Cajun a real Porsche: Hatz

Porsche's take on a compact SUV, the Cajun will be a "real Porsche"... That's the verdict of Porsche development head, Wolfgang Hatz, delivered to motoring.com.au in Los Angeles last week.

Hatz, a member of the Porsche board and Head of Engines and Transmissions Development for the Volkswagen Group, confirmed the Q5-based softroader's development is on track and the car will go on sale worldwide in late 2013.

"I've driven the car in mule form and I can guarantee it will be a real Porsche," Hatz enthused.

"It will be the sportscar of the SUV segment."

Porsche is undertaking a 500m Euro redevelopment of its Leipzig production facilities in preparation for Cajun. There it will be built alongside its big brother Cayenne and the Panamera saloon. It's likely Porsche's 5 Series sized smaller sedan will also be built at the site.

"We will begin series production in Autumn 2013. Yes, it seems like a long time but we begin with a design and the production realities are that the project, any project, takes three and half a years at least."

Though speculation had the five-seater using Audi-sourced engines, Hatz says the Cajun will get bespoke Porsche powertrains.

"The engines will be Porsche. It must have Porsche engines -- our customers demand that," he said.

And bodystyle?

"We will begin with a five-door design but we have some other ideas.... We have some good [interesting] thoughts," he quipped.

Picture shows artist's impression of Cajun, courtesy of Carparazzi

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