At the 2010 New York Auto Show will be where the all-new 2011 Porsche Cayenne will make its North American debut. What this means is that this technically advanced Cayenne S Hybrid will arrive in local showrooms before the year ends.

Typically, the situation had been that the US doesn’t get the ‘niche’ models like hybrids and diesels. US fans who were waiting for the Cayenne Diesel to arrive will be disappointed as there are still no plans for its arrival but maybe the almost-as-efficient Cayenne S Hybrid will be sufficient. There’s no doubt though that the Cayenne S Hybrid is the highlight of the new 2011 Porsche Cayenne lineup.

The model has a sophisticated parallel hybrid drive system that combines a supercharged 333hp 3.0-liter gasoline V-6 with a 47hp electric motor running on lithium-ion batteries. This means that the engine is not much different from a V-8. It is capable of delivering 380hp and 427 pound-feet of torque, which is available from a low 1,000 rpm.

Driving conditions would determine if the supercharged V-6 or electric motor operates independently or together. The two drive units are connected by a decoupling clutch. To make the transition among various driving modes seamless, a hybrid controller coordinates their interaction and electronic management of the clutch.

Similar to most hybrids, the Cayenne S Hybrid can go short distances on electric power alone. It can go as fast as nearly 40 mph. Of course, these cars don’t have emissions and noise. The Cayenne S Hybrid also has this unique ability to cruise at high speeds on electric power alone. Drag forces exerted by the engine are eliminated because its gasoline engine can be completely switched off and disengaged from the drivetrain at speeds of up to 97 mph.