Zipping Around Town in the Porsche Cayenne Coupe
Originally when we booked the Porsche Cayenne Coupe test drive, we had all sorts of plans to travel to the Okanagan, out to the Valley or up to Whistler, but circumstances being what they are in these strange times, we were limited to driving around town. At least we had plenty of room in the cabin to pack for our “staycation” and we looked sharp, as this is one very pretty ride.
The Porsche Cayenne was the first four door vehicle from Porsche, and the Cayenne Coupe is a bit more composed, with the same precision, combining the functionality of an SUV with the experience of a sport car. You’ll find a turbo charged 3.0-litre V6 gas engine with 335 horsepower under the hood, electromechanical power-steering, all-wheel drive, a multi-link aluminum front axle and a Tiptronic 8-speed transmission, this is a powerful beast and can reach 243 km/hour at top speed. The Cayenne Coupe offers Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus drive-mode selections at the touch of a button, and has plenty of slick features, it’s at the top of its class in the premium SUV category.
The exterior features a front-end wrap around grille with horizontal bars and LED headlights, sleek side panels and the Coupe, as opposed to the regular Cayenne has a rear spoiler in aligned with the front, rather than the rear of the wheel well, giving it a smoother tailgate. There’s also a lightbar with chrome tipped quad exhaust tips at the rear.
You’ll feel secure with the coupes advanced safety technologies and can feel the sun shine upon you from the power moonroof. The online navigation guides you on a colour screen with touch access. The remote start, push-button ignition, multiple climate zones and auto climate control systems, contribute to how smart this SUV is. The Porsche Cayenne Coupe is not definitely not just a pretty ride.
The coolest thing about this car is the fact that it has modes for different terrains such as on road, gravel, mud, sand, and rocks. You can also adjust the chassis height, so you don’t find yourself scraping the bottom of the car. It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t go off-road this time, but you can read all about my off-road Porsche adventures in Whistler here.
Another excellent feature is the 360 parking so you can see exactly where you are parking. I’ve scratched my cars so many times due to my poor parking abilities and this feature ensures the car stays scratch free.
The steering wheel and dashboard are super posh, so while you are driving you really do feel you are in control of something incredibly special. MSRP for the Cayenne Coupe is $87,700, and there are #-Hybrid, S, GTS, Turbo and Turbo S-E-Hybrid models that take the SUV in a variety of different directions.
While we couldn’t really travel in these strange times, we did take the opportunity to take a staycation, parking the Porsche Cayenne Coupe overnight at Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle, where we enjoyed an excellent dinner, taking the elevator home.
The Marriott’s restaurant, Showcase, has an excellent happy hour and a 3-course dinner on Friday and Saturday nights for just $35, featuring local produce such as this delicious Fraser Valley port and ling cod in coconut broth, pictured above.
Our room came with a view of the Harbour and the hotel is conveniently located near Stanley Park, and Coal Harbour, meaning there are lots of opportunities for strolls and sight-seeing. Be a tourist in your own town! Rates as of publication (February 26, 2021) are just $150 a night.
Breakfast the next day was equally fantastic, and we went for the avocado and regular benny and a side of French toast to satisfy our sugar cravings. It’s not so bad to have to staycation in your own town, especially when you arrive and depart in style in the Porsche Cayenne Coupe.
