Porsche to roll out its First Diesel Cayenne in Feburary 2009

Porsche announced that it will produce its first ever diesel powered car. A diesel Cayenne has been rumored for some time and now the German car maker has confirmed it. The new Cayenne will be fitted with an Audi 3-litre V6 turbo diesel engine. The engine that can also be found in Audi's Q7 off-roader produces 230bhp and a 405lb ft torque. Porsche says the diesel engine is ideal for its all-terrain vehicle and average fuel consumption is a claimed 31.2mpg.

The new Cayenne will initially be sold in Europe only, although the company is paving the way for its introduction in other markets. The use of a high-performance diesel is a logical step for Porsche, which has traditionally had an exclusively petrol-powered range. The Cayenne has employed petrol direct-injection technology to reduce fuel consumption since 2007, and Porsche now fits a refinement of this system to its seminal 911 sports car.

Equipped with the proven Tiptronic-S automatic gearbox as standard, the Euro base price will be EUR 47,250. In Germany, the Cayenne with diesel engine including 19 percent VAT and country-specific equipment costs EUR 56,436.

Porsche is also working on a hybrid car in conjunction with VW and Audi, for a possible use in the Cayenne. The prototype made its debut at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show.