The world didn’t exactly need another four-door SUV “coupe,” but Porsche did, and it’s making up for lost time with its new 2020 Cayenne Coupe. It’s silly to call these things “coupes,” but at least this one is from a company that also has a great line of actual coupes. The Cayenne Coupe follows the current fashion of taking a big SUV, trading practicality for a trendier look and jacking up the price over the SUV upon which it is based: The Cayenne Coupe starts just shy of $10,000 more than a squared-off Cayenne, at $76,550.
Related: 2019 Cayenne: Porsche Didn’t Mess With a Good Thing
Porsche is late to get into this competition. The Cayenne Coupe will challenge the X6 from BMW, which also already has the X4 and X2 SUV coupes; Mercedes-Benz offers coupe versions of its GLE– and GLC-Class SUVs; and Audi is in the game (sorta, given the more moderate profile) with the new Q8. Still, better to be a little behind the trend than too far ahead — a moment of silence here for the dearly departed Acura ZDX.
What you don’t get for more money with the Cayenne Coupe versus the Cayenne classic is more power. Under the hood of the base model is the same turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 putting out 335 horsepower, good for zero-to-60 mph in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 151 mph. The top-of-the-line Cayenne Turbo Coupe gets the familiar twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 putting out 541 hp; Porsche puts its zero-to-60 time at 3.7 seconds and top speed at 178 mph.
The starting price for the Turbo, the only other model that will be offered at launch in the U.S. in the fall, is $131,350, a relative bargain at just $5,500 more than the Cayenne Turbo’s $125,850 entry price. If you check all the option boxes, including orange paint and black 22-inch wheels, you could pad the check to just shy of $200,000 (configurator here), or you could be more restrained and use the savings to also take home a Boxster for your weekend car.
Here are six things you do get with a base Cayenne Coupe versus a regular Cayenne for 10 grand more:
1. A (Much) Sleeker Roofline
The roof starts 0.78 inch lower, creating a shorter windshield, and front roof pillars curve back and down into a slightly broader rear end that’s better looking than most in this genre. As with the Panamera, the slope and shape of the back pillar are intended to evoke the 911 roofline.
2. A Glass Roof (Carbon Fiber Optional)
The standard roof is a fixed panoramic dark-glass panel (with a sunshade included). A carbon-fiber roof is optional as part of one of three “lightweight sports packages” that shave a few pounds from the hefty SUV.
3. Two Rear Spoilers
The sloping roof allows both a standard roof spoiler above the rear window and a standard adaptive spoiler below the window that rises 5.3 inches at speeds above 56 mph. The regular Cayenne makes do with a roof spoiler (adaptive on the Cayenne Turbo).
4. More Standard Performance Gear
The base model includes Porsche’s adaptive suspension, Sport Chrono Package with launch control and 20-inch wheels.
5. A Cozy Backseat
Standard individual sport seats create a backseat for two, though you can opt for the Cayenne-style bench. Porsche did not offer specs for room but noted that the Coupe’s rear seats are 1.18 inches closer to the floor (and your knees higher) to provide “plenty of headroom despite the vehicle’s sporty lowered silhouette.”
6. Less Cargo Space
Cargo space in the base model is 22 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 54.3 with the seat backs folded. That compares to 27.2 and 60.3 cubic feet, respectively, in the base version of the Cayenne SUV. The Turbo has even less room for your stuff, at 21.2 and 53.3 cubic feet.
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