Porsche_US Cayenne-Diesel_2012

When Porsche first introduced the Cayenne a decade ago, few people outside the company understood why Porsche would risk its reputation as one of the world’s most respected sports car makers by building a four-door, all-wheel-drive SUV. It seemed like a complete departure from the script.

Hadn’t Porsche, in sports cars such as the 911 and Boxster, perfected the formula for uncompromised driving precision? Hadn’t Porsche for decades used the racetrack as its proving ground? Then came the first reports from those who had driven the Cayenne. What astonished the skeptics was this: The acceleration, braking, steering, and efficiency of a Porsche sports car had been infused into a rugged SUV. It seemed impossible that such performance could be achieved by a vehicle of the Cayenne’s proportions.

Yet there it was—Porsche standards of excellence, delivered not just on paper, but on pavement. And truth be told, on gravel, sand, and snow as well. So it should come as no surprise that the Cayenne is the first diesel-powered Porsche. This is, after all, a Porsche that has never been afraid to go where no Porsche has gone before. And look at all that it brings with it: Performance? Cayenne Diesel sprints to 60 mph in just 7.2 seconds. Top track speed is 135 mph. Efficiency? With an estimated bestin- class combined fuel consumption, the Cayenne Diesel has a range of up to 740 miles.* Utility? The robust torque of its turbo diesel engine helps the Cayenne Diesel offer best-in-class towing.

This is the Porsche Cayenne, the vehicle that proved that there was more than one way to interpret Intelligent Performance and efficiency—the core characteristics of Porsche engineering. And this is no ordinary diesel. This is a Porsche 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine. It’s a technological marvel, able to take its unique fuel source and transform it into clean, efficient, and incredibly torque-rich power.

The addition of the Cayenne Diesel to the model line means there’s a Cayenne to fit every performance need, from diesel, to naturally aspirated V6 and V8, to turbocharged V8, to gasoline, and parallel full hybrid. That remarkable variety is merely further validation that, in the Cayenne, Porsche engineers have once again created a foundation for performance ingenious enough to evolve as new ideas, new materials, and new technologies emerge.

Diesel power, of course, is not itself a new idea. The durability, strength, and stamina of diesel engines are legendary. What is new is the degree of refinement that Porsche has brought to it, making a new 3.0-liter turbo diesel V6 that is far advanced from what many people perceive—especially in terms of its acceleration, clean emissions, and quiet-running operation. Add to that the Porsche focus on high performance, and you have a Cayenne Diesel that brings all the advantages inherent in diesel power together with all the driving dynamics synonymous with the Porsche name.