Porsche launches Cayenne diesel

Porsche launches the new Cayenne diesel in India with a very aggressive sticker price of Rs 59lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. The new 3.0-litre 240bhp V6 Cayenne diesel now sports a cleaner and sportier design theme. Longer and sleeker than before, the new Cayenne is the lighter and a more efficient replacement for the pervious model.

Porsche has priced the new diesel Cayenne on par with the competitors. The Porsche competes against the monster Audi Q7 retailing at Rs 55.35lakh and the BMW X5 priced at Rs 56.50lakh (all prices ex-showroom Delhi).

The new Cayenne weighs an incredible 185kg less than the outgoing model. The key factor for this, apart from using more aluminium, is that Porsche has swapped the old six-speed gearbox with its 4x4 transfer case for an all-new eight-speeder which alone accounted for 60kg plus saving.

The interiors are equally impressive and again a dramatic improvement over the previous car. The overall quality is amazing and a massive step up from the previous Cayenne. There is a 40mm increase in wheelbase which has freed up more legroom at the back and it also gets modest boot space at 670-litres.

Along with the diesel variant, Porsche has also launched the Hybrid Cayenne. It gets a supercharged 3.0-litre petrol V6, with an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the gearbox. The overall power output is 375bhp, while the peak torque of 59kgm is available from 1000rpm. The hybrid also has the capability to coast with the engine off and disconnected from the transmission at speeds up to 150kph.

Porsche has managed to sell 94 units in total last year in India and the SUV accounts for around 80% of its total sales. In order to achieve maximum customer outreach, the company is ramping up its dealership network across the country and will have 10 dealers by the year end. Porsche has also introduced a 24-hour help line number for its customers.