According to a report by German magazine Autobild, Porsche are planning on a smaller version of its Panamera four-door coupe (pictured).

Whispers of the so-called, internally named, ‘Pajun’ have been circulating for more than a year now, with reports that Porsche is keen to take on BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the large sedan segment. According to Autobild, the project is no rumour, with insiders reportedly confirming a 2017 debut for the new model.

If true, the Pajun would be the sixth model in Porsche’s automobile lineup after the Boxster and Cayman twins, the 911 Carrera range, the Cayenne SUV, the Panamera sedan and the upcoming Macan crossover. While Porsche spokesperson Hans-Gerd Bode would not confirm the story, he has told Reuters that, “[there] were many ideas for a sixth model but decisions had not been taken”.

Along with the 5 Series and E-Class sedans, the new Porsche would also count the Audi A5 Sportback and Maserati’s new sub-Quattroporte sedan among its rivals. The new car will be offered first as a sedan before it is joined by a ‘Shootingbrake’ body style. Four engines are mentioned in the report, three of which are petrol offering outputs of 235 kW, 309 kW and 382 kW, while a six-cylinder diesel will produce as much as 230 kW.

Porsche is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its Leipzig, Germany manufacturing plant with another milestone achievement: it’s now produced 100 000 units of the second-generation Cayenne SUV. The 100 000th Cayenne was a pure white, V8 equipped Cayenne S, destined for Brazil (and, we’re sure, a very eager new owner). The Cayenne is currently sold in over 124 markets worldwide, making it a truly global vehicle.

Built in Leipzig alongside Porsche’s Panamera sedan, the Cayenne SUV has become the best-selling product in Porsche’s catalog. While initial sales of the first generation Cayenne, launched in 2002, were slow, the performance of Porsche’s first SUV soon won fans worldwide. Today, markets such as China can have up to a two-year waiting list for a Cayenne, which has prompted Porsche to add a third shift to the Leipzig plant. Adding the extra shift will give Porsche the ability to build a total of 500 vehicles per day, ensuring that 2012 production will eclipse the 93 800 vehicles built in 2011.

The plant is about to undergo a major expansion as well, as Porsche prepares to manufacture the new Cajun SUV in Leipzig. The automaker will invest some 500 million Euros in the production site, creating an expected 1 000 local jobs.

via MotorAuthority

Now that we’ve all seen the next-generation Porche 911 in its true form, the next big project for Porsche engineers is the upcoming baby SUV, the Q5 based Porsche Cajun.

If you’re thinking, but this is just a Q5, you’d be wrong because it’s actually a Cajun mule testing on the Nürburgring. Of course it doesn’t show any of the real details of the Cajun’s styling but we can see that the track will be wider due to the black fender flares. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo wheels also give the game away, but the fact that it was driving into the Porsche test facility is proof enough for us to believe that this really is the Cajun mule.

The Cajun will share its platform with the Q5, but Porsche will fine-tune the chassis, as well as upgrade the brakes. The engine and transmission is expected to be sourced directly from Audi, both petrol and diesel units. No doubt Porsche will give the powerplants some ‘Stuttgart treatment’ to breath more life into the Cajun.

With all manufacturers working hard to bring their average CO2 emission down to 130 g/km by 2015, the Porsche Cajun will more than likely be offered with the hybrid-drivetrain known from the Q5, meaning a 2.0-litre TFSI delivering around 156 kW combined with a 33 kW electric motor.

If the Cajun repeats the success of the Cayenne, Porsche will be well underway to achieve its ambitious sales targets. We suspect the Cajun will also eventually be offered as a two door version too.

Adapted from CarAdvice

Although it was already speculated, Porsche is indeed working on developing a small SUV to go up against the likes of BMW’s X3 and the Audi Q5. It has also been officially announced it will be called the Porsche Cajun.

Porsche hopes the new SUV will further increase sales volumes, with a lower entry price potentially attracting younger buyers. Design goals for the vehicle include “light weight, ease of handling and agility,” according to the official release. The Cajun is expected to share a platform with the Audi Q5, though it will be styled with an eye toward sportier themes and priced roughly five to ten percent higher than the Audi.

Reports say the new model will hit the market by 2014 and come with a range of engines.