History & character

Unveiled on 5 February 2018, the Cayenne E-Hybrid inaugurated the new generation of Stuttgart's SUV by placing the plug-in hybrid at the heart of the range, rather than on its fringes. A turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 producing 340bhp is paired with a 136bhp electric motor housed within the eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox: 462bhp combined, 700Nm available from idle, and the Sport Chrono Package fitted as standard.

Its true distinctiveness lies in the boost strategy inherited from the 918 Spyder: the system always keeps a reserve of energy in hand, ready to deliver maximum torque on demand. Around town, it glides silently for some forty electric kilometres; floor the accelerator, and it instantly regains a Porsche's characteristic surge, without any jolt or change in character. The principle would prove influential: with the 2023 facelift, the plug-in hybrid became the cornerstone of the entire Cayenne range.