Porsche Cayenne

Porsche's flagship is shrinking! These photos are proof that the next generation Cayenne will be significantly smaller than its predecessor.

It was thought that Porsche was developing a smaller SUV, called the Roxster, to sit alongside the Cayenne in the range and compete with cars like the Audi Q5. (Rumour suggested it would be based on the Q5’s platform, in fact.)

However, the smaller SUV seen testing by Porsche engineers recently actually is the Cayenne!

Seen here side-by-side for the first time, the new Cayenne is Porsche’s answer to criticism of its gargantuan SUV – the car having garnered a reputation as the archetypal ‘gas-guzzling’ 4x4.

In the same way the current Cayenne debuted a brand new platform co-developed with VW and Audi, which later underpinned the Touareg and Q7, the new Porsche will debut the next generation SUV chassis – some time before the next VW and Audi's next-gen SUVs hit showrooms.

Set to appear in early 2010, the new Cayenne will further appease 4x4 detractors by featuring, for the first time, diesel and hybrid versions.

We'll bring you more on Porsche's shrunken SUV as news comes in, but in the meantime click here for the latest on Porsche’s forthcoming saloon, the Panamera.