Porsche begins new Cayenne tease

It might be hard to believe, but Porsche’s big Cayenne SUV is again up for renewal, as these first official images and a series of recent spy shots of the third-generation large SUV prove.

Seen here -- fully undisguised for the first time in an official video and pictures -- undergoing durability testing around the world, the next Cayenne will make its world debut on August 29 before its global public premiere at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Revealing a rounder overall profile, ‘faster’ front and rear glass and more angular headlights, the MkIII Cayenne doesn’t stray too far from the current model last facelifted in 2014, but appears worlds away from the awkward original first released in 2002.

Since then Porsche has sold more than 760,000 Cayennes globally and released the smaller Macan SUV; together they account for well over half of the German sports car maker’s annual sales.

No technical details have been provided with these images, Porsche saying only that the pre-production prototype vehicles have completed around 4.4 million test kilometres in temperatures ranging from -45 to 50 degrees C.

However, it describes the 2018 Cayenne – codenamed E3 -- as a “complete redevelopment” that we know will share its new MLB platform with Volkswagen Group sister models including Audi’s latest Q7, the Bentley Bentayga and Volkswagen’s upcoming Touareg.

Therefore expect the next Cayenne to share its petrol and diesel V6, pair of V8 engines and plug-in hybrid powertrains with these large German SUVs.

Porsche says it began real-world testing E3 mules as long ago as 2014 following virtual simulations, operational stability tests on and off road at Porsche’s Weissach test centre and endurance tests on a Hydropuls unit, a hydraulic testing facility that applies artificial vibrations to both the chassis and body.

Porsche tested its original Cayenne in the Aussie Outback outside Alice Springs before its launch, but so far the MkIII model’s test schedule has included Australia.

On the list this time round though were dynamic testing at Germany’s Hockenheimring and Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuits, high-speed testing at Italy’s 12.6km Nardo track, hot-weather testing in Dubai (UAE) and Death Valley (USA), and cold-weather in Alaska.

Porsche said it also tested the new Cayenne in stop-start traffic in the hot and humid conditions of Chinese cities, as well as on tracks in Sweden, Finland and Spain, while off-road testing took place in South Africa, Japan and New Zealand.

“The drive and chassis as well as the display and control concept have been redesigned to further increase the spread between sportiness and comfort,” said Porsche.

“The main objective of the elaborate testing process is to achieve a perfect balance between the many components, some of which were developed especially for the Cayenne.”