If you hoping that the hybrid powertrain would be nothing but a quickly passing fad, we have some bad news for you. Even high end sports car makers like Porsche, with its the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid SUV, are getting into the hybrid game. Porsche's first production hybrid is on display at the 2010 New York Auto Show and promises to blend performance with a new environmentally-responsible attitude.
it made its world debut at the 2010 Geneva show, but this is the first time we've seen it in the flesh over here in the U.S. Developed under the same platform and drivetrain that underpins the new Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, the Cayenne S Hybrid features a 333-horsepower 3.0-liter supercharged V-6, straight out of the Audi S4's engine bay. That's paired to a 47-horse electric motor by a clutch capable of being decoupled from either input source, allowing both the Cayenne S Hybrid to run in either gasoline or electric mode exclusively. Put them both together and a whopping 428 pound-feet of torque is available, ensuring this hybrid values acceleration as much as it does fuel economy. An eight-speed automatic transmission rounds out the mechanical package -- a package that is nearly identical to the one set to underpin a future Panamera hybrid sedan.
Inside the Cayenne S Hybrid, a sophisticated Hybrid Controller system monitors and manages the center clutch, showing the driver which power mode the vehicle is running in. The SUV can be driven in electric mode alone up to 40 miles and is capable of coasting (or 'sailing' in Porsche-speak) at speeds up to 86 mph using just the electric motor to keep momentum. Not surprisingly, Porsche targets America as its biggest market for the Cayenne S Hybrid, as Europe has already embraced the diesel-powered Cayenne. The hybrid should also help Zuffenhausen lower its fleet emissions in the U.S. to meet upcoming CAFE regulations.
Pricing for the 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid will start at $67,700 though a an availability date has not yet been announced.
source: motortrend
