Cayenne Hybrid is Porsche's first to qualify for $1,800 tax credit

We're not sure if the average Porsche buyer really needs an $1,800 tax credit, nor if a vehicle that gets 20/24 miles per gallon city/hwy even really deserves said credit, but I'm sure future Cayenne owners of the world are not complaining. The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid is the automaker's first production model to get electrical assistance (but certainly not the last) and the 'S' in the name signifies that this is a "sporty" hybrid. That means, according to Porsche, it, "delivers performance nearly equal to the Cayenne S with its 400-horsepower V8 and fuel economy estimates that exceed those of the Cayenne with the V6 engine." It's like having your cake and eating it too. Even if 20/24 isn't the best fuel economy in the world, the bump from the base Cayenne is about 33 percent in the city (from 15 to 20 mpg) and nine percent on the highway (from 22 to 24 mpg).

The $1,800 comes from the Alternative Motor Vehicle Tax Credit, and customers who purchase a new 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid, or who purchased one earlier this year, should be eligible for the cash. The deadline for any federal hybrid tax rebate (well, not for plug-in vehicles) is December 31st, 2010, so don't wait too long if you've got your heart set on one.

[Source: Porsche]

PRESS RELEASE

Customers eager for a performance hybrid SUV can benefit from a $1,800 credit in 2010

ATLANTA – December 6, 2010 – Porsche's first production hybrid, the 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid sport-utility vehicle, has been certified as being eligible for the Alternative Motor Vehicle Tax Credit as a Qualified Hybrid Motor Vehicle. Customers who purchase a new 2011 Cayenne S Hybrid before December 31, 2010 or who have already purchased one earlier this year may be eligible for a one-time tax credit up to $1,800.

The Cayenne S Hybrid accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.1 seconds on its way to a top test track speed of 150 mph, yet it delivers an impressive EPA-certified 20 mpg city/24 highway. Its base price before the federal tax credit is $67,700 (excluding destination).

In the Cayenne and Panamera model lines the 'S' designation indicates a V8 under the hood. But the 'S' in the Cayenne S Hybrid name is there for a different reason – to identify the true performance character of this SUV's highly sophisticated parallel full hybrid system. With a combined power output of 380 horsepower from the supercharged V6 combustion engine and an electric motor, the Cayenne S Hybrid delivers performance nearly equal to the Cayenne S with its 400-horsepower V8 and fuel economy estimates that exceed those of the Cayenne with the V6 engine.

The all-new Porsche Cayenne has earned some significant awards since going on sale this summer. It is the 2011 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year® and also recently received the Auto Pacific Motorist Choice Award for Best Premium Active Lifestyle Vehicle. Finally, the Cayenne Turbo was named Luxury ALV of the Year, On-Road in the 2011 Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year Awards competition.

The North American Cayenne lineup also includes the Cayenne, Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo. They are powered by a 300-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 in the Cayenne, a 400-horsepower 4.8-liter V8 in the Cayenne S, and a 500-horsepower twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V8 in the Cayenne Turbo. The Cayenne, Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo SUV models are on sale now, and their base prices (excluding destination) are as follows: Cayenne, $46,700; Cayenne S, $63,700; and Cayenne Turbo, $104,800.

About Porsche Cars North America, Inc

A wholly owned, indirect subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. and its 197 dealers offer U.S. customers some of the most technically advanced and high-performance vehicles in the world. Porsche is also synonymous with supreme quality and first-class customer treatment. Also, Porsche is fully and publically committed to being a leader in significantly lowering emissions, and saving fuel. The company's guiding credo is "Porsche Intelligent Performance" and the goal is to prove that Porsche's high performance and efficiency are not contradictory terms. A dramatic example of this is the highly-anticipated 918 Spyder – a super sports car that is also a planned plug-in hybrid. Of course this is nothing new for Porsche, which for 62 years has developed numerous technologies that have advanced vehicle performance, improved safety and spurred environmental innovations. Obviously, one expects such achievements from the most revered race car brand in the world --- one that has accumulated more than 28,000 motorsport victories. Today, PCNA imports the cars that are the product of this great history, including the iconic 911 series, the renowned Boxster and Cayman mid-engine sports cars, the high-end Cayenne sport utility vehicles and the four-passenger Panamera Gran Turismo cars.