Resources for the Washington DC area

About the
Porsche Cayenne Hybrid
 

Update June 2007: The latest info is that the hybrid Cayenne IS a go. There was some doubt for a while. There's speculation of mileage improvements of 30%, or perhaps 30 MPG. European standards are placing a big emphasis on reducing CO2 output in new cars, so that will be a big focus.

Porsche has plans to build a hybrid version of the Cayenne SUV. The new version of the Cayenne is expected "by the end of the decade", according to Porsche.

The current Cayenne

An interesting twist on hybrid design is that a prototype shown at the LA Auto Show could run at hybrid speeds, for a short distance, on just electric power.

The current base Cayenne has a 3.2 liter V6 and is EPA rated at 15 city / 19 highway. The SUV is also available with a 4.5 liter V8 and a turbocharged version of the V8. The Cayenne shares some similarities to the VW Tourag, which uses the 3.2 liter engine. Both vehicles are partly assembled in the same plant.

Porsche has had a 27 percent decline in Cayenne sales in North America in the first four months of 2005, to 4,424 vehicles.

May 2005, June 2007, March, 2008