Diesel Cayenne joins Porsche line-up

It will be launched in New Zealand in April 2009 – two months after the start of European sales.

The German carmaker says it decided to make a diesel Cayenne because of European tax incentives for diesel vehicles.

The Cayenne runs a 3.0-litre Volkswagen-developed, Audi-supplied V6 turbodiesel engine developing 176kW. Peak torque is a hefty 550Nm. The gearbox is a Tiptronic S automatic.

Porsche says the Cayenne diesel is capable of average fuel consumption of 9.3 litres/100km (30.4mpg) on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 244g/km.

It says the Cayenne Diesel continues its commitment to reduce fuel consumption. A Cayenne hybrid will be launched in 2010, and in existing Cayennes, Porsche has switched to petrol direct injection that use 15 percent less fuel.

Porsche is confident the Cayenne diesel will maintain the SUV’s market success. In the 2007/2008 financial year, Porsche sold 45,478 petrol Cayennes – more than ever before in a financial year.