Porsche’s first diesel model in the United States will be the 2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel, which hits Porsche dealers in September at a starting price of $56,725, including a $975 destination charge.

In addition to the expected Porsche luxury and precise handling, that money will buy you a 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel engine that produces 240 horsepower and and 406 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

As expected, that produces respectable performance, with the run from 0-60 mph taking 7.2 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 135 mph. More importantly, the engine delivers 20 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway and 23 mpg combined.

That matches the fuel economy of the Cayenne S Hybrid in the city, but improves the highway fuel economy by 4 mpg. The Cayenne Diesel will deliver an impressive range,  with a full tank of fuel yielding some 740 highway miles.

The Cayenne Diesel is clean, too, meeting Tier 2 Bin 5 emission standards thanks to the use of AdBlue injection and selective catalytic reduction.

If you need another reason to choose the Cayenne Diesel over the Cayenne S Hybrid, consider the difference in price. The Hybrid commands a $13,000 premium over the price of the Diesel, and that buys a whole lot of diesel fuel, even at current prices.

If you want more information on the 2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel, see our full preview. If you want more breaking news and live images from the New York Auto Show, see our dedicated show page.

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