Porsche decides to drop all diesel cars from line-up
German sports car manufacturer has responded to a drop in demand for diesels
Porsche has announced that it will be cutting diesel-powered cars from its line-up, in the face of growing interest in hybrid and alternatively fuelled vehicles.
In a statement today, a Porsche spokesperson said: “Diesel engines traditionally play a subordinate role at Porsche. Porsche does not develop or build diesel engines itself. Currently, the demand for diesel models is falling, whereas interest in hybrid and petrol models is increasing significantly.
“In light of these facts as well as the ongoing consultation with the authorities in relation to another software update, Porsche has made changes to its production planning and has set the End-of-Production date for the Macan S Diesel to 15 February 2018. This decision means that all orders for the vehicle type Macan S Diesel have already been taken out of the production program.”
Porsche has already decided to not offer a diesel-powered variant of its all-new Cayenne SUV, while oil-burning versions of the Panamera have also been phased out.
It no doubt comes as a result of the ‘dieselgate’ scandal, which affected Porsche, alongside Audi and – crucially – parent company Volkswagen. Last year Porsche offered a software update for owners of the Macan S diesel after it was discovered that the car featured an emissions test-cheating ‘defeat device’.
Porsche is developing a number of hybrid vehicles, along with its all-electric Mission E hypercar. A hybrid version of its iconic 911 is also expected to arrive soon.
