porschemikeandnancy

This past Saturday, the Pacific Northwest PCA club was hosted by the local Porsche dealer (Barrier in Bellevue Washington). They did a presentation on the new Cayenne Hybrid. What I found most interesting was that it takes two different Hybrid specialists (Porsche insists every dealer selling this model has to have two different technicians trained in the electronic part of the vehicle). The first technician's job is to disconnect the battery pack (288 volts) from the vehicle so that the second technician (trained in maintaining all the electronic parts of the hybrid drivetrain) is then allowed to work on them. The first technician is required to put a red "danger" sign on the vehicle until they have completed the "disconnect" process. Then then change the red sign to a green sign. They must have mentioned "preventing someone from electrocuting themselves" at least a dozen times during the presentation. Frankly, it scared me enough that if I was a prospective purchaser, that would have stopped me from any purchase.
The other interesting stuff is that the battery pack is recharged by regenerative braking. The electric motor is also a generator. As you apply the brake very slightly, the actual brakes on the car do not engage. Instead, the motor/generator charges the battery and the effect is to slow the car down. If you further depress the brake pedal, then the actual brakes engage. The service manager mentioned that everyone who drives the vehicle notes that the "brakes are quite sensitive".
After all this, this nearly 5000 lb vehicle only gets in the low 20's mpg. The batter pack (which costs over $15,000) has a rated life of 10 years and/or 180,000 miles. I don't think the warrant on the battery pack is that long.

They also had two Panameras on the floor. I think the car is absolutely hideous from the rear view. I commented to one of the service managers who replied: "once you drive the car, you forget completely about how ugly the rear end is - and how great the car drives". (If ever there was a left handed complement, that was it - fully acknowledging the car is butt ugly).

There was a Boxster on the lift with its tranny/clutch out. Besides the new clutch being put in, the actual technician doing the job said: "This is the M96 engine - and now that they are getting old enough, the factory no longer insists when one "hand-grenades" due to IMS failure, that the unit be returned to Germany and swapped out. I gathered that now some dealers are allowed to bebuild them. The newer 911 engines no longer have an intermediate shaft. There is a kit supplied through Porsche dealers - to replace the IMS mounting point at its back (where it sticks out of the engine case). The kit costs about $600 plus at least 6 hours labor. If I were to buy a 996 or 997 (one with the M96 engine), I would spring for the $1200 or so fix before driving it.

ltc

There are 'green' states in the US that require a manufacturer to extend the warranty on the hybrid battery pack.
For example, a Ford Escape Hybrid in those states will have a battery pack warranty of 10yrs/150K miles, irrespective of any other vehicle warranty coverage.
(I owned a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid and now own a 2009 Escape Hybrid).

Personally, the Cayenne Hybrid will probably end up like the Chevy Tahoe/Suburban Hybrid (ever see one on the road?)

The Cayenne diesel would have made much more sense, but that wasn't coming to the US, for several reasons.

The Rennlist Cayenne forum (officially known as the P!g Pen) has lots of info on these if you really want to go there.

pcar964

Hybrid is useless technology - it makes already complicated modern cars MORE complicated and difficult and expensive to repair/service yourself.

Just plain silly, not to mention completely unmarketable were it not for the unconstitutional government subsidies in place.

DJF1

And I will agree with the service managers comments 100%! You GOT to drive one to believe it! I was fortunate to have at my disposal a 4S for almost a week and drove it to some amazing twisties in the BC region racking up about 600 miles in the process. The car is phenomenal! Almost shocking how well it handles and most importantly feels. With the sport chrono on sport plus mode the car shrinks in size and you get a lot of 911 feel in it. I loved the driving position and the way the cockpit looks and feels. Frankly when you drive it you dont see the exterior, so i could care less personally. Yes if it was as pretty as our 993's it would be perfect, but the exterior looks would just be the icing on the cake on an otherwise phenomenal Porsche.

ltc

yes, but given the complete lack of support for diesel passenger vehicles here in the US, the hybrids succeed.\

I owned the 2006 Escape Hybrid since at the time, my state would not sell new diesel passenger cars.
That has since changed and my new daily driver is a 2010 Golf TDi, which has been phenominal. My daughter has the 2009 Escape Hybrid now.