The diesel Porsche is dead

You’ve not been able to buy a new diesel Porsche since February, when the company quietly halted sales of the Panamera 4S Diesel – once the world’s fastest oil-burner – and Macan S Diesel amid falling sales and the introduction of stricter emissions testing.

Now, some six months later, Porsche has finally confirmed that it will “no longer offer vehicles with diesel propulsion”, and instead focus on hybrids and pure electric vehicles like the upcoming Taycan, which is due to be launched next year. By 2025, it claims, “every second new Porsche vehicle could have an electric drive”.

In a statement, company CEO Oliver Blume said: “Porsche is not demonising diesel. It is, and will remain, an important propulsion technology. We as a sports car manufacturer, however, for whom diesel has always played a secondary role, have come to the conclusion that we would like our future to be diesel-free. Naturally we will continue to look after our existing diesel customers.” 

In 2017, just 12 per cent of Porsches sold worldwide were fitted with a diesel engine.

There is a tiny part of us that will miss diesel-engined Cayennes, Macans and Panameras, because for the most part they were really rather good.

Are you sad to see Porsche ditch diesel in favour of hybrids and EVs? Or relieved? Comment below.