Porsche will be announcing details for a hybrid petrol electric version of its Cayenne 4X4 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Porsche will be announcing details for a hybrid petrol electric version of its Cayenne 4X4 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, though the car will probably not be displayed at the show.

Porsche has reportedly been planning to produce a more fuel-efficient version of its gas-guzzling 4X4 as sales in its main market continue to plunge. The Cayenne's sales in North America dropped by 27 per cent in the first four months this year, but Porsche have attributed the slump to production bottlenecks.

It has been rumoured that the German manufacturer is negotiating with Toyota, Volkswagen and other rivals possibly sharing a hybrid powertrain, but a decision has yet to be made. It is likely, however, that Porsche will partner with Volkswagen for technical and economical reasons since their SUVs, the Cayenne and the Touareg, were co-developed.

The hybrid Cayenne is expected to début in 2008 with the introduction of the second-generation Cayenne.

Original article from Car