Porsche’s latest baby crossover, which is inspired by the larger Cayenne SUV, has been uncovered and spotted on the roads of Europe. The new crossover is exclusively made for young buyers and is expected to go on sale in 2013 as a 2014. As said, its tough job is to draw the attention of younger, mostly urban customers to the Porsche fold. The vehicle was spotted when it was undergoing prototype testing near Porsche’s headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. Known as the Macan, it was earlier codenamed as Cajun, the vehicle is decidedly smaller than the Cayenne, Porsche’s first SUV. The Macan reportedly will share the same platform with Audi’s Q5 and forthcoming Q6 crossovers and it will be powered by Porsche’s first four-cylinder engine since the 968 was phased out in 1995. Besides the Audi Q5, will be competing with the Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes-Benz GLK and BMW X3 — other giants in the industry.

Starting next year, Porsche plans to produce around 50,000 Macans a year at a factory in Leipzig, Germany. The company aims to increase the annual global sales to more than 200,000 units by 2018. However, Porsche expects most of its business in the United States, Europe, China and Russia – where it is targeting growing upper class consumers.

When Cayenne was introduced in 2003, it actually disappointed some Porsche loyalists, but became the automaker’s top-selling model in the United States. The company also expects such huge success to the Macan, which will become the automaker’s sixth model line after the 911, Boxster roadster, Cayman coupe, Cayenne SUV and Panamera four-door coupe. It will also join a slew of new and revamped models in Porsche’s lineup.

Over the next few years, Porsche will be introducing some newest models to the U.S. showrooms and that includes the 918 Spyder hybrid supercar, redesigned Porshe 911 coupe, diesel powered Cayenne SUV and more variants. Also, Porsche’s U.S. sales have climbed 4 percent this year to 10,596 through April.

via Autonews