Stuttgart/Geneva- German sports car maker Porsche has revealed plans for a range of fuel-efficient models, including a hybrid version of its chunky Cayenne offroader. The new Porsches are being developed in response to growing calls for cleaner and more economical models, a strong theme at the Geneva Car Show which runs from March 8 to 18.
During 2008, all Porsche models will be adapted to comply with the stringent 5 euro emission regulations, said the company in Stuttgart.
The firm has also promised a new, so-called Porsche Flexible-Fuel- Vehicle which will run on a mixture of 85 per cent bio-ethanol and 15 per cent conventional fuel.
No date was given for the introduction of the frugal Porsche which would resemble Ford and Saab models already in the showrooms.
Priority has been given to a hybrid motor to be slotted into a petrol-electric version of the heavyweight Cayenne, a member of the sports utility family (SUV) of vehicles which have been criticised by environmentalists for using too much fuel.
The hybrid motor is being developed in conjunction with Volkswagen and Audi, said Porsche.
Porsche says the hybrid Cayenne would use nine litres per 100 kilometres - a 30 per cent improvement over current figures. With a C02 (carbon dioxide) rating of 200 grammes per kilometre, the model would be cleaner than the company's current sports cars but falls short of the average 130 grammes per kilometres emission level being sought by the European Union Commission.
