coupes

A coupe is a passenger car body style defined by a fixed roof, typically two doors, and a sportier silhouette than a traditional sedan. While two-door configurations are common, many modern coupes offer rear seating labeled as 2+2, where rear seats are smaller and primarily intended for children or occasional passengers. The defining focus of a coupe is style and performance rather than maximum practicality.

The term originates from the French coupé meaning “cut,” and in the automotive sense it described a shorter, streamlined body. In the early days, coupés were often lighter, two-seat sports cars. Over the decades, the coupe evolved into a diverse class that includes luxury grand tourers, performance-oriented sport coupes, and some four-door models marketed as four-door coupes.

Variations include hardtop coupes, which may lack a traditional B-pillar for a cleaner side profile, and four-door coupes, a marketing category used by several manufacturers for cars with coupe-like rooflines and four doors, such as the Mercedes CLS or Audi A7. The term “gran coupe” is used by some brands to describe a four-door, lower-slung variant that shares a coupe’s styling cues.

Market and design trends emphasize a low roofline, sloping rear greenhouse, and chassis tuning aimed at handling and acceleration, often at the expense of interior space and trunk accessibility. Coupes contrast with sedans, hatchbacks, convertibles, and SUVs, and in many markets the coupe remains a niche segment centered on style and performance rather than practicality.