Published April 3, 2012
By Huw Evans
At the 2012 New York International Auto Show this week, Porsche has announced it will be bringing a diesel-powered version of its Cayenne SUV stateside, in time for the 2013 model year.
One of the biggest obstacles facing oil-burning vehicles in our market revolves around emissions standards, however, by employing AdBlue fluid injection in the exhaust stream and selective catalytic reduction technology, the Cayenne Diesel is able to meet U.S. Tier 2 Bin 5 requirements.
Porsche says the Cayenne Diesel, which sports a 3.0-liter V6 engine with common rail injection and a variable geometry turbocharger, produces 240 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, while delivering a combined 23 miles per gallon (city/highway).
Because maximum torque is delivered at just 1,750 rpm, the Cayenne Diesel is reportedly rather quick, with 0-60 mph times of around 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 135 miles per hour. It’s also able to tow up to 7,716 pounds behind it and has a range of 740 miles on a single tank of fuel.
The Cayenne Diesel as sold in the U.S. will be offered exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission but sadly won’t incorporate the stop/start feature available on other Cayenne models.
When it goes on sale in September this year, the Cayenne Diesel will retail for $55,750 before destination fees, other charges and taxes.