Porsche Cayenne 2018: coupe version in the works?

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Porsche’s third-generation Cayenne SUV is set to be joined by a coupe version next year, according to reports.

Autocar has posted a series of spy shots of a Cayenne with a sloping rear roofline testing on Germany’s Nurburgring circuit.

The car has similar proportions to the Audi Q8, Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus coupe crossovers - all of which share the same Volkswagen-developed production platform as the Cayenne.

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However, one key feature on the new Cayenne that doesn’t appear on other VW Group SUVs is an electronically controlled rear wing.

According to motoring blog PistonHeads, the coupe’s rear wing is integrated into the boot lid and rises above a certain speed to produce more downforce. The electronic wing, along with a smaller fixed wing on the roof, should help keep the car under control when cornering at higher speeds.

Although the model in the images looks close to entering production, Motor1 says Porsche isn’t expected to unveil the sleeker Cayenne until 2019, with sales kicking off the following year.

In the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about the standard Cayenne, which hit UK showrooms in December.

Price and release

Prices start at £55,965 for the base-spec model and £68,330 for the faster Cayenne S.

Interior and tech

The third-generation Cayenne has a 12.3ins touchscreen that sits at the centre of the dashboard, says CarBuyer. Below it is a “glossy central console” that comes with a “stubby gear lever and a series of knurled metal rocker switches for temperature controls”.

Behind the steering wheel sits a pair of digital dashboard dials, with a traditional analogue rev counter positioned in between.

According to Evo, much of the cabin’s design was inspired by the Panamera saloon. Cayenne buyers get a “touch panel around the gear selector, a large 12.3in central screen and twin screens within the instrument cluster”.

And Autocar says “luggage space has risen by 100 litres over the old Cayenne” – bringing the total to 770 litres.

Engines and performance

Under the SUV’s bonnet sits a 3.0-litre turbocharge V6 engine that delivers 335bhp 332lb-ft of torque, says Auto Express - “enough to take the car from 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 152mph”.

Above the base model sits the Cayenne S, with a twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 offering a power output of 434bhp and 406lb-ft, the magazine adds. This engine launches the SUV from zero to 62mph in 5.2 seconds – and on to a top speed of 165mph.

All models come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and an all-wheel drive system, says CarBuyer. You can also spec Porsche’s Sport Chrono Package on the Cayenne S, which drops the 0-62mph time by 0.3 seconds.

Other optional equipment includes lane keep assistance and traffic light detection, along with a “360-degree bird’s-eye camera and adaptive cruise control”, the website notes.

Reviews

On the road, says Autocar, the new Cayenne is “fairly tremendous” and excels in “a great many things”.

The magazine says the model it tested, a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6-engined Cayenne S, delivers “a stellar dynamic performance”. That's thanks to a reduction in kerb weight over the Audi Q7 and the Bentley Bentayga, “with which it shares a platform”.

The new Cayenne corners like a compact hatchback, adds Autocar, “darting into bends with a neutral cornering attitude”.

The cabin is “dominated” by the 12.3in infotainment system that first appeared on the current-generation Panamera saloon, says Auto Express. The dashboard has also had a high-tech makeover, with the central rev counter flanked by a pair of HD displays.

“It all feels extremely well put together,” says the magazine, “with a perceived solidity that puts some rivals to shame.”

The chassis has also been given some high-tech upgrades, says Car magazine. The SUV boasts rear-wheel steering and an active anti-roll system that work in tandem to improve handling.

And despite its sporty driving characteristics, the magazine adds, it still offers a practical 770-litre boot that is “up there with the class best”.

“The Cayenne has always offered enormous performance”, Auto Express concludes, but the new model is the first to “possesses a more attractive and modern interior”.

Although it’s not the cheapest SUV on the market, “there’s no denying it’s all-round ability.”