By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

When Porsche announced around the turn of the century that it was going to jump on the SUV bandwagon and build a sport utility vehicle a collective groan could be heard from the automotive press and Porsche lovers all over the planet. (Please, somebody fetch cold compresses. Headaches are imminent).

The sports car company of the world was going to prostrate itself on the alter of SUV-dom. Truth is they just didn’t want the space next to the 911 to be anything but a Porsche.