If you’re an auto enthusiast of any stripe, you probably have a strong opinion on electric vehicles, or “EVs”. Whether you think battery vehicle technology is the future or a politically-motivated boondoggle, you can’t deny that they are a popular new segment of the market. It’s also hard to ignore the slowing growth of EVs in recent years, leading some automakers to delay EV launches and shift their focus to ICE cars and hybrids. Today’s Good Find Friday car, a 2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-hybrid in an on-the-nose color for a fuel-efficient vehicle, is Porsche’s attempt at hybrid excellence.

The Cayenne was introduced in 2002 and was Porsche’s first foray into SUV production Developed on the same all-wheel drive platform as the Volkswagen Touareg, it was designed for superior performance both on the street and off-road. Later iterations leaned further into creating sports car-like speed and agility. A variety of powertrains have been offered over the years, including naturally aspirated and turbocharged V6 and V8 engines as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants.

Brand enthusiasts were initially aghast at the idea of Porsche jumping on the SUV bandwagon, but the Cayenne is now old enough to be considered a classic and is a significant contributor to Porsche’s success in the last 20 years.

Today’s Good Find Friday feature car, a 2015 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, wouldn’t normally merit a highlight. Most Cayenne E-Hybrids aren’t finished in this outlandish and eye-catching color, however.

This 2015 Cayenne S was finished from the factory in the color of Peridot Metallic. A rare color in the Porsche palette, Peridot Metallic is a golden-green color and inspired by the semi-precious stone of the same name. The color was introduced at the release of the 2010 Cayman R at the LA Auto Show and was available for only 6 years on all Porsche model series. It is now only offered as a Paint-to-Sample color and is an astonishingly eye-catching shade.

Being a 2015 model, this Cayenne S is a 958.2 generation car, whose exterior refinements included revised styling on the hood, wheel arches and front and rear facades. LED daytime running lights and redesigned LED rear tail lamps. For efficiency, Porsche integrated dynamically-controlled “air blades” in the front bumper to direct cooling air to the engine.

The inside of the Cayenne is generally unchanged from the 958.1 generation, with the most notable improvement being a significantly more attractive steering wheel design inspired by the 918 supercar. Today’s find features black leather interior surfaces and supportive sport seats. Signature E-hybrid yellow-green accents add flair to the dashboard and sill plates and coordinate with the exterior badging and fluorescent yellow-green brake calipers. The Sport Chrono clock is, like many of these, missing its chronometer needle.

The Cayenne S E-Hybrid was the first plug-in hybrid premium SUV and the 958.2 generation is the one you want, since it introduced quite a few advancements over the previous system. The battery tech was moved to lithium-ion with a larger capacity allowing for 18 miles of electric-only driving. The electric motors power was increased to 95hp which when combined with the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 produces a respectable 416hp — good for a 0-60 of 5.9 seconds.

The hybrid powerplant is connected to an 8-speed Tiptronic transmission that finally included paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The 958.2 abandoned the vestiges of its off-road heritage, introducing an AWD system that sends power to the front axle only when the rear wheels lose grip. It’s clear that Porsche was interested in truly putting the “sport” in Sport Utility Vehicle.

This 2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid is equipped with Porsche Active Suspension Management which offers three settings of comfort, normal and sport. Car and Driver felt the suspension of the 958-generation Cayenne helped the 5,000lb SUV perform with an agility that belied its heft.

Brake feel was noted as being a little less reactive when compared to a non-hybrid model due the regeneration effect of the electric motor, but overall good. The wheels on this particular Cayenne appear to be aftermarket (possibly Niche Essens in 21″) and do not include Porsche-crested caps.

The car is for sale by a specialist dealer in Schnecksville, PA, as of this writing.

The Cayenne S E-hybrid was aimed at a solidly niche market of SUV buyers interested in a high-performing premium SUV with a slice of eco-consciousness. The cost of maintaining Porsche’s complex engineering is concerning enough when it’s NOT enhanced with a complex hybrid drive system. Those two factors could be why these E-hybrids are a tough sell on the used market.

Aside from condition, mileage is the primary driver of price for any late model car. This example looks to be in excellent overall shape for a 10-year old SUV, but the mileage is on the high side at 117,000. The average price of a 2015 Cayenne S E-hybrid is around $32,000, but that’s for cars with 50,000-60,000 miles on the odometer.

In this spec, a Cayenne S E-hybrid was probably a $90,000+ car when originally purchased. The seller has stated he’s priced it to sell at $19,911, and I think he’s probably right given recent sales and its rare color. There’s probably a bit of price concession given the narrow market of buyers for this specific Cayenne, as well.

While I’d personally want a tow hitch and would prefer a diesel, I love this car! How great would this look parked in the Cayenne section at this year’s Werks Reunion or at the next Rare Shades?

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisal and auction services for sellers and buyers of collector European cars. We also provide importation services. Give us a call or drop us a line!