Production Version Of The Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo Is Coming

It's just the first of future Mission E variants.

Take one look at the Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo Concept and it’s pretty clear it’s not your typical concept design study, but rather a nearly finalized production design. This makes sense because, according to Bloomberg, the Mission E Cross Turismo is slated for production. The four-door wagon/crossover likely won’t be ready to go until sometime after the production-spec Mission E sedan, due for the 2020 model year, goes on sale.

As we reported last week about the fact the Mission E all-electric platform has also been designed to accommodate a coupe and convertible, Porsche is about to unleash even more EVs and plug-in hybrids within the next few years. At a press briefing last Friday, CEO Oliver Blume reiterated the automaker intends for about a quarter of its global deliveries in 2025 to either be full-electric or plug-in. Launching the Mission E Cross Turismo is simply a no-brainer. Porsche is in an excellent position these days to heavily invest in battery technology, and has already doubled its electric car development budget to $7.4 billion by 2022.

When you’re the Volkswagen Group’s most profitable brand by return on sales, the money is clearly there for future investments. Last year, for example, Porsche’s global sales increased by 4 percent and its operating profit rose by 7 percent. This rapid growth indicates to Porsche that customers are more than willing to buy Porsches that are not 911s or 718 Boxsters and Caymans. In fact, the Macan SUV played a major role in those stellar sales figures. While not everyone was thrilled with the Mission E Cross Turismo, Porsche is apparently confident it’ll sell well, although it won’t be the brand’s first SUV/crossover EV. That honor is expected to be given to an electrified version of the Macan.

Porsche realized a few years ago that because of tightening emissions regulations it had no choice but to invest in battery tech. "For the next 10 years, Porsche is banking on three pillars: optimized combustion-engine cars, plug-in hybrid models and purely electric-powered sport cars," Blume said in a speech at the company's Stuttgart headquarters. "The world's regions are developing differently. Therefore, we're preparing to be as flexible as possible."

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New Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Is Finally Coming

Better late than never.

Last year, Porsche introduced the all new, third-generation Cayenne in various guises, including V6-powered base and S versions, and a range-topping Turbo model packing a larger V8 engine. Noticeably absent from the lineup, however, was a hybrid version, despite the fact a hybrid powertrain was on the options list for the previous-gen model. That void will soon be filled, however, as Porsche will be revealing a new Cayenne E-Hybrid to replace the outgoing model later this year.

The new hybrid Cayenne is expected to inherit the same powertrain as the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. In the meantime, Porsche has started the teaser campaign for the Cayenne E-Hybrid by detailing the extensive tests that are being carried out. A handful of hybrid Cayennes were sent to South Africa to be put through their paces in a final round of grueling tests before the final production model debuts. As part of the evaluation, the Cayenne E-Hybrid was driven in challenging conditions to test the components, from congested city roads in Johannesburg to high-altitude mountain pass more than 3,000 meters high.

“We are on the cusp of the market launch and are bringing the vehicles up to speed in terms of functionality. We are testing them here once again in a customer-focused way”, said Oliver Laqua, Director Complete Vehicle Product Line SUV. To further test the hybrid SUV’s comfort, efficiency, and performance, the Cayenne E-Hybrid was also put through its paces in northern Canada at minus 40-degree temperature and the deserts of Dubai at plus 40 degrees. Like the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, the new Cayenne E-Hybrid is expected to combine a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 engine with an electric motor. In the Panamera, this setup produces 462 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque.

A 14-kWh lithium-ion battery provides an electric range of 31 miles. A more potent Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid is also in the pipeline, packing 680 hp and 626 lb-ft courtesy of a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and an electric motor. We strongly suspect Porsche will use the range-topping Cayenne to reclaim the Nurburgring SUV record crowd from the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, which beat the previous Cayenne’s record with a time of 7 minutes and 51.7 seconds.

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Porsche Cayenne Coupe Coming To Fight The BMW X6 And Audi Q8

It was only a matter of time.

The coupe-SUV trend is proving to be contagious. It all started with the BMW X6 nearly a decade ago, a sportier alternative to the X5 featuring a coupe-style sloping roofline. Its success paved the way for the Mercedes GLE Coupe, and more recently the Audi Q8. And now Porsche is joining the coupe-SUV bandwagon. Rumors suggested Porsche has been considering building a coupe version of the new third-generation Cayenne to broaden the model’s lineup, but now it’s been given the green light according to Autocar.

Porsche boss Oliver Blume told the publication the Cayenne coupe will arrive in the UK in Q4 2019 to rival the BMW X6, Mercedes GLE Coupe, and Audi Q8. Unsurprisingly, the coupe will be based on the more practical third-generation Cayenne and will be built alongside the SUV at Porsche’s factory in Leipzig, Germany. According to Autocar, the Cayenne coupe will feature the same front-end styling as its SUV sibling but will have a more unique front bumper design to set it apart. It will also adopt a newly styled liftback-style tailgate, altered rear side windows and sleek new taillights that will give the Cayenne coupe a sporty profile similar to the second-generation Panamera.

Unsurprisingly, a diesel engine isn’t being considered. Instead, the Cayenne coupe will be positioned as a performance model with a choice of gasoline engine options including a 440-hp version of Porsche’s twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 and a 550 hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, according to the report. We suspect it will also adopt the new Cayenne’s hybrid powertrain eventually.

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Porsche Cayenne Diesel V6 Coming

The oil burner will allegedly return.

Despite diesel being all but dead in most markets, Porsche is reportedly considering resurrecting a new diesel variant of its Cayenne SUV in order to satisfy demand from an outspoken group of customers. According to Porsche’s manager of SUV Powertrains, Friedmann Heller, the brand is thinking about a V6 diesel for the Cayenne due to vocal rural customers who want to have their cake and eat it too. “I can say we are considering offering a diesel Cayenne, but we are watching the demand and have to wait for the right time”, Heller told Top Gear recently.

But he did admit that the idea of a Cayenne S Diesel featuring a V8 powertrain is dead in the water, definitively. In particular, rural German customers who own things like horses and race cars still want a diesel for its outrageous pulling power, low CO2 emissions, and impressive range. In February, a report was published indicating that Porsche intended on ditching all of its diesel engines. However, the German carmaker has denied such speculation, with the Cayenne and maybe even the Macan slotted for an oil burner. This comes even after authorities had raided Porsche offices looking for evidence of diesel emission manipulation.

Despite these plans, Porsche admits that diesel engines aren’t hugely important for the brand and last year, only 14 percent of the company’s cars sold worldwide were diesel-powered.

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Production Version Of The Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo Is Coming

It's just the first of future Mission E variants.

Take one look at the Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo Concept and it’s pretty clear it’s not your typical concept design study, but rather a nearly finalized production design. This makes sense because, according to Bloomberg, the Mission E Cross Turismo is slated for production. The four-door wagon/crossover likely won’t be ready to go until sometime after the production-spec Mission E sedan, due for the 2020 model year, goes on sale.

As we reported last week about the fact the Mission E all-electric platform has also been designed to accommodate a coupe and convertible, Porsche is about to unleash even more EVs and plug-in hybrids within the next few years. At a press briefing last Friday, CEO Oliver Blume reiterated the automaker intends for about a quarter of its global deliveries in 2025 to either be full-electric or plug-in. Launching the Mission E Cross Turismo is simply a no-brainer. Porsche is in an excellent position these days to heavily invest in battery technology, and has already doubled its electric car development budget to $7.4 billion by 2022.

When you’re the Volkswagen Group’s most profitable brand by return on sales, the money is clearly there for future investments. Last year, for example, Porsche’s global sales increased by 4 percent and its operating profit rose by 7 percent. This rapid growth indicates to Porsche that customers are more than willing to buy Porsches that are not 911s or 718 Boxsters and Caymans. In fact, the Macan SUV played a major role in those stellar sales figures. While not everyone was thrilled with the Mission E Cross Turismo, Porsche is apparently confident it’ll sell well, although it won’t be the brand’s first SUV/crossover EV. That honor is expected to be given to an electrified version of the Macan.

Porsche realized a few years ago that because of tightening emissions regulations it had no choice but to invest in battery tech. "For the next 10 years, Porsche is banking on three pillars: optimized combustion-engine cars, plug-in hybrid models and purely electric-powered sport cars," Blume said in a speech at the company's Stuttgart headquarters. "The world's regions are developing differently. Therefore, we're preparing to be as flexible as possible."

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Acura RL Coming Soon with RWD and V8?

According to sources in the biz, the 2011 Acura RL may be heading our way with RWD and possibly with a powerful V8 engine. This would be a pivotal moment for Acura's successful model to break into the large-car luxury game. It appears to have a longer hood with the front wheels moved forward, providing pleasing looks with less front overhang. Rear-wheel-drive has also become a likely new addition to the RL's makeup for 2011.

There have also been speculations that Acura will put in a powerful, state-of-the art V8 engine, pegging its output at 420 horsepower. What about fuel economy, you ask? Rest assured that V8 would be matchedwith cylinder deactivation to keep fuel economy respectable. Acura still hasn't unveiled its final RL plans, but we've got our fingers crossed.

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