20 YEARS OF CAYENNE

To celebrate two decades of Porsche's first SUV, we drive the original model alongside current third-generation cars

- Tristan Shale-Hester

TODAY just about every car brand offers at least one SUV. Of course, there are firms such as Land Rover and Jeep that have their heritage in 4x4 off-roaders, but they now face competition from marques that previously made their name with performance and luxury models.

Think of any great performance-car manufacturer Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lotus - and chances are they've pulled the covers off a brand-new SUV in recent years. There is one very famous sports-car firm, however, that's been in the game a lot longer than that.

The Porsche Cayenne Mk1 entered production back in 2002 for the 2003 model year, becoming the first SUV to be produced by the German brand. In the 20 years that followed, the model became a hit and sparked a successful tradition of larger Porsches that offer a blend of performance and practicality.

We're celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Cayenne by getting behind the wheel of a few examples and seeing why the Porsche SUV has been such a hit.

PORSCHE CAYENNE MK1

IT'S the anniversary of the first-generation Cayenne that we're celebrating, so this version seems a fitting place to start. We're behind the wheel of a 2005 Cayenne S and not only is it in immaculate condition, but it's also had a few special touches added.

This particular Cayenne has always been owned by the company. It started life as a technical training vehicle with Porsche Cars Great Britain, before being transferred to Porsche Classic, which celebrates models that have been out of production for more than 10 years.

It has received what the manufacturer describes as "light overland treatment". The non-standard rock rails and wheels fitted to the car are genuine Porsche items, while the chunky off-road tyres and roof rack are aftermarket additions.