Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins,
www.AutomotiveRhythms.com
With a penchant for therapeutic performance and evasive maneuverability, Porsche sports cars have been blessing pursuitists of the German brand with distinction since 1948 when the rear-engine, RWD Type 356 arrived on the scene. However, the company’s founding DNA began much sooner with Professor Ferdinand Porsche’s first order book in 1930. Today, the Stuttgart-based automaker now features larger 4-door sports sedans and active SUVs including the Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe.
Cayenne Coupe’s Athletic Performance
Presented in 2019, the SUV coupe body style extended the 3rd generation Cayenne range to owners looking for enthusiastic drives and the ability to escort a crew and their gear and luggage. This model features a redesigned rear with a steeply sloped roofline, a sharper silhouette, an adaptive rear spoiler, individual rear bucket sports seats, and a panoramic fixed glass roof. Porsche instilled the Cayenne Coupe with the equivalent technical capabilities of the Cayenne with added dynamism for more athletic engagement. Think of the Cayenne Coupe — especially the 650-horsepower Cayenne Turbo Coupe GT — as the Miami Dolphins’ unguardable Tyreek Hill. The speedy receiver, known as The Cheetah, is explosive, durable, and shifty. In traffic or raceway obstacles, the Cayenne Coupe maneuvers with the same cutback capabilities as Hill, with breakaway speed to pull from the crowd.
Porsche Motorsports Roots
Down south in North Georgia, I received a 2024 Cayenne Coupe in Carrara White Metallic to play with en route to Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. Wow, what a sensational race weekend to complete the 2023 International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) season, where the Porsche 963 LMDh Prototypes entered the competition with a 63-point lead for the flagship IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the new GTP category.While onsite,theCayenne Coupe felt right at home in the Porsche Corral, where I had to switch the Drive Modes to Offroad mode (Gravel, Mud, Sand, and Rocks settings) since it had rained and the grass grounds became wet and muddy. As you know, motorsports success translates to heightened consumer street products and technological advancements; thus, Porsche’s storied racing heritage continues to play a critical factor in the global fandom of its cars and SUVs.
Cayenne Coupe Powertrain
Outside of the track, I enjoyed the rural roads while touring the Georgian countryside utilizing the Cayenne Coupe’s 3-liter Turbo V6, motivated by 348-horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. Paired with a brilliant 8-speed Tiptronic S transmission with paddle shifters and a manual mode, shifting was quick and on-point as the 22″ exclusive design sport rims ($5,510) in Vesuvius Grey and Yokohama Advan tire package gripped the road with aplomb. Stopping power was pinpointed and acceleration was quick and streamlined. At night, high-definition HD matrix design LED headlights ($580) highlighted the road with the perfect balance of illumination. With uncompromising performance from Rear Axle Steering ($1,280), an Adaptive Air Suspension ($2,390), quad Dark Bronze tailpipes ($950), and a heated GT sport leather steering wheel ($590), the Cayenne Coupe is an ideal weekend drive. And for active lifestyle owners, the SUV can tow 7,700 pounds.
Luxuriant and Digital Cockpit
Inside the lush interior of the Cayenne Coupe, you will discover artistic vision from a mixture of modish accommodations and tech-savvy functionality. The authentic Porsche chemistry is created by the commingling of Black/Bordeaux Red leather upholstery ($4,180), Porsche Driver Experience featuring a redesigned digital cockpit, the 12.3” Porsche Communication Management (PCM) multimedia display, a digital 12.6” instrument cluster, and a 10.9” passenger screen that can dial up infotainment controls, performance data, or streaming video content.
Interestingly, the gear selector has been relocated to the dashboard as a toggle switch, creating more space for the newfangled piano black center console, which primarily houses the temperature gauges. Furthermore, the Premium Package Plus ($7,010) adds 4-zone climate control, rear heated seats, BOSE Surround Sound System, Surround View with Active Parking Support, front ventilated seats, ambient lighting, and Adaptive Cruise Control. Enthusiast owners will require the 18-way Adaptive Sport Seats Plus ($420) upgrade for thrilling drive sessions to take precedence.
Advanced Safety Systems
Safety is omnipresent as I witnessed while slowly reversing when a spectator tried to dash across my rear end. The Porsche slammed on the brakes before I could even react. Engagement systems include Active Speed Limit Assist, Active Lane Keep and Intersection Assist, Speed Warning, Lane Change Assist, Warn and Brake Assist, and Lane Keep Assist.
Pricing and Models
Indeed, there are no significant weaknesses with a Cayenne Coupe purchase except for the base model’s pricing, which escalated to $110,880, including the $1,650 delivery and handling fee. MSRP starts at $84,300 for the Cayenne Coupe, but as you can see by the ancillary costs I listed, Porsche makes you pay for à la carte options that seem obligatory at the time of purchase. For other models, look into the Cayenne Coupe E-Hybrid, the 468-horsepower Twin-Turbo V8 Cayenne Coupe S, the Cayenne Coupe GTS, or the mighty Cayenne Turbo Coupe GT.
Opulent Accommodations During Your Georgia Visit
Overall, I had a fantastic experience during the four days of IMSA events and activities, yet they were long and exhausting. Therefore, you want to retreat to a comfortable and appealing hotel afterward. My Carrara White Metallic Porsche Cayenne Coupe didn’t mind enthusiastically escorting me to the luxuriant Chateau Elan Resort & Winery, a landmark destination in North Georgia’s rolling foothills. The celebrated property is home to newly modernized private villas, luxury guest rooms, wine tastings, 5-star restaurants, a massive sports bar and gaming room, and elegantly furnished accommodations.
The Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta
To add driving skills to your new purchase, visit the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, GA where you can toss German machinery around a 1.6-mile, 14-turn Driver Development Track. Doubling as the company’s U.S. headquarters, the 27.7-acre complex provides advanced instruction for aficionados and also features a Heritage Gallery, Classic Factory Restoration Workshop, Driving Simulator Lab, and a Personal Design Studio. Engineered with utilitarian prowess, I even off-roaded with the Cayenne SUVs. We crept up 70% inclines, swam through 19” of water, articulated gullies, and curved around 45-degree vertical descents as the German SUV was full tilt on one side. Lastly, when done, stop in the Porsche Driver’s Selection Store for swag to fit the temperament of what you just witnessed. Here is where visitors will find memorabilia and gear to represent the embodiment of the Porsche mind state.
To book an experience package after your 2024 Porsche Cayenne Coupe purchase, visit www.PorscheDriving.com. Pretty fascinating!
