Porsche Cayenne hybrid for Oz

Porsche, the company that said it would never build a diesel 4WD – but then introduced one only two years later – has taken another step away from its sportscar roots and confirmed it is now embracing the electric car era.

The new boss of Porsche, Michael Macht, told media at the Frankfurt motor show that "the trend towards electric power is unstoppable" and even hinted that an electric version of its iconic 911 sports car was possible "in the not too distant future".

But the Carsales Network can reveal that Porsche is going to start its electric vehicle assault with a hybrid version of its Cayenne 4WD. And it will be in Australian showrooms sooner than you might expect.

According to sources at the Frankfurt motor show Porsche will launch three engine variants when the all-new, second generation Cayenne goes on sale in late 2010 – and the hybrid will be the headline act. The source said that Porsche was keen to clean up the Cayenne's gas guzzler image; the other two models that are due to be launched are the V8 and the twin-turbo V8.

Indeed, so concerned is Porsche about the perception of its sports-luxury 4WD that it expedited development of its hybrid system so that it will debut some time ahead of its twin under the skin, the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid (read our first drive of the Touareg Hybrid here).

The VW hybrid is not due to be built in right-hand-drive for at least a year after the left-hand-drive version goes on sale which pushes out its on sale date to sometime in 2011.

But Porsche has been working full speed ahead, and the left- and right-hand-drive versions of the Hybrid Cayenne are due almost at the same time as each other – and at the launch of the new model.

Porsche had a hybrid version of the Cayenne on its stand at the show, but it was a concept based on the current model. The hybrid system debuts on the new model because the underbody of the current car cannot easily accommodate the electric motor and the battery pack.

Porsche wouldn't reveal the type of engine and layout its hybrid Cayenne 4WD would have, but Volkswagen has given us a rather large clue.

It gave selected media a private demonstration of the new hybrid system on its next generation Touareg 4WD. Given that the Cayenne and Touareg are closely related (and currently share their V6 petrol and diesel engines) there is a strong likelihood that we also just happened to sample the system that the Porsche will use.

If the trend to share drivetrains continues, then expect the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid to be powered by a 3.0-litre direct-injection petrol V6 and a 38kW electric motor. The combined output of both is a maximum of 275kW and 550Nm of torque – enough to move the car from rest to 100km/h in less than 6.8 seconds.

The new generation Porsche Cayenne is also likely to benefit from a massive weight loss program, with insiders suggesting at least 200kg has been shed from the current car. However, rather than making the Cayenne a lightweight it will simply bring it into line with the weight of its peers.

Meanwhile, Macht whet the appetite of journalists at the show with the following comments: "I am...  convinced that one day Porsche will have an electric sportscar in its line-up. Since this trend towards electric power is unstoppable, our engineers are already working hard on this challenge.

"[But] an electric sports car would...  only make sense for Porsche if it offers performance and a cruising range similar to that of current sports cars. We are therefore taking the first step in this direction with a full hybrid in the Cayenne and the Panamera."

Check out the Carsales Network's Frankfurt show overview and brand-by-brand summaries. And stay tuned for more Frankfurt show news and first drives in the days to come.

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