayenne Convertible really was planned, and built

Convertible was one of three body shapes planned for the original Porsche Cayenne that never made it to market

Porsche has revealed three alternative body shapes were considered for the original 2002 Cayenne SUV – a coupe, stretched seven-seater and a convertible – as the company’s first off-roader celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Amazingly, only the convertible model was built, an example of which can be found at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. Known as a Package Function Model (PFM), it's essentially a rolling chassis, meaning the 4.8m-long concept has none of the body stiffening needed to provide "safe and stable driving”. Instead, it is driven from place to place on the back of a flatbed.

The design concept was only ever supposed to answer four questions. Was the back seat roomy enough? Did the 200mm longer doors make backseat access feasible? Could the Cayenne’s body accommodate a folding fabric roof? And what shape should its rear end be? 

Advertisement - Article continues below

In fact, Porsche produced an asymmetrical rear end on the car – with low and high-set tail lights – to help its designers choose a preferred look. 

And the roof? Its theatrical mechanism would have been similar to the one employed first by the Porsche 911 991 Targa, which has a boot cover that lifts clear of the bodywork allowing the roof to stow below. The roof never made it past the computer-simulation stage, though, meaning the Cayenne Convertible PFM’s top has to be erected by hand.

Why wasn’t the Porsche Cayenne convertible built? The concept was deemed unprofitable due to its challenging aesthetics. Or, as Michael Mauer, Porsche’s chief designer, puts it: “An SUV as a convertible is a challenge both aesthetically and formally. An SUV always has a large and heavy body. You combine this with a small top half and then cut off the roof – you get very strange shapes emerging from that.”

Would you have joined the waiting list for a Porsche Cayenne Convertible in the early 2000s? Let us know in the comments

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Used Car Hunter: £30,000 premium EVs and hybrids
Auto Express Car Hunter graphic - 'Help! I need a posh electric or hybrid SUV for £30,000'

Used Car Hunter: £30,000 premium EVs and hybrids

Our Car Hunter has £30,000 to make the switch to electric drive, but which one?
Features
15 Feb 2025
Best luxury SUVs 2025
Best luxury SUVs - header image

Best luxury SUVs 2025

Luxury SUVs combine the sophistication of a luxury car with the sheer practicality of an SUV. Here’s our pick of the current crop…
Best cars & vans
23 Jan 2025
Porsche Cayenne set for another update as camouflaged Coupé version spied
Porsche Cayenne Coupe Facelift spies - front 3/4

Porsche Cayenne set for another update as camouflaged Coupé version spied

Big-selling luxury SUV in store for a refresh to keep up with incoming EV
News
9 Jan 2025
Best SUVs to buy 2025
Best SUVs - header image

Best SUVs to buy 2025

There are plenty of great SUVs to choose from, so we’ve picked out the very best
Best cars & vans
6 Dec 2024

Most Popular

New Dacia Sandero spotted for the first time: fresh look for Europe’s best-selling car
Dacia Sandero facelift spied testing - front tracking

New Dacia Sandero spotted for the first time: fresh look for Europe’s best-selling car

The humble supermini’s makeover is inspired by the Dacia Spring EV, plus Duster and Bigster SUV
News
11 Mar 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW i5 Touring is a big-booted electric estate for a small price
BMW i5 Touring - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: BMW i5 Touring is a big-booted electric estate for a small price

Good to drive and spacious to boot, the BMW i5 Touring has it all. It’s our Deal of the Day for 10 March
News
10 Mar 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Hyundai Tucson Hybrid N Line offers sporty looks and loads of space for only £221 per month
New Hyundai Tucson hybrid - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Hyundai Tucson Hybrid N Line offers sporty looks and loads of space for only £221 per month

Our Deal of the Day for 9 March is Hyundai’s comfortable, strikingly styled mid-size SUV, which is a serial award-winner
News
9 Mar 2025