2018 Porsche Cayenne, e-Hybrid launched

Having launched the range-topping Turbo model earlier this year, Porsche has today launched two more variants – base and e-Hybrid – of the new-generation Cayenne SUV in India. The base Cayenne is priced at Rs 1.19 crore, while the e-Hybrid is priced at Rs 1.58 crore (both prices, ex-showroom).

To give you a quick recap, the new Cayenne is built on the Volkswagen Group’s MLB-Evo platform, which it shares with other VW Group SUVs such as the Bentley Bentayga and the Lamborghini Urus. The new Cayenne is longer and wider than its predecessor, but also lighter by up to 65kg, owing to the extensive use of aluminium in its construction. The wheelbase, however, remains the same as the outgoing Cayenne's.

In terms of design, the new Cayenne borrows several cues from the Panamera. At the back, there's a Panamera-esque light bar that links the tail-lamps. Up front, there's a tweaked design for the grille, and also part of the package are Porsche’s signature four-point LED DRLs in the headlamps, which also now feature the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS).

The base Cayenne comes with a 3.0-litre, turbo-petrol V6 motor good for 335hp and 450Nm of torque. The Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid comes with a 3.0-litre V6 with 462hp and 700Nm of torque working in tandem with a 14.1kWh battery (that has a claimed all-electric range of up to 44km), while the top-spec Cayenne Turbo (priced at Rs 1.92 crore, ex-showroom) gets a 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8 petrol motor generating 550hp and 770Nm of torque. And as we’d reported earlier, Porsche will not be offering a diesel engine on the new Cayenne, as it has decided to do away with diesel engines for good.

The inspiration from the Panamera is also seen in the interior of the new Cayenne, with a large 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system taking centre stage. Other updates include glass-like touch surfaces for the centre console buttons that provide acoustic and haptic feedback.

Deliveries of the new Cayenne variants are likely to commence shortly.

The Cayenne is Porsche’s bestselling model in India and rivals the likes of the Range Rover Sport and the BMW X5 M in our market.