Porsche has pulled the plug on its diesel car lineup. The reason behind this step is said to be the declining demand for diesel-powered Porsches. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer has said that its customers are opting for hybrid and petrol powered vehicles instead of diesel. Apart from this, Porsche has said that the termination of diesel engines from its lineup will also help it in comply with the stricter emission norms that are about to be introduced in the near future.
In line with the decision, Porsche has already stopped the production of its last diesel-powered cars that were on sale in the international market - the Macan S diesel and the Panamera 4S diesel. This step from Porsche has not come as a surprise. Last year, there were reports claiming Porsche was mulling over the future of diesel engines as it had received a lot of criticism because of these not complying with emission norms. By discontinuing diesel engines, the manufacturer wants to put the matter to rest for good.
In a statement, Porsche reportedly said that diesel-powered models contributed to only 15 per cent of its global sales, while hybrid and petrol models contributed 50 per cent and 35 per cent respectively. These sales figures further gave the manufacturer a fair reason to call quits on its diesel-powered models and instead focus on electric and hybrid versions.
What's next? Going forward, Porsche is likely to add more electric and hybrid vehicles to its lineup. First among them could be its first all-electric vehicle, which is expected to launch by 2019. Speaking of which, the carmaker has already confirmed that the EV will be a derivative of the 2015 Mission E concept.
As far as the Indian market is concerned, Porsche dealership in Mumbai is still accepting bookings for the Cayenne Diesel, which is the only diesel Porsche on sale in India. However, with the new Cayenne expected to launch here later this year, the carmaker is likely to bring it only in its petrol and hybrid avatar considering its latest announcement.
Source: CarDekho.com
