Porsche has buckled to global pressure and announced it will be fitting its Cayenne 4x4 with a diesel engine – a first for the German car maker.

The Porsche Cayenne will soon be available with a 3-litre V6 diesel engine supplied by Audi – part of the VW Group which Porsche has recently become the majority shareholder of.

With 240bhp and 405lb/ft of pulling power, the new Porsche Cayenne V6 Diesel will sit at the bottom of the Cayenne range in terms of horsepower, but will be at the top of the ladder in terms of economy with the diesel-powered Cayenne averaging 30.3mpg – 8.4mpg more than the V6 petrol.

However, carbon dioxide emissions of 244g/km mean the diesel Cayenne will still sit in the top tax band which means an annual bill of £400.

Performance figures haven’t been released, but the diesel Cayenne should be capable of 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds and a top speed around the 140mph mark.

(View more shots of the new Cayenne below)

The move is a clear signal of Porsche’s intention of providing improved fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions across its range.

The current financial crisis, combined with high road tax and crippling fuel costs has seen sales of premium cars suffer with Porsche sales in October slumping 38 per cent year-on-year.

A statement released by Porsche also revealed the Stuttgart car maker is working on a hybrid engine for the Cayenne which will be launched before the end of next year which will average in excess of 31mpg.

It’s also another indication that Porsche will work closer with VW Group’s subsidiaries and employ its engines within the Porsche range.

With the launch of the Panamera four-door executive car next year, it’s likely Porsche will use the 4.2-litre V8 diesel engine seen in the Audi A8 which develops 322bhp and 479lb/ft of pulling power.

The Porsche Cayenne V6 Diesel goes on sale in February and will cost £56,466 Euros (£47,000) on the continent.

UK prices are yet to be announced, but we’d anticipate it costing around £50,000 – a hefty £12,000 premium on the V6 petrol.

Video: View footage of the Porsche Cayenne below