Porsche just announced pricing for its redesigned SUV, which will include a hybrid version that can, according to Porsche “sail” on electric power at speeds up to 97 mph.
2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid
Sailing is a word we haven’t heard too often in the automotive industry, but Porsche’s use of this word is somewhat conclusive. The upcoming Cayenne Hybrid may be one of the more intelligent hybrids on the market that uses a functional electric motor to power the car up to speeds of 40 mph and can shut off the gasoline engine at higher speeds once there is no acceleration requested by the driver anymore.
Porsche says that once the driver “lifts the foot off the accelerator at speeds up to 97 mph, the gasoline engine can be completely switched off and disengaged from the drivetrain through the decoupling clutch, enabling the vehicle to ‘sail’ or coast along without combustion or electric power.” The company did not say what the range of the engine is in such a scenario, but the gas savings could be substantial, provided you aren’t constantly stuck in rush hour traffic.
“Sailing” has been described by Porsche for some time as a feature of the hybrid, but you will be able to finally buy it in a production version. The (Cayenne S) hybrid model will be available this fall with a 47 hp electric motor that is combined with a 3.0 liter supercharged (333 hp) V6 gasoline engine for a combined output of 380 hp and a base price of $67,700. If you are on a budget, you may want to consider the base Cayenne with a 3.6 liter 300 hp V6 for $46,700, which will be also available this fall. If you don’t want to wait, you will have to choose one of the V8s that are available for $63,700 (Cayenne S, 4.8 liter; 400 hp) and $104,800 (Cayenne Turbo, twin-turbocharged 4.8 liter V8; 500 hp.)
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