Porsche Cayenne gets Panamera Hybrid engine

Porsche has launched a hybrid version of its Cayenne crossover SUV in the United States. Called the Turbo S E-Hybrid, it shares the drivetrain specs with the electrified Panamera.

Specifically, the car comes powered by a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 mill of the gas-powered Turbo S (550 hp / 410 kW) and a single electric motor adding 136 hp (100 kW) of its own. The resulting summary output is manufacturer-rated at 680 hp (507 kW) and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) of torque. The transmission is eight-speed automatic, and the battery can hold up to 14.1 kWh.

The electrified SUV sprints to 100 km/h (62 mph) in mere 3.6 seconds, which is on par with the 911 Carrera and just barely behind the Panamera Hybrid. The all-electric range amounts to 40 km (25 miles), and fuel consumption in hybrid mode should be close to 3.8 liters per 100 kilometers traveled (74.3 miles per gallon in the UK; 61.9 MPG in the USA). Charging 0-100% takes two hours.

The standard trim already includes such niceties as active suspension, carbon-ceramic brakes, 21-inch wheels, and the SportChrono package. The available drive modes are Hybrid Auto, Sport, Sport Plus, E-Power, E-Charge, and E-Hold. The E-Charge can be used to replenish the battery on the go using up gasoline, while the E-Hold mode saves up battery power.

Prices in the USA begin from $162,000, which represents a healthy $35,000 premium over the latest Cayenne Turbo. A more affordable variant will soon arrive in the form of the Cayenne Coupe, which packs a 3.0-liter V6 engine and the same 100kW electric motor. Its nominal output amounts to somewhat less impressive 462 hp (345 kW) and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft).