History of the Coupé

One hundred and fifty years ago, if you called for your Coupé you would be waiting to receive a horse-drawn carriage. This enclosed box afforded a relatively protected and comfortable journey to the few who could afford it. Fortunately, the history of the Coupé car in the twentieth century and beyond is a story of ceaseless automotive development, culminating in exceptionally desirable modern vehicles.

The term ‘Coupé’ was adopted in the first half of the twentieth century to indicate an enclosed car that met certain exacting requirements. Motor vehicle design has made rapid advances in comfort and practicality since then and these days a luxury Coupé will feature a sumptuous interior fully fitted with advanced entertainment, safety and communications systems, ensuring maximum driver and passenger satisfaction.

These days, Coupé cars usually refer to agile two-door vehicles delivering sporty performance and a high degree of interior luxury. The history of the Coupé describes a journey from utilitarian transport vehicles to nimble luxury cars with great styling and lightning performance.

Configure your Coupé

There are a number of stylistic variations in the Coupé family. Drivers can choose from elegant two door urban cruisers with ample space for passengers to versatile all-conditions sports cars. Premium Coupés include executive vehicles with smooth handling and conspicuous ride comfort and athletic 2 + 2 configuration sports cars. That said, any Coupé worth its name should be light on its feet with sharp styling to match.

The 21st century Coupé design trend is for innovation and ultramodern styling, with ultramodern technologies to match. This marks both a departure from more retro Coupé and roadster styles and a definitive rejection of the idea that good looks can compensate for lacklustre performance.

What is a luxury Coupé?

What sets a luxury Coupé apart from ordinary cars? In a sense, the differences are obvious: trend-setting styling, progressive technologies, high build quality, superior performance. The more subtle, but profound, differences are in the little details. When purchasing a luxury Coupé, motorists can choose between luxury materials, sporty or understated wheels and other finishes. Premium equipment options may include driver assistance technologies such as adaptive cruise control and lane assistance. And of course, modern premium Coupés feature entertainment and communications systems that would have been unimaginable even just a decade ago.

Ride quality and handling

To fulfil its promise, a Coupé should offer sharp, dynamic handling. A luxury Coupé should also be smooth and comfortable to fulfil the demands of everyday driving. The new generation of elite Coupés provides the option of variable suspension and handing, so you can switch between sport and comfort modes, depending on the conditions and your mood. All-wheel drive Coupé models offer exceptionally balanced handling, greater traction and extra grip.

Motoring enthusiasts appreciate the need to drive a car in order to fully comprehend its qualities. Test driving the new generation of Coupé cars is the only sure way to choose the absolutely right vehicle for each driver.

About the Author

Audi South Africa supplies Audi cabriolets, Coupés, executive sedans and other Audi vehicles throughout the country. Visit an Audi dealer or book an Audi test drive and find a luxury Coupé to enhance your lifestyle or sports Coupé to set your pulse racing.