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2014 Porsche Cajun... Turbo! AKA Macan
I think my AWD Daily Driver replacement has definitely been found! 
From MotorTrend:
MT Article
At last month's Paris auto show, newly appointed Porsche CEO Michael Muller -- who had officially been on the job for all of one day -- was pelted with questions during a U.S. auto journalist roundtable about the future direction of the brand.
The white-haired Bavarian and longtime VW Group exec did the best he could to deflect specific product questions and volume projections, but the mandate was clear: Porsche will grow and get greener; there will be all-new vehicles as part of that growth; and they will maintain the aura of Porsche prestige. While he declined to get specific ("Give me 100 days," he pleaded), there was little doubt reading between the lines that the Cajun -- the long-rumored crossover that would slot below the Cayenne -- would be one of those all-new vehicles.
Based on what we're hearing out of Europe, the green light has been lit and the Cajun is indeed a go, with production set to begin early in 2013, likely as a 2014 model.
As has been long rumored, the Cajun will share its basic underpinnings and powertrains with the Audi Q5, which itself is due for a refresh about the same time the Cajun arrives. But unlike the Q5, the Cajun will be offered in both two-and four-door configurations. The Cajun four-door, said to feature a coupe-like profile that's all the rage lately, should arrive first, with the two-door (illustrations of which are pictured here) coming about a year later. Previous reports indicated the Cajun would be two-door only, but Porsche apparently believes it needs both variants to ensure its success.
Another current trend is the continued greening of automaker fleets, and the Cajun is expected to come with a range of engines designed with efficiency in mind, including Audi-sourced 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesels and a hybrid variant with a 2.0-liter/electric motor combo cribbed from Q5. In addition to the max efficiency diesel and hybrid engines, uprated variants of Audi's 2.0-liter turbocharged four and the 3.0-liter supercharged six are said to be part of the powertrain mix. Don't expect the base four bangers to make it to the U.S., but the hybrid is apparently part of the plan and the 3.0-liter diesel is a possibility. A modified version of Audi's quattro all-wheel drive, along with its six- and seven-speed dual-clutch trannys, will route the power to the road. Still unclear at this point is if the dual-clutch units will make it here, Porsche may go with a more traditional automatic.
Porsche being Porsche, there will of course be a top-spec Cajun Turbo model, which we hear will be powered by an all-new, Porsche developed 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 expected to be rated around 350 horsepower. In addition, expect the Cajun to come with plenty of parts from the Porsche bin, including uprated brakes with a carbon ceramic option, the Sport Chrono pack, and a sport exhaust system.
Inside, unique seats and a cockpit setup designed to emphasize sports-car-like driving dynamics is on the to-do list, along with combination of familiar themes cribbed from other Porsche stablemates.
There are reportedly some elements within Porsche that worry the Cajun will end up encroaching on Cayenne territory the same way the Cayman has butted against the 911. In addition, there are fears the Cajun four-door especially will cannibalize Q5 sales. But the dissenting voices have apparently been mollified, and with the crossover market continuing to explode, Muller and his VW Group apparently feel the Cajun is worth the risk.
From MotorTrend:
MT Article
At last month's Paris auto show, newly appointed Porsche CEO Michael Muller -- who had officially been on the job for all of one day -- was pelted with questions during a U.S. auto journalist roundtable about the future direction of the brand.
The white-haired Bavarian and longtime VW Group exec did the best he could to deflect specific product questions and volume projections, but the mandate was clear: Porsche will grow and get greener; there will be all-new vehicles as part of that growth; and they will maintain the aura of Porsche prestige. While he declined to get specific ("Give me 100 days," he pleaded), there was little doubt reading between the lines that the Cajun -- the long-rumored crossover that would slot below the Cayenne -- would be one of those all-new vehicles.
Based on what we're hearing out of Europe, the green light has been lit and the Cajun is indeed a go, with production set to begin early in 2013, likely as a 2014 model.
As has been long rumored, the Cajun will share its basic underpinnings and powertrains with the Audi Q5, which itself is due for a refresh about the same time the Cajun arrives. But unlike the Q5, the Cajun will be offered in both two-and four-door configurations. The Cajun four-door, said to feature a coupe-like profile that's all the rage lately, should arrive first, with the two-door (illustrations of which are pictured here) coming about a year later. Previous reports indicated the Cajun would be two-door only, but Porsche apparently believes it needs both variants to ensure its success.
Another current trend is the continued greening of automaker fleets, and the Cajun is expected to come with a range of engines designed with efficiency in mind, including Audi-sourced 2.0- and 3.0-liter diesels and a hybrid variant with a 2.0-liter/electric motor combo cribbed from Q5. In addition to the max efficiency diesel and hybrid engines, uprated variants of Audi's 2.0-liter turbocharged four and the 3.0-liter supercharged six are said to be part of the powertrain mix. Don't expect the base four bangers to make it to the U.S., but the hybrid is apparently part of the plan and the 3.0-liter diesel is a possibility. A modified version of Audi's quattro all-wheel drive, along with its six- and seven-speed dual-clutch trannys, will route the power to the road. Still unclear at this point is if the dual-clutch units will make it here, Porsche may go with a more traditional automatic.
Porsche being Porsche, there will of course be a top-spec Cajun Turbo model, which we hear will be powered by an all-new, Porsche developed 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 expected to be rated around 350 horsepower. In addition, expect the Cajun to come with plenty of parts from the Porsche bin, including uprated brakes with a carbon ceramic option, the Sport Chrono pack, and a sport exhaust system.
Inside, unique seats and a cockpit setup designed to emphasize sports-car-like driving dynamics is on the to-do list, along with combination of familiar themes cribbed from other Porsche stablemates.
There are reportedly some elements within Porsche that worry the Cajun will end up encroaching on Cayenne territory the same way the Cayman has butted against the 911. In addition, there are fears the Cajun four-door especially will cannibalize Q5 sales. But the dissenting voices have apparently been mollified, and with the crossover market continuing to explode, Muller and his VW Group apparently feel the Cajun is worth the risk.
Yikes... 
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