Porsche Cayenne Coupé
MODEL TESTED: Porsche Cayenne Coupé PRICE: £63,464 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6, 335bhp Sportier looks are designed to match the SUV’s sharp handling and performance
THE Porsche Cayenne Coupé is available with a range of engines, and here we’re looking at the entry-level version with a 3.0-litre turbo V6 petrol. It costs from £63,464, which is around £5,000 more than the equivalent Cayenne SUV in the same spec.
Design & engineering
THE Cayenne Coupé uses Porsche’s
MLB Evo platform, so it shares parts with the Audi Q7/Q8, Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus and VW Touareg. This advanced platform uses multi-link suspension all round, and Porsche has tuned it to deliver sharp handling, as buyers would expect of the brand.
Adaptive air suspension is available for £1,511, and this adds self-levelling that continuously varies the damping to suit conditions. There’s also Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), which costs £2,315 and uses active stabilisation to further reduce roll.
As with some other MLB Evo models, you can add rear-wheel steering (£1,448) too. This set-up turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the fronts at low speed, tightening the turning circle, and the same way as the fronts at higher speed to boost stability.
The Cayenne Coupé uses a 3.0-litre V6 turbo, which is different to the 2.9-litre V6 in the S version, and it has 335bhp and 450Nm of torque. This trails the new P400 engine in the Range Rover Sport, which has 395bhp and 550Nm. Both use eight-speed automatic gearboxes driving all four wheels.
The Porsche’s cabin is more driver-focused than the Range Rover Sport’s, and it has a great driving position that’s reminiscent of the brand’s sports cars without losing the high-up feel you get from an SUV. Material quality is very good, and the Cayenne feels better built than its rival as well.
Standard kit includes 19-inch wheels, leather seats, a powered tailgate and a widescreen infotainment system with connected services and Apple CarPlay.
Driving
WE already know that the Cayenne is at the top of its class when it comes to handling and driver enjoyment, and the Coupé is no different. It retains some Porsche handling magic even with its high, heavy body. The steering is precise and well weighted, the suspension controls body roll very well and there’s lots of grip.
The powertrain is down on power next to its rival here, but performance is still excellent. The Porsche was faster than its rival from 0-60mph by nearly a second: it took 5. 2 seconds in our tests, while the British car took 6.1 seconds. The Cayenne was also quicker from 30-70mph through the gears, taking 4.8 seconds (the Range Rover Sport took 5.2).
This is partly because the Porsche is 255kg lighter, and partly because the gearbox is excellent – it shifts very quickly in manual mode, yet isn’t jerky, while in auto mode it’s smooth and relaxed.
The V6 engine is fit for purpose, too, because it has a sporty-sounding exhaust note when you rev it hard, yet it’s quiet and smooth enough to feel luxurious in everyday driving. It’s a more urgent and responsive engine than the straight six in the Range Rover Sport, which feels muted and relaxed in comparison. It means the Cayenne Coupé seems
more alert and lively from behind the wheel, its eager motor matching the sharp handling.
The Cayenne Coupé is comfortable, too. Sophisticated damping means it gets smoother the faster you go, soaking up bumps on the motorway easily. Its heavy kerbweight is noticeable when you go over big bumps around town, though, and at low speed the Cayenne doesn’t deal with poor road surfaces as well as we’d like. Neither does the Range Rover Sport – these cars’ large wheels prevent them from settling down until higher speeds get the dampers working harder.
This means both are much more at home on the motorway than around town – probably a blessing given their size and limited visibility. Wind and road noise is minimal in the Cayenne Coupé, and the strong performance means overtaking is easy.
Practicality
THE Cayenne Coupé’s sloping roofline means that there’s less glass in the back windows, so it’s a bit dark in the rear seats. There’s loads of legroom, but headroom is tight in the back, and there are only two seats. This means the Porsche loses out in a big way in this respect.
With 625 litres of space in the boot, it’s still pretty practical, despite the low roofline. This figure isn’t as impressive as the Range Rover Sport’s 780 litres, though, and the British model also has plenty of room in the rear, where there’s a full bench rather than the two individual seats in the back of the Porsche. There’s even a seven-seat option, adding two extra seats in the boot that are suitable for kids. The Range Rover Sport is the more practical choice.
Ownership
EURO NCAP gave the regular Cayenne the full five stars, and this score will also apply to this Coupé version. But you have to pay extra for key safety options such as lane-keep assist (£783), and blind-spot warning (£548), although AEB is standard, as is a reversing camera.
Running costs
THE Cayenne Coupé returned 22.6mpg during our test, which means it will cost £3,078 a year to run at current fuel prices. The Range Rover Sport with its new six-cylinder engine returned 23.0mpg, which works out at £3,024 a year.
Both models sit in the top 37 per cent bracket for company car tax, but the Porsche’s lower list price means it’s cheaper as a company vehicle. A higherrate earner will pay £9,195 for the Cayenne Coupé, but it’s £10, 265 for the Range Rover Sport here.