Porsche Cayenne S Diesel's internal threat
But Porsche insists the likes of BMW, Benz and Range Rover should be more worried about its first V8 diesel SUVPorsche insists the arrival of the powerful and economical Cayenne S Diesel will not threaten the existence of other models in its SUV lineup pitched at similar price points and with similar performance.
The 4.2-litre V8 turbo-diesel Cayenne – which can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 5.7 secs, averages 8.6L/100km and emits 218g CO2/km – arrives in Australia next April priced at $155,000. That’s $3600 above the identically-specified V8 petrol Cayenne S, and $8900 below the petrol-electric Cayenne S Hybrid fuel miser.
While Porsche Cars Australia concedes the S Diesel – which uses an uprated Audi engine - will bite into the sales of its petrol V8 sibling and the S Hybrid has "limited appeal", spokesman Paul Ellis insists that other luxury brands such as BMW, Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz should be more concerned.
"The opportunity with the S Diesel will be conquest from customers who have wanted a very sporty V8 diesel but haven’t been able to purchase one from Porsche because... all our diesels so far have been entry model cars," Mr Ellis told motoring.com.au at the global launch of the S Diesel in Austria overnight.
"Many of our competitors have had high performance diesels previously. So there is potential, as when we first introduced Cayenne, to get customers across from those brands that really are diesel fans and they want high-performance diesel."
The Cayenne is far and away the most popular model in Porsche’s lineup both globally and in Australia, accounting for more than 50 per cent of sales. In Australia there are currently six Cayenne models on offer, ranging in price from the $109,400 petrol V6 to the $247,500 Turbo. That lineup will grow to eight in 2013 with the arrival of the S Diesel and the $294,000 Cayenne S Turbo in February.
But it’s the $110,400 V6 Diesel that accounts for 60 per cent of all Cayenne sales here, while the petrol S claims another 25 per cent. The S is powered by a 294kW/500Nm naturally-aspirated 4.8-litre V8 engine that achieves a 5.9 sec 0-100km/h acceleration time, averages 10.5L/100km and emits 245g CO2/km.
"You are really going to want your diesel to substitute it for a petrol," Mr Ellis argued. "That has a more sporty feel about it from an emotional perspective because it is a V8 petrol.
"It (the S Diesel) will have some impact," he conceded. "There will be some substitution, there will be some people who look and decide whether they want Cayenne S Diesel or Cayenne S petrol."
The S Hybrid, which is powered by a supercharged 279kW/580Nm 3.0-litre petrol V6 and electric motor, accelerates from 0-100km/h in 6.5 secs, averages 8.2L/100km and emits 193g CO2/km. Mr Ellis said it was important Porsche retained the S Hybrid in the range for reasons other than sales, citing the company’s plan to expand its hybrid range starting with a plug-in Panamera as part of a midlife overhaul of the large saloon coming in 2013.
"Hybrid is going to be an important part of our brand going forward," he said. "Responsible car companies need to have hybrid and we need to keep pushing hybrid because it shows responsibility with CO2 and also moving to the future. You can’t just produce gas guzzlers and let everyone else build those sorts of cars. We have to join the party as well."
Watch out for our launch review of the Cayenne S diesel, coming soon.
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