Cayenne gets the coupe treatment. Porsche’s successful SUV gains a second body style. BMW X6 owners, meet your next car.
NEW METAL by JORDAN KATSIANIS
Porsche has unveiled its first for ay into the contradictory world of coupe SUVs with the Cayenne Coupe. Underneath the swoopier body is an identical platform and chassis set-up to those found in the standard Cayenne, which bode swell considering that car is generally considered the best in its class.
The body is mostly new, although the styling from the A-pillar forward is unchanged. Overall the Coupe is 20mm lower and 18 mm wider than the standard Cayenne, although due to a standard-fit glass roof and the extra strengthening required to support it, the car’s centre of gravity is no lower. Nor is the Coupe lighter than the standard Cayenne, weighing 25-45kg more, depending on the model.
Two versions of the Coupe are being offered at Iaunch: the 335bhp, 3-litre turbo charged V6 entry-leveI car costing £62,129, and the 542bhp V8-engined Turbo at £104,729. Eventually the Coupe will be available with all the engine options available in the standard Cayenne. This means there will be a Turbo SE-Hybrid variant, which should match the 671bhp peak combined output of the flagship Panamera fitted with the s a me powertrain.
On the options list is a Lightweight Sports Package which replaces the glass roof with a carbonfibre panel, includes 22-inch alloy wheels, and adds carbonfibre and Alcantara in the cab in plus Porsche’s houndstooth fabric on the seats. This package is said to remove 22kg from the kerb weight – which we’re sure makes all the difference on a 2000kg car…
One cIever aspect to the Coupe’s de sign is the way its actuaI roof reaches higher than the body coloured roof rails, giving the impression of a lower roofline from outside but helping to maximise headroom on the inside.
On saIe now, the Coupe will no doubt appeal to the sort of customer ready to trade in their BMW X6 or MB GLE Coupe.
