Porsche: Dashing diesel

The Power-packed Porsche SUV offers heaps of grunt from its common-rail V6 diesel. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

A Porsche SUV once seemed like sacrilege from a company built on sports cars.

Then came the cynical V6 model, imported here in limited numbers to draw punters into showrooms.

Now there's a diesel. A further violation of the sporting brand's values?

Nuh-uh. For there's 550Nm of torque from this motor, more than the 4.0-litre V8 Cayenne S - and from a lower rpm.

Although the V8 gets from zero to hero in 6.8s to the diesel's 8.3s, it's the latter that delivers the low-down punch you notice most. And it delivers it for 50 grand less, as potent an argument as that torque figure in these harsh times.

There's little to differentiate this year's Cayenne from last year's car, although the sound system has been upgraded. Otherwise this diesel gets the 3.0-litre V6 common-rail turbo mated to a Tiptronic auto with steering wheel mounted gear-change buttons.

Not that you need them for standing-start acceleration. The car switches the alternator and air-con compressor off up to 2500rpm, just above peak torque, so all the power is sent to the wheels.

There's a hairy-chested growl from beneath the bonnet and those mighty 21-inch wheels just grip and go.

Mind you, such behaviour doesn't deliver frugal fuel economy. Porsche claims 9.3l/100km. New diesels tend to be thirsty, and this one was averaging 13.l/100km despite the fact that it automatically changes to neutral on stopping to save fuel.

Get lighter on the throttle? It's a Porsche for heaven's sake, so why would you? After all, no one genuinely seeking to cut fuel use would buy a 2.2-ton SUV.

And no one who couldn't afford the fuel would buy a Porsche, especially one with these wheels because the 21-inch alloys and the arch extensions into which they snuggle add $7800 to the car's standard $136,000 price.

The front-seat heaters add $1210, and the roof rails $1850. The Bluetooth prep - standard in a Ford Fiesta that costs a fifth as much - adds $1400. This car costs $148,835. Why worry about the price at the pump? It could be worse. Buy the same car elsewhere and you'd also pay for the leather seats, the ski bag, the metallic paint, and the clever integrated tow hitch with its exchangeable ball heads.

This Cayenne was built for towing - it will pull up to 3.5 braked tonnes.

What else?

There's a superbly comfy cabin with 12-way adjustable seats, decent ergonomics for a car this size, and an undeniable sense of occasion. There's an easy toggle switch for road or off-road settings - not that you'll head bush on these wheels - and all that cred.

If you must have a Porsche SUV, the glorious excess of the mighty petrols delivers more brand DNA. But the punch delivered by this diesel keeps it in contention while its petrol V6 sibling remains a footnote to the breed.

PORSCHE SUV

We like
Mighty punch from diesel torque, fine handling despite SUV geometry and weight.

We don't like
Implied big-noting, Porsche performance better delivered by sports cars.

Powertrain
2987cc water-cooled common-rail V6 with variable vane turbo, six-speed Tiptronic auto drives all four wheels.

Performance
0-100 in 8.3 seconds, 9.3l/100km (claimed).

Safety
ABS, ESP, six airbags.

What it's got
Climate control air, cruise control, ski sleeve, multi-function steering wheel, heated leather seats.

Vital stats
4798mm long, 540-1770-litre boot, 100-litre fuel tank.