With Mercedes-Benz->ke187 already testing the production version of its brand-new Concept Coupe SUV, we were wondering which automaker will jump on the coupe-like crossover->ke288 bandwagon next. Well, it appears that the BMW X6's second competitor will also spawn from Stuttgart, the city that's home to the headquarters of both Mercedes and Porsche->ke1.
The latter company, who has reached great automotive heights since it launched the Cayenne, is reportedly planning on expanding that model's lineup by adding a sportier, coupe->ke141-like SUV->ke145. The vehicle will carry the Cayenne Coupe moniker and will look identical to its full-size cousin, save for a fast, sloping roof line, Autocar reports.
Naturally, the interior will also be shared with the regular Cayenne, as will the V-6 and V-8 engines, but it's too early to speculate on any of those matters as the Coupe won't arrive until the third-generation Cayenne is launched sometime in 2017. The Coupe is rumored for a 2018 introduction, allowing the Germans to expand production capacity at their Leipzig facility, without which the new SUV couldn't be built alongside the best-selling Cayenne.
"We have been considering launching a more sporting derivative of the Cayenne for some time now. The problem has been the production capacity at our Leipzig factory and the strong sales of the regular Cayenne," an unnamed senior Porsche official told Autocar, adding that the Cayenne Coupe has yet to receive the green light.
When it arrives, the brand-new sports utility->ke145 coupe is likely to be priced around 15 to 20 percent higher than the current Cayenne, which fetches at least $49,600.
Click past the jump to read more about the Porsche Cayenne.
Why It Matters
The coupe SUV segment is one of the very few markets that has yet to become a crowd. With the BMW X6 as the only true contender and the Infiniti QX70 struggling to fit, this unexplored terrain is in dire need of new offerings in addition to the upcoming Mercedes-Benz MLC.
Porsche, who has been unsuccessfully trying to bite into X6 sales with the Cayenne is very likely to approve development of the coupe SUV and build a capable, sporty vehicle that's expected to become the 911->ke282 of its segment.
When it launched the Cayenne in 2002, Porsche took a lot of heat from purists, who claimed the company had sacrificed its heritage for the sake of profits. However, the vehicle quickly became a favorite among SUV customers, being praised for its powerful engines and precise handling.
The Cayenne was completely redesigned for the 2011 model year, receiving four gasoline and two diesel engines, as well as a hybrid powertrain. No less than nine models are up for grabs this year, with prices ranging from $49,600 to $146,000 before options.