If Porsche Designed A Cayenne In The 1980s, It Would Look Like This

In an exclusive HotCars render, Rostislav Prokop reimagines the popular Porsche SUV with ’80s retro styling.

The introduction of the 2003 Porsche Cayenne to the SUV market marked a departure for the German automaker. With the rising popularity of SUVs in the late 1980s and 1990s, the company chose to no longer limit itself to making only sports cars. Buyers soon took notice of this mid-sized Porsche SUV, with its V8 engine and sleek styling.

Now in its third generation, the Cayenne continues to have a devoted following. Like other models in this brand, it boasts the prestige, quality, design, and engineering that make Porsches so popular. The fact that Porsches keep their value over time and have an excellent pedigree doesn’t hurt, either.

But what if the carmaker had the foresight to jump into the SUV market 20 years earlier? In an exclusive render, HotCars digital artist Rostislav Prokop has turned back the clock and created the Cayenne as it might have looked in the 1980s. Prokop’s restomod, as you’ll soon see, hints of another great Porsche.

At first glance, Prokop’s Cayenne is reminiscent of the station wagon-like styling common to 1980s SUVs. Upon closer examination, the SUV sports a wedge-shaped profile that very much resembles an earlier model 944 Porsche coupe, which was the successor to the 924 platform. The clues in front are its grille-free front end, cool retractable headlights, and sloping hood.

Moving toward the back, the car’s rear wing is angular and pronounced, similar to the 924’s. The rear end is boxier and the tail lights are rectangular rather than rounded. These design cues also bring to mind the early 80s Audi 100 station wagon. Since Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen collaborated on creating the 924, it’s no surprise that its styling reflects the input from the three carmakers.

Porsche’s engines, while satisfyingly powerful, sometimes ding the brand’s reputation for reliability. Nevertheless, the default choice to power this restomod would be the Cayenne’s recent twin-turbo V8 engine. It cranks out 541 hp and 567 lb-ft and zooms from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. It’s mated to a responsive eight-speed automatic transmission.

But if we wanted to push the envelope a bit, we might drop in the Porsche Carrera GT’s 5.7-liter V10 engine with a 6-speed manual. Rated at 605 hp, it clocks a blazing 3.5 seconds in 0 to 60. While this restomod Cayenne SUV is heavier and longer than the Carrera GT, it definitely would be fun to test its limits.