EARLIER this month I told you all about the new Porsche 911 Hybrid – a mind-bendingly potent cocktail of cylinders and electric motors. There’s not a day gone by since that I haven’t thought about that car . 2 The Porsche Cayenne is a do-it-all E-hybrid that's nearly the perfect family wagon 2 The interior gets a new 12.
6in infotainment screen, which matches the quality and feel of the rest of the cabin Not least because this week I’ve been driving another electrified Porker, the Cayenne E-Hybrid. As the monstrously big flagship SUV of the brand, it’s a very different prospect to the 911, and that includes the way in which it deploys battery power. Where the 911 Hybrid uses discreet electric motors to nudge the power up – no plug, no electric drive mode – the Cayenne is a do-it-all hybrid.
And, honestly, it’s not far off from being a perfect family wagon as a result. read more on motors MOTOR ON Global car brand launches new hybrid model - & it will be one of the UK's cheapest PICTURE THIS Ultra-rare supercharged Rally Fighter from Fast & Furious hits auction at £60k For this newest version, Porsche has upped the electric range to a respectable but not class-leading 46 miles. An even better improvement is the charging speed.
You can now brim the 25.9kWh battery in around two hours. Combining the 3-litre turbo V6 with an electric motor, the Cayenne E-Hybrid now knocks out 470hp and 650Nm of torque.
Most read in Motors 'NO SURPRISE' 'It needs scrapped', cry locals as they blast 'failed' NC500 motorhome charge FORDING ON Abandoned Ford left on road so long council had to tarmac AROUND it DELAY ON THE WAY Motorway used by 150k Brits daily to close for first time in 64 years CZARJACKERS Russian criminals blamed for thefts of UK luxury supercars worth millions For anyone not familiar with performance figures, in plain English that translates to “it goes bloody fast”. How fast? From 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds fast.
With the kids and two labradors in the back. Out on the road, it’s everything you expect from a Porsche . It carves through corners with an agility and preciseness no car this size has any right to, while maintaining ultimate levels of refinement within the cabin.
A note on refinement. The car I drove had the optional adaptive air suspension fitted and, while I haven’t tried it without, I suspect it’s a must-have for our crumbling roads. So we can mark Porsche down for charging extra for that, because it’s already an £85k car.
We can also mark it down for not offering a seven-seat version. The Cayenne has been around for a long time now. These days the class is packed with premium options that can carry a five-a-side team .
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PAY FOR THE PLEASURE You’d think it would address that. But Porsche is thought to be developing a new electric flagship SUV which will have three rows of seats. Hurry it up.
For the latest Cayenne update there are a few nip and tucks to the exterior, all incrementally improving the look of what was already one of the most handsome SUVs on the market. The interior gets a new 12.6in infotainment screen, which matches the quality and feel of the rest of the cabin.
And that’s more or less it, which is just fine by me. The Cayenne E-Hybrid is in the top one per cent of best SUVs by my reckoning, but you have to pay a lot for the pleasure. As you do for all Porsches.
Read more on the Scottish Sun TICKET DASH Scots Oasis fans given extra chance of bagging tickets - but there's a catch 'DOWN TO EARTH' Huge Hollywood A-lister stuns fans as he's spotted at Scots seaside chippy But in terms of a dream garage? I’d probably have this for business, the 911 Hybrid for pleasure. KEY FACTS: PORSCHE CAYENNE E-HYBRID Price: £84,800 Engine: 3-litre V6 turbo petrol with electric motor Power: 470hp 0-62mph: 4.9 secs Top speed: 158mph EV range: 46 miles CO2: 42g/km Out: Now.
