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Porsche promises V8 performance and 4-cylinder fuel economy with 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid. 


By John O'Dell, Senior Editor


Hmm.  A Porsche Cayenne hybrid, or the diesel?


Spend $70,000 or so for a superpowerful, hybrid gas-sipper (27 mpg versus 18 mpg for the V6-equipped standard Cayenne), or around $52,000 for a powerful  diesel that delivers about 24 mpg? (The price tags are our best guesses. Porsche hasn't said anything official.)


Diesel? Or Hybrid?


Oops, the diesel isn't a choice, yet. You can only get it in Europe, South Africa and Australia right now - although Porsche is trying to find out if enough U.S. buyers would want one to make a business case for jacking up the emissions treatment system to meet U.S. standards and sending a few over.


The hybrid, however, goes on sale here in the spring, just in time to satisfy the green fancies of those who (a) have the bucks and (b) want to one-up the other Cayenne owners at the country club.


We got a chance this afternoon to take both new SUVs - a preproduction prototype Cayenne S hybrid and a European-spec Cayenne diesel - for a short spin in the hills of Beverly and were mightily impressed by both.


Diesel?  Hybrid?


It wasn't that long ago that most everyone in the automotive media was raising eyebrows and questions about Porsche's decision to build an SUV.
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Tags: Diesel, Hybrid, Porsche, Cayenne Diesel, Diesel, Hybrid, Porsche, Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid

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Porsche's Green Peppers: Diesel and Hybrid Cayenne Models Spice Things Up was originally published by Green Car Advisor. Read the full story by clicking here.