2024 Porsche Cayenne Coupe

Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of the auto industry is aware that Porsche, a sports car maker that only about 20 years ago began producing non-sports cars, is a money making machine. What most observers probably don’t appreciate is that, despite the presence of some very exclusive and expensive sports cars like the GT3, GT4, and 911 turbo in their lineup, it’s the non-sports cars that make most of Porsche’s profits.

This month I’m going to focus on the original Porsche non-sports car, the Cayenne SUV. First introduced in 2002, the OG Cayenne was derided by most Porsche aficionados, including me, as a sacrilege. Once it became clear that the Cayenne, and later the Panamera and Macan, would produce the profits that would allow the company to continue manufacturing epically special sports cars like the 2016 911R, 2018 GT2 RS, and 2024 911 S/T all was forgiven.

I was able to drive a 2024 Porsche Cayenne Coupe recently, and it was impressive.

For the record, I’m aware that the Cayenne Coupe is neither a Cayenne nor a coupe, and that SUVs turned into sedans—think BMW X6 and the like—are generally unloved in the enthusiast community. 

I’m willing to bet, however, that most of the haters haven’t actually driven one of these vehicles. I say that because I criticized the original X6 as just an X5 with less utility until I reviewed one and learned that their suspensions, powertrains, and software are modified to make them sportier than their more utilitarian siblings. Plus these sedan-ized SUVs sit higher than “normal” sedans, which helps you see around and through the pickups and Suburbans that clog our streets and highways.

So the Cayenne Coupe, which shares almost everything with the Cayenne SUV, drives better than the SUV. An enthusiastic jaunt on a twisty back road was a pleasure thanks to its taut suspension which enables confident steering with little body roll. And the powertrain has been tweaked for quicker throttle response and gear changes, which make the car feel quicker, even though it really isn’t.

Still, the 5000lbs Cayenne Coupe is most comfortable driving into town to run errands or cruising on the interstate, maybe especially the latter.

A quick aside: it is something to realize that a sedan-ified SUV like this one can outperform a BMW M5 from 20 years ago, all while providing more passenger and luggage space.  

My test car was the $80,850 base model, which comes with a 348HP V6 engine that pulls enthusiastically but sounds just ok. Slotting above the base model is the 463HP plug-in hybrid turbo V-6 Cayenne E-Hybrid that starts at $93,350, and just above that in the range is the 468HP Cayenne S that will set you back $109,850. At the top of the lineup is the 650 HP Turbo GT that goes for almost $200,000. Gulp. The Turbo GT is only available in the coupe body style, by the way.

While only a few subtle exterior design changes differentiate the facelifted 2024 Cayenne line from prior models, the interior has been improved significantly. A new 12.6-inch curved digital instrument display sits behind the steering wheel alongside the 12.3-inch central touchscreen that controls the updated PCM 6.0 infotainment system. Porsche has decided to go all-in with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which I think is a better choice than forcing their own system on customers who are quite happy with their phones and don’t want to learn another user interface.

The previous gear-selector lever located on the central console has been replaced by a smaller toggle switch that now sits just to the left of the central touchscreen on the dash. The center console now houses a new haptically controlled HVAC panel, which I like a lot.

The Cayenne also offers an optional 10.9-inch touchscreen for the front passenger, which allows the front passenger to enjoy their own streaming entertainment, control several vehicle features, and even “help” with navigation. The display's polarized filter makes it invisible to the driver for safety reasons.

I find it interesting that in 1998 after the first large luxury SUV, the Lincoln Navigator, was introduced, most automotive journalists including the venerable David E. Davis of Automobile magazine predicted that upscale buyers wouldn’t be interested. Those experts were proven wrong as every luxury brand eventually introduced an SUV, and now we’re seeing more SUVs from sports car brands, most notably Lamborghini and Ferrari.

Anyway, the Cayenne Coupe is a car that I believe many upscale buyers will find appealing. It combines luxury with performance in a vehicle that provides more space and better visibility than a sedan. And it helps Porsche keep on building wonderful sports cars for enthusiasts.