It’s been on the table for a while now, but Porsche has officially decided to bring its diesel-powered Cayenne SUV stateside. The oil-burning versions of the high-performance SUV is expected to arrive on our shores during the second half of 2012.
Reports of a diesel-powered Cayenne for the U.S. have been circling the internet rumor mill since 2008, but we now have official word that the car will indeed land on our soil. Porsche North American head Detlev von Platen confirmed the plan with Automotive News.
No solid launch date was revealed, but the Cayenne diesel will launch in the U.S. market sometime during the second half of 2012. Porsche expects the diesel SUV to account for about 15 percent of total Cayenne U.S. sales, which isn’t far off from the Cayenne Hybrid S’ 12 percent mix.
If our version of the Cayenne diesel mirrors its European counterpart, expect a 3.0L turbocharged diesel V6 generating 245 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. Shifting through an eight-speed transmission, the Euro-spec Cayenne diesel is capable of a 0-60 sprint of 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 137mph. On the combined European cycle the Cayenne diesel averages 39.2mpg.
Although those performance figures are trumped by the 380 horsepower Cayenne Hybrid S, the diesel would be far more efficient than the 24mpg hybrid. Moreover, the Cayenne diesel could undercut the price of the $69,000 hybrid by as much as $10,000.
References
1.’Porsche goal: Double…’ view
