Porsche is looking to rival the likes of the BMW X6 and upcoming Mercedes-Benz MLC with a four-door coupe variant of the Cayenne.
Known internally as the ‘Cayenne Coupe’, Autocar UK reports the SUV is already on the cusp of approval. According to an unnamed Porsche exec familiar with the project, the automaker has been considering “adding another sporting derivative of the Cayenne for quite some time now,” but production limitations and already strong sales of the standard Cayenne have held back approval. Furthermore, Porsche is actually concerned about preserving the exclusivity of its lineup by adding yet another SUV this time around.
If it is green-lit for production — and there’s a good chance it might be, despite Porsche’s concerns — the Cayenne Coupe will be underpinned by Volkswagen’s MLB platform for SUVs, which will appear first in the next Audi Q7 and Volkswagen Touareg, as well as the production Lamborghini Urus and Bentley’s upcoming SUV.
Like the relationship between the BMW X6 and X5, expect the Cayenne Coupe to have a coupe-like profile and a lower ride height compared to the standard Cayenne. Other bits, such as powertrains and an interior influenced by the 918 Spyder, will be mutual between the two.
The next generation Cayenne will debut sometime around 2017, while the coupe variant will likely follow a year later if approved for production.
