Porsche hybrid in secret Aussie ad shoot

A luxury European sportscar manufacturer wrapped up production on a highly secretive photo shoot last week in Port Douglas, North Queensland. Traffic control was in place and no one was allowed to see or photograph the reportedly German car, believed to be the new hybrid Cayenne, while the advertisement was being shot at three locations around the expensive resort town.

Although location manager Cameron Wood would not speculate on the amount Porsche had spent, he said the photo shoot was the most expensive Australia had seen this year. “These clients come from overseas and spend big amounts,” he said.

Five prototypes of the SUV, due to be released to the world in May, were in Port Douglas for the filming. The advertisements will appear in newspapers, luxury car and yachting magazines, car manuals and on billboards around the world.

The petrol-electric drivetrain in the Cayenne hybrid comes from the project developed in tandem with Volkswagen, and will also appear in the Touareg, although the Porsche version could have increased capacity and outputs.

The Volkwagen version has a 245kW/440Nm 3.0-litre V6 engine (used in the Audi S4) married to a 38kW electric motor, with outputs boosted to 275kW and 550Nm with the two engines working in tandem.

In the Touareg, regenerative braking capture charges the 288-volt nickel-metal battery, with its 67kg weight carried at the rear and contained in a metal case for protection. A DC/DC system converts the output to 12v to power airconditioning and other peripherals.

The e-motor replaces the starter motor, and in normal driving the torque converter opens for initial acceleration then closes when the SUV is running along. In stop-start driving the clutch restarts the action.

The Cayenne is likely to have the Touareg hybrid’s new eight-speed automatic transmission from Aisin, which has been developed to cope with the torque and give a more definite response than would be possible with a continuously variable box. The Porsche hybrid concept on show at Frankfurt was based on the current model, but the production version will be in line with the coming Cayenne.