Coupe goes on new trip as E-Hybrid

YOU might think of Porsche for its 911 and Boxster models but the firm is now just as much an SUV maker as a sports car maker.

The Cayenne and smaller Macan are now Porsche’s two most popular vehicles.

Perhaps not surprising then that plug-in hybrid versions of models such as the Cayenne have proven popular, which give the flexibility to pootle around town under electric power, and then utilise the petrol engine elsewhere. Now there’s a new plug-in hybrid version of the ultra-sleek Cayenne Coupe, known as the E-Hybrid.

It’s not a new powertrain – it’s already available in the regular Cayenne – but it adds a new dimension to this coupe-styled SUV.

With the E-Hybrid, Porsche mates its regular 3.0-litre V6 from the base Cayenne with an electric motor and a 14.1kWh battery to produce a maximum of 456bhp and 700Nm of torque.

It certainly sounds plenty, and while it’s far from slow, it never feels quite as quick as the figures suggest. As for efficiency, Porsche claims you’ll return 60-70mpg, with CO2 emissions of 91g/km.

However, you’ll need to be charging all the time and doing small journeys to get figures like that, as the petrol engine is particularly thirsty once it kicks into life. A 15-20 mile electric range can be expected from a full charge.

At nearly 2m wide, though, you won’t feel quite as willing to launch it down a twisty B-road as you would something a bit smaller.

Show-stopping is the best way to describe the Cayenne’s cabin, with a 12-inch touchscreen it’s slick to use and looks superb.

The increased weight of the batteries numbs the driving experience somewhat, and while still impressing, driven backto-back with a regular Cayenne Coupe you’ll soon feel the difference.