Porsche's new Cayenne, the lighter, more efficient replacement for the car that makes up to 50 per cent of the firm’s profits, has been revealed at the Geneva motor show.
The car goes on sale on 29 May, and the range will feature a diesel and, for the first time, a hybrid with a V6 petrol engine.
See the Porsche Cayenne pictures
Much of the weight loss is due to a simplified transmission, which does away with a low-range gearbox, but there’s also extensive use of aluminium in the body including the bonnet, axles and doors.
Despite the drop in weight, the car is 48mm longer, with a 40mm extension in the wheelbase to free up more legroom inside the car.
The entry-level model, just badged Cayenne, comes with a 3.6-litre V6 with 300hp and a claimed 28.5mpg. The diesel retains a 3.0-litre V6 with 240bhp and 406lb ft, while fuel consumption is put at 38.2mpg, up from 30.4mpg in the older model. CO2 emissions are 195g/km.
But it's the new hybrid that will help Porsche to lower its corporate average CO2 emissions the furthest, as the Cayenne is still the firm’s biggest-selling model.
Its supercharged 3.0-litre petrol V6, with an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the gearbox, emits 193g/km of CO2 and returns 34.4mpg. The overall power output is 375bhp, while the peak torque of 427lb ft is available from 1000rpm.
The hybrid also has the capability to coast with the engine off and disconnected from the transmission at speeds up to 97mph.
The two petrol models, the S and the Turbo, both use a 4.8-litre V8, with 395bhp and 493bhp respectively. Porsche claims 27.6mpg for the Turbo.
Prices for the new car start at £41,404 for the entry-level model. The diesel costs £44,178, while the S costs from £53,693.
The new S Hybrid is the second most expensive Cayenne, at £57,610, while the range-topping Turbo weighs in at £81,589.
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Re: New Porsche Cayenne revealed
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Re: New Porsche Cayenne revealed
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Re: New Porsche Cayenne revealed
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