Porsche to build new Cajun in Leipzig

New junior SUV to be built alongside Panamera and Cayenne at expanded Leipzig plant.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Tom Phillips

16th March 2011

Porsche’s board has selected its Leipzig plant to build its new junior crossover. The new car will be based on the Audi Q5, and will become the cheapest new Porsche on sale when it arrives in 2013.

The name Cajun is a portmanteau of Cayenne and Junior, but given that the firm’s larger SUV has a spice-themed name, the name may stick.

In order to produce the Cajun, Porsche will have to expand its Leipzig facility, which currently builds the Panamera and Cayenne, and also features a hi-tech test track.

Work to expand the factory will commence this year, and will lead to the creation of up to 1,000 jobs when production comes on stream. Porsche has spent €280million on its Leipzig plant so far.

The German city is proving to be hot spot for the car industry, as BMW’s plant, which builds the 1 Series three-door, Coupé and Convertible, X1 and 1 Series M Coupé has just received an investment of €400million to gear up for production of the firm’s new i3 and i8 alternative drive cars from 2013.