The end of the diesel Porsche ...

Porsche news always grabs our attention here at Veloce, as you know how much we love the marque, but this news story got our attention for a different reason than normal ... 

It has been announced that Porsche will axe all diesel engine options from its range of cars with immediate effect, with the reason behind the decision being a "cultural shift" by the brand's customers which caused the demand for diesel models to fall. Instead, the marque is switching its attention to petrol and hybrid models. 

The decision was made the same week that Germany's top court ruled that cities have the right to ban diesel motors in an effort to improve air quality levels. The cities of Stuttgart – home of Porsche  – and Leipzig had wanted to stop older diesel vehicles entering the city limits, and now this can be possible. Similar proposals are being discussed by governments around the world, in order to reduce pollution in major cities. 

Last year, bosses at Porsche said that they would consider killing diesel altogether by the end of 2018. A reason this decision may have been brought forward is due to the new round of economy and pollution testing regimes (known as RDE and WLTP) which arrive in the autumn. Older-generation diesel engines could struggle to meet these new tests, so it makes sense for Porsche to halt diesel car production for the time being.

Further to this news, Porsche has announced its desire to reduce CO2 emissions by fuelling internal combustion engines with sustainably sourced fuels. The German company says advances in fuel technology means it is already possible to create petrol and diesel substitutes that do not use crude oil, and that such fuels can make a 'significant contribution' in the battle to reduce global warming.

"In the foreseeable future, powertrains featuring combustion engines that operate using sustainably produced fuels will be offered as an optimum solution for sports cars in terms of performance, vehicle weight and range – key considerations from the perspective of Porsche customer," detailed a statement from Porsche.

With diesel absent from the Porsche line-up for the time being, and the use of sustainably sourced fuels still in the early stages, electrification will step into the foreground. Further hybrid models – including a hybrid version of the next 911 – are in the pipeline, while Porsche will release a pure EV next year in the form of the production Mission E.

So what do you think of the, albeit temporary, absence of diesel Porsches? We'll have more on the changes for diesel cars in general in the coming weeks.