The six-cylinder Cayenne and Panamera Diesel models were only the beginning of Porsche’s foray into the diesel-engine market with the Stuttgart-based carmaker now introducing a much more powerful V8 option on its SUV.
Revealed ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Auto Show on September 27, the new Cayenne S Diesel borrows the latest version of Audi’s 4.2-liter twin-turbocharged V8 oil burner.
In the Porsche, the eight-cylinder unit is rated at 377hp (382PS) and a monstrous peak torque of 850Nm (627 lb-ft), or 2hp and 110Nm (81 lb-ft) more than the rivaling 3.0-liter tri-turbocharged inline six from the BMW X5 and X6 M50d models.
The Cayenne S Diesel comes with the company’s Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel drive system and can complete the zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint in just 5.7 seconds and top out at 252km/h (157mph).
Billed as the world’s only V8 diesel SUV to offer start/stop tech, the Cayenne S Diesel also returns a combined fuel consumption of 8.2lt/100km (equal to 34mpg UK and 28.3mpg US) on the NEDC and emissions of 218 g/km CO2.
The automaker says that based on its fuel economy with a 100-litre (26.4 gallons US) fuel tank, the SUV can be potentially driven for over 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) without the need to stop to refuel.
Visually, the flagship diesel-powered model receives the same cosmetic upgrades as the petrol Cayenne S including silver brake calipers and black front intake grilles.
The Cayenne S Diesel is scheduled to launch in Europe in January next year with prices starting at €77,684 in Germany, £58,243 in the UK, and €101,150 in Ireland.
Porsche did not say if it has any plans to offer the Cayenne S Diesel in other markets such as North America, but given that the V6 Cayenne Diesel will go on sale in the States next year, it is possible that the V8 model will follow.
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