Fabian Mechtel seems to be in agreement with Walter Rohrl on this matter.
The V10-powered Carrera GT is the most obvious choice when it comes to the successor to the Porsche 959 of 1980s fame. Porsche’s guest contributor Fabian Mechtel, and Walter Rohrl, the test driver, seem to disagree with this choice. They prefer a more unlikely nameplate: The Cayenne SUV.
Porsche recently raised the question whether the Cayenne will replace the 959 in a release. Both are the seven most significant Porches over the past seven decades. However, the release raises several other issues, most of which are related to the engineering and intention that went into both cars’ development.
The Porsche 959 supercar was designed and built to be a World Rally Championship Group B racing car. The 959 was a remarkable car that the automaker made, despite the fact that it had to sell 200 units in order to homologate. It had to be able to perform on all three roads, as well as at racetracks and everyday driving.
Porsche claims that the first Cayenne (E1) was not far away. It was a daily car, strong enough to tackle uncharted roads but still behaved like a Porsche sports car on the pavement.
Both cars must impress Porsche enthusiasts as well as challenge the best off-roaders.
However, there were some differences. The Cayenne was the first Porsche four-door, and not the 959 which used the 911 platform with its basic body.
As a way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the original, the Cayenne was discussed as a successor for the 959. The SUV was introduced by Porsche in 2002. It quickly became a major cash cow for the company. The rest was history.
