PORSCHE CAYENNE COUPÉ
S
AT A GLANCE, the £99,700 onthe-road price of the Porsche Cayenne Coupé S doesn’t look like a conspicuous bargain. That all changes, though, if you think of it as three cars in one.
Your first 33-odd grand is the most mouth-watering, because this is the chunk that buys you a sports car. Yes, you could buy a Mazda MX-5for that, but that tiny two-seater wouldn’t see which way the Cayenne went; 0-62mph takes just 4.7sec, thanks to a 468bhp 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine. And don’t think the MX-5would quickly catch up in the twisties, either.
Somehow, the 2.2-tonne Cayenne can bend the laws of physics. With a lower centre of gravity than the boxier regular Cayenne SUV, the Coupé S is astonishingly agile, with massive grip from the tyres, impeccable traction (thanks to its four-wheel drive system) and very little body lean – especially with the optional adaptive air suspension and active anti-roll bars fitted. And although those options add almost £5000 to the price, £38k is still pretty good for a sports car, especially one with an unforgettable V8 exhaust note. The next 33 grand gets you a luxury cruiser – a better bet for long trips than a sports car. And in the Cayenne, the miles just slip past. You sit up high – as high as you would in an Audi Q7 – for an imperious view of the road ahead, surrounded by first-class materials and with an excellent 12.3in infotainment screen at your disposal. That big V8 fades to a quiet background hum, and only a bit of tyre roar reminds you that you’re clipping along. Yes, less sporty SUVs have cushier rides, but the Cayenne makes light work of undulating country roads, and you’ll never find yourself wincing over urban potholes.
