Porsche has reportedly ended production of every one of its diesel models, citing dwindling demand and an increased focus on petrol power and electrification.
Recent reports from Europe indicate that Porsche has stopped producing diesel versions of its Panamera and Macan, after earlier opting not to introduce oil-burning variants of its new Cayenne. Porsche first offered a diesel engine in its Cayenne back in 2009. The Porsche Cayenne Diesel was powered by a 3-liter 6-cylinder diesel engine. This 2110-kg luxury SUV was a fuel-efficient vehicle with an average fuel consumption of just 6.8-litres per 100km. This means it had a total range of more than 1,000 km when driven diligently which is not easy to do with a SUV that performs like a sports car.
Thanks to a larger turbocharger in the 2009 model, the maximum power output of the 3-litre V6 engine increased to 245hp, whilst the maximum torque increased by 30Nm to an impressive 550Nm. This is why this SUV can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds which is as fast as a sports sedan and yet return a comfortable ride.
“Diesel engines traditionally play a subordinate role at Porsche. Porsche does not develop or build diesel engines itself. Currently, the demand for diesel models is falling, whereas interest in hybrid and petrol models is increasing significantly,” Porsche said in a statement.
Looks like Porsche has decided not to re-engineer its Macan S Diesel to conform to the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) standards, following a path laid by BMW, which will reportedly prematurely end production of its F80-generation M3 for the same reason.
