First Drive: 2010 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid & Diesel

[svgallery name="Cayenne_Hybrid_Diesel_pics"] Story and photos by John LeBlanc DEARBORN, Michigan – Even though its one of the automaker’s younger products, the Porsche Cayenne’s role has changed many times over. Arriving late to the 1990s’ sports-utility-vehicle craze, the Cayenne was originally marketed as a luxurious go-anywhere/mud-bogging/off-roader. As dominant as its sports cars were on race tracks, Porsche built the Cayenne to be best-in-class, but off the beaten track. All too soon however, the German automaker realized that few (if any) Cayenne owners were actually taking their $100,000 rides too far from valet parking services or Starbucks drive-thrus. So, eventually, the Cayenne’s off-roading prowess from its promotional materials. Models like the Turbo S and more recent GTS, tried to sell the SUV more as a high-performance all-weather sports wagon. The times, they are a chagnin’ Whatever role Porsche has asked its Cayenne to play, the mid-size five-passenger has always been a profitable vehicle for the relatively small German automaker. And despite Porschephiles decrying the Cayenne as nothing but a VW Touareg in drag, an abomination of a brand built on the backs of sports cars, it’s gone on to become the best-selling Porsche model ever, with over 250,000 units sold since its introduction in 2003. Now, though, with the planned-for 2011 Cayenne Hybrid and present Cayenne Diesel, Porsche is asking its SUV to take on its latest and most challenging role ever: as an environmentally-friendly green warrior. 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid: Porsche’s first modern hybrid is an SUV At the 2007 Los Angeles auto show, Porsche’s first Cayenne Hybrid concept sported a 3.6-litre Volkswagen V6. But according to Cayenne project engineer Michael Leiters, it simply didn’t deliver enough performance. As the “S” in the Cayenne Hybrid’s official name indicates, Porsche wants you to think of the Hybrid as a greener alternative to the gas-only V8 Cayenne S. So now, two years into the project, a 3.0-litre supercharged Audi V6 upholds the gas part of the Cayenne Hybrid’s equation. Combined with a 52 hp electric motor sandwiched between the engine and a new eight-speed automatic transmission, the combined hybrid powertrain is rated at a robust 374 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. Like the ’07 L.A. concept, the current Cayenne Hybrid’s system (which is being developed with Volkswagen) goes against the so-called “power-split” hybrid practice used by Toyota and Ford. Instead of a gasoline engine working with a pair of electric motors to form a continuously variable transmission, Porsche uses a dry-clutch (like on a manual transmission to bridge the gas-engine and the e-motor. Porsche says advantages include the Cayenne retaining its towing capacity, using a conventional all-wheel-drive system, and avoiding the “rubber band” feeling driver’s get from CVTs. Plus, the whole system is modular; all the parts will end up in the upcoming Panamaera Hybrid. Porsche estimates the Cayenne Hybrid’s 0-100 km/h run will take 6.8 seconds: only 0.2 seconds slower than the V8 S. While at the same time it will sip “less than” 9.0L/100 km on the combined European fuel economy cycle. Transport Canada rates the Cayenne S at 13.7L. Our seat time in one of only two 2011 Cayenne Hybrid prototypes in existence was cut short due to a malfunction in the vehicle’s theft deterrent system that wouldn’t allow us to fire up the car again. Oh well. That’s why they build prototypes. But in our all-too-brief suburban Dearborn, Michigan drive, we did manage to garner a few driving impressions. Overall, the Cayenne Hybrid’s system is reasonably transparent. There’s a bit of electrical whine before the gas engine kicks in above 50 km/h. The transition from electric to gas, though, is seamless. And all that torque moves the heavy SUV smoothly and swiftly from stoplights. We didn’t get a chance to get on the freeway before the prototype conked out. But the Cayenne Hybrid has a unique “coasting” feature. At speeds up to 138 km/h, the gas engine will shut down and the e-motor alone keeps up the momentum. Sounds eerie, but also kind of cool. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait until the Cayenne Hybrid goes on sale in 2011 to experience such high-speed e-motoring. By the second half of next year, Porsche will announce final specs and pricing. Expect a premium over the current $74,100 Cayenne S. Our guesstimate is in the $85,000 range. 2009 Cayenne Diesel: “Porsche” and “diesel” in the same sentence? Yes, and it works. Just as Toyota’s miserly Prius shines a nice green halo on a brand that also sells thirsty full-size pickups and SUVs, Porsche admits the Cayenne Hybrid is more about creating a positive image for the brand. But from a more practical standpoint, the Cayenne Diesel is a slam dunk winner. In Europe, where it’s currently on sale, half the Cayennes sold are Diesels. According to Porsche’s Leiters, though, putting a diesel in the Cayenne was a soul searching exercise. “Would it be credible to our brand’s sporty image?,” he worried. But the benefits in such a large vehicle are obvious. While the Cayenne Hybrid is pitched against the V8 Cayenne S, the Diesel is being marketed as a more frugal alternative to the current base model $56,700 Cayenne V6. Porsche uses a version of the VW/Audi 3.0-litre TDI V6 turbo-diesel that is being sold in the $57,700 Audi Q7 and $49,300 VW Touareg. In the Cayenne Diesel, it makes 240 hp and a healthy 405 lb-ft of torque That’s 50 less horsepower than the V6 Cayenne. But 132 more lb-ft. As such, at 8.3 seconds, it’s only 0.2 seconds behind the V6. At the same time, it gets considerably better fuel economy: a combined 9.3L/100 km, compared to the V6’s rating of 12.9L. To get some feedback on whether or not the automaker should import the Cayenne Diesel to North America, Porsche had us drive Euro models. Let’s just say, it’s probably the most appropriate engine the Cayenne has ever had. The Porsche derv drinker is smooth and quiet and delivers outstanding real-world get-up-and-go. We suspect it would be priced more like BMW’s $62,500 X5 diesel, but it’s worth very penny over the less enthusiastic Cayenne V6. So what is it going to take to bring the Cayenne Diesel to Canada? A country that loves diesels almost as much as its hockey? Unfortunately, Porsche says Canada isn’t a big enough market to justify the cost of introducing the Diesel exclusively. So like most foreign automakers, Porsche is waiting for the U.S. market to wake up and smell the clean diesel. Right now, diesels in the U.S. count for only about 3 per cent of new car sales. Porsche would like to see it more like 10 to 12 per cent before making the leap to diesel. We say, go ahead and jump.

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