If there’s one thing automakers know how to do, it’s eke every last drop out of the SUV trend. The latest company to join the party is Porsche with a new coupe version of its popular Cayenne SUV.
Like BMW’s X6 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, the Cayenne Coupe is not a two-door version of the SUV. Instead, it’s actually a four-door coupe, albeit one with a plunging rear roofline. Unlike those cars, we don’t hate it either.
In fact across the whole car, the Coupe’s roof is 0.78 inches lower than the standard model. This gives the A-pillars a shallower angle, while Porsche has also bulked up the fenders. This gives the Cayenne’s quite a different appearance. Michael Mauer, vice-president of the Style Porsche design team, states:
“The significantly more steep roof line that falls away to the rear makes the Cayenne Coupé appear even more dynamic, and positions it as the sportiest-looking model in the segment.”
To help lend credence to the sportiest-looking model claim, the Coupe also gets an adaptive rear spoiler. At speeds above 55mph, the spoiler extends 5.3 inches thanks to the Porsche Active Aerodynamics system. It works in conjunction with the new roof spoiler, providing extra downforce.
As for engine choices, those are the same as you get in the regular Cayenne. The base is a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that pumps out 335hp and 332lbft of torque. This propels the Coupe to 60mph in just 5.7 seconds and flat out it’ll hit 150mph.
For those looking for a bit more power, the Coupe also has the option for the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. This bumps the power output up to 541hp and 567lbft of torque. As a result, the sprint to 60mph falls to just 3.7 seconds and the top speed climbs to 177mph.
As an optional extra, buyers can also add a lightweight package that further increases the performance as well.
Perhaps one of the coolest features on the Coupe though is its enormous panoramic glass roof. It extends nearly the entire length of a Cayenne to give passengers the feeling of being in the open air. However, to keep the heat and glare at bay, it’s thankfully tinted.
Another unique feature is an optional material on the seats. Sporting a houndstooth pattern — or what Porsche calls “Pepita” — it’s a throwback look to seats available in 1964. It’s a neat retro flair that’s so much cooler than your standard black leather.
Despite the cool seats, there is a bit of an issue with the interior. Thanks to the sloping roofline, you do lose a bit of cargo and passenger space. The standard Cayenne clocks in with 27.2 cubic feet, but with the Coupe, you get just 22 cubic feet. If you fold the rear seats down, you still get 54.3 cubic feet of cargo space, which is just 11% down on the regular car.
If you’re interested in picking up the new Cayenne Coupe, you will need to pay a pretty heavy premium. The base model starts at $76,550 including the $1,250 destination charge. This is up from the $66,950 price of the normal Cayenne. The Turbo is less of a jump with the Coupe coming in at $130,100, a $5,500 jump over the $124,600 of the standard Cayenne.
The Coupe will make its way to dealers this autumn.
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