Porsche's Cayenne Coupé Electric is a 911-inspired SUV with Aston Martin Valkyrie power
The all-new electric Porsche Cayenne has only just hit the road, but Stuttgart has already launched a second variant… this time, inspired by the 911
Huge dimensions, weight and power made us sceptical of the Porsche Cayenne Electric when it arrived late last year, but time behind the wheel proved that it’s much more than big numbers. Now its maker has given it the coupe treatment, fitting more standard kit and what Porsche is calling a 911-inspired design. First deliveries begin this summer with prices starting from £86,200, a £3000 premium over the standard car.
Head-on not much has changed, but look closely and you’ll find that the windscreen is unique. That’s because a lot has changed from the A-pillar back. A dramatic swopping roof tapering towards the rear gives the Cayenne a ‘roofline derived from the 911’, according to Porsche. There’s a new adaptive rear spoiler fitted to the boot lid as a result, and while the roofline is very unique, width and length are unchanged from the standard Cayenne. Height, however, is 24mm lower.
> New Porsche Cayenne Electric review - Bugatti performance in an SUV… but why?
You’ll pay a £3000 premium for the coupe look, with this car starting from £86,200. This money gets you the 436bhp (on overboost) entry-level car, but if you’d like a little more performance you can opt for the middling Cayenne S for £103,100: this version has a much more significant 657bhp at its peak, propelling it from a standstill to 62mph in 3.8sec. Right at the top of the range is the Cayenne Turbo Coupe Electric with a ridiculous 1140bhp on overboost for a 2.5sec 0-62mph time and a 162mph top speed. For reference, that's 1bhp more than a £2.5m Aston Martin Valkyrie. All for £133,300.
These design changes aren’t just for aesthetics, as they help extract more range from the electric SUV. Drag coefficient has dropped from an already respectable 0.25cd to 0.23 in coupe-form, improving maximum range by 11 miles in the best case to 415 miles WLTP. Just like the standard car, each of the three models is built upon a high-tech, high-efficiency 800v electrical architecture, allowing for class-leading charging speeds of up to 400kw in the right conditions.
The entry-level car receives adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management as standard, but spend a bit more for either the Cayenne S or Turbo and you unlock the ability to add Porsche Active Ride at a cost. All models can be equipped with optional rear wheel steering, and with up to 5 degrees of steering angle possible on the rear axle, it improves manoeuvrability markedly if you frequently find yourself in tight spaces.
This is far from a light car at over 2.6 tons in Turbo-form, but select the optional Lightweight Sport package and you can reduce this figure by up to 17.6kg depending on the model. This brings a carbonfibre roof, carbonfibre trim, unique 22-inch wheels, soft-touch Race-Tex upholstery inside and stickier tyres to the equation.
Just like the standard car, the Coupe gets a sea of displays inside, including a dedicated curved digital instrument panel and a gargantuan central infotainment unit that extends to the passenger side of the dash. Buyers can option extras like an augmented reality head-up display and 'Variable Light Control' for the standard-fit panoramic sunroof, but unlike the Cayenne SUV, the coupe receives kit like the Sport Chrono package as standard.
The new Porsche Cayenne Coupe Electric is available to order in the UK now with prices starting from £86,200 for the entry-level car, rising to £133,300 for the range-topping Turbo. First deliveries will commence in the summer.
