With rivals like BMW and Audi already offering diesel-powered SUVs in the United States, Porsche is reportedly planning to bring the Macan S Diesel stateside about a year from now.
“We are now busy with the development and the engineering. I can confirm that V6 diesel offering with about 245 hp,” Andre Oosthuizen, vice president of marketing for Porsche Cars North America, told AutoNews.
The diesel engine for the US will be a version of the 3.0-liter V6 diesel unit offered in the EU-spec Porsche Macan S Diesel, in which it produces 255hp (258PS). In the United States, the diesel variant is expected to be priced below $60,000, according to Oosthuizen.
The diesel-powered Macan will be positioned between the entry-level Macan S, which starts from $50,895, and the Macan Turbo, which is priced from $73,295 (all prices include shipping). The Macan S and Turbo gasoline models went on sale in May in the US.
Oosthuizen also said that the diesel-powered Macan could debut at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, with sales expected to begin in late 2015 or early 2016. As for future Macan variants, the executive ruled out the possibility of a four-cylinder Macan for the United States, saying such a model is “not under consideration for the foreseeable future.”
Porsche is currently selling a four-cylinder Macan in the UK, China and other Asian markets.
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