Need-To-Know Guide on Coupé Car Models
When it comes to the body design of cars, coupes are known for their sporty style. A coupé (French pronunciation) or coupe is mostly defined as having a closed car body design, meaning permanently attached fixed roof.
The following guide will outline the main facts of coupé cars and the types they’re available in, whether combi or sports coupe, to help you decide if this type of vehicle will suit your individual needs.
Coupés of Today
Generally speaking, coupés have been described as hard-topped sports cars or the sporty variation of a saloon/sedan car. They were commonly known to be two-door cars with a close-fitted interior, meaning often the rear seat will be placed further forward than in a standard sedan, with any seating in the back designed for either occasional passengers or children. In other words, a coupe car is more for couples without a big family or people who want some sporty fun when it comes to their transport.
These days, the term coupé is actually more of a marketing term for car manufacturers than a definition of a vehicle’s design and technical makeup, since they tend to give the name to any car with two, three, and now even four-doors that has a sporty, luxury appeal.
While previous coupés were two-door variants of family sedans, these days different models of coupés also have different sheet metal and styling than their four-door counterparts.
To make things even more confusing, even 2-door cars with a backseat are now being referred to as “sedans”, so the terms “coupe” and “sedan” are being used interchangeably.
It must be said however that currently, with the exception of convertibles and 2-seat roadsters, 2-door cars have seen a dramatic fall in popularity. This is largely due to the fact that the cost of 4-door cars has gone down over the years, not to mention the practical aspect of wanting more space for passengers or other cargo when you need it. Thus, coupe’s now increasing come in a range of roomier variations.
Types of Coupé Cars
Manufacturers have used the term coupé to describe a number of different vehicle varieties. These are the main categories so you can recognise the term if you hear it:
Business coupé
This title refers to a coupé with either no rear seat or a removable rear seat. Its design is mainly intended for travelling salespeople and other vendors who need to carry their wares with them and don’t tend to have passengers.
Club coupé
This type of coupé has a larger rear seat. These days it would more commonly be called a two-door sedan.
Combi coupé
A Combi coupé is really just a marketing term used by Saab to describe a model they created with a car body similar to a liftback design.
Four-door coupé
This title actually relates to a sedan which has classic coupé-like proportions. The name was first applied to a low-roof model of the Rover P5 which was produced from 1962 until 1973, but it was revived by the 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLS, as well as other models that later came out. It must be said however that the low roof design of this car category reduces headroom (so is not at all ideal for tall people) and back seat passenger access.
Opéra coupé
Otherwise called the coupé de-ville, this type of antiquated model has a high roofed passenger compartment. The name is coined from the fact that passengers have sufficient room to be driven to the opera without the need to remove their grand hats – these cars most closely approximate a motorised version of the original horse-drawn coupé. In most cases, they will have solid rear-quarter panels, with small, circular opera windows so that the occupants can see out without being seen. These quirky types of windows were revived on many US cars during the 1970s and early 1980s. The vehicle also tends to have ‘occasional seats’, meaning they can be unfolded for use by children or extra passengers and they allow for easy passage to the rear of the car.
Sports coupé
Also called a Berlinetta, the sports coupe features a body with a sloping roof, which sometimes gradually leans downward in the rear in the same way as fastback cars.
Quad coupé
A Quad coupé is purely a marketing name used to describe cars with one or two small rear doors and no B pillar.
Conclusion
Whether your dream car is a sexy sports coupe or a roomier sedan type vehicle, there is a huge variety of cars to choose from on the marketplace – thus, with a little research, especially using some of the clever comparison websites available online, the right car for your needs and style preferences is surely out there.
About the Author:Jeremy Allston is a car repair business owner and sports coupe enthusiast.
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