Porschephiles laughed when the original Cayenne SUV came out back in 2003. Now, Porsche is laughing all the way to the bank since the venerable premium performance SUV is their best seller. Everyone else has followed suit, and then the slant back SUV craze started among the German brands. Now, Porsche comes late to the game but in a big way with the 2020 Cayenne Coupe.
It's essentially a regular Cayenne with an abbreviated roofline. The Coupe gains more aggressive looks as a result. The roofline is a tad lower, and then the
The base Cayenne Coupe is powered by the stock 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that spits out a potent 335 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. The Cayenne Turbo Coupe houses the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 541 horsepower and 567 lb-ft, launching it 60 mph in a supercar-like 3.7 seconds.
The Sport Chrono package is standard equipment, as well as Porsche's excellent Active Suspension Management (PASM) and big 20-inch wheels. These features will cost you extra on the regular Cayenne, which means Porsche is really touting this as the sportier of the two.
You'll notice the dramatic deploying adaptive rear spoiler on the Coupe that also adds a dimension of sportiness. It's also standard on the Coupe, just like on the top trim Turbo Cayenne. At 56 mph and above, the spoiler automatically extends by 5.3 inches. You can upgrade the glass roof to a lighter and sexier carbon fiber roof that adds to the Coupe's racy look. It's part of three packages that also adds bigger 22-inch GT wheels, as well as patterned fabric seat inserts, carbon fiber
Inside, you'll find the same handsome and easy-to-use setup as the Cayenne, but the Coupe gets new 8-way adjustable seats with more aggressive bolstering. The rear seats are lowered for more headroom due to the slanted roof. The downside is that cargo space drops to 22 cubic feet from the Cayenne's 27.2, and full cargo space with the seats down decreases to 54.3 from 60.3. That's still not bad, a small sacrifice for the look and added performance features.
Just like other German automakers, you pay a premium for less space because, you know, it's about street cred, right? The Coupe costs $76,550 compared to the Cayenne's $66,950, a nearly $10K jump. The Turbo Coupe goes up to $131,350, up from the Cayenne Turbo's $124,600. We're guessing buyers who will be lured by the Coupe's looks are willing to pay the difference, even if it means hauling less and making shorter friends.
Every mainstream premium German automaker wants in on this, and it seems Porsche is the last one to the party. BMW has the X6 and the X4, Mercedes has the GLC Coupe, and Audi has their rakish Q8, which is really quite attractive, more so in person than in photos. Most of the coupe-style SUVs don't pull off great looks, unfortunately. Audi and Porsche are the exceptions, for sure.
Now that Porsche has brought the Cayenne Coupe, there's a new SUV coupe that will turn heads about as well as the Q8. It's a smart move for Porsche, especially since their Cayenne sells so well. The diminished cargo space likely won't be much of a factor for those who value looks and performance in their premium SUVs.