How a classic Rover gave the world the four-door coupe

Many thank Mercedes-Benz for inventing the four-door coupe when it unveiled the original CLS as a close-to-production concept car during the 2003 Frankfurt auto show.

The CLS undeniably helped make the body style popular but its designers had an eye on a classic British car that was nearly forgotten by the turn of the 21st century. Rover launched the first car marketed as a four-door coupe in 1962 and it fine-tuned the body style for decades before Mercedes caught on.

From Rover’s original idea to Porsche’s newest SUV, join us for a look at how the controversial four-door coupe segment has evolved since the 1960s.

Current Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class pictured.

Rover P5 Mark II (1962)

The original Rover P5 released in 1958 was only offered as a standard four-door. The British company sensed that some buyers wanted a sportier alternative without giving up space and comfort. When it released the P5 Mark II in 1962, it quickly expanded the line-up with a second body style called four-door coupe that stood apart with a markedly lower roof line and thinner B-pillars.

Even in the early 1960s, the four-door coupe segment remained a niche. Of 21,158 P5s made between 1962 and 1965, only 5482 units were coupes. And yet, demand was high enough for Rover to commission a replacement.

Note: P5B Coupe pictured.

Rover P5 Mark III (1965)

Made between 1965 and 1967, the Rover P5 Mark III was more powerful and more luxurious than the Mark II model it replaced. The four-door coupe body style returned with the same sloping roof line as before and it was more popular this time around. Rover made 6420 examples of the Mark III P5 and 2500 of them were coupes. Interestingly, the model still had no direct competition.

Rover P5B (1967)

The final evolution of the Rover P5 made its debut in 1967. Named P5B, it swapped its predecessor’s 3.0-liter straight-six engine for a 3.5-liter V8 that traced its roots to the Buick parts bin. Rover made other minor changes to distinguish the P5B from the P5 Mark III but the two cars looked a lot alike. And, here again, a coupe was offered for buyers seeking a more daring design.

Rover made the last P5B in 1973. The coupe accounted for 9099 examples of the 20,600 P5Bs made. Over the course of about a decade, Rover’s four-door coupe had exited its relatively small niche and captured a significant percentage of the sales mix. The company knew it would be wise to keep the momentum going.

Rover SD1 (1976)

While Rover never openly marketed the SD1 as a four-door coupe, all it takes is one look at it to tell that the company’s stylists took the P5 coupe’s popularity into account when they drew its fast-sloping roof line. Its silhouette wasn’t entirely unusual in the 1970s. The Renault 20/30 and the Citroen CX both had a similar roof line but the SD1 wore a much sportier design partly because it was lower and wider and partly because its front lights looked a lot like the Ferrari Daytona’s.

The SD1 went through several evolutions and wore several nameplates during its production run. It was even briefly (and unsuccessfully) sold in the United States. Production ended in 1986 after Rover made about 303,000 examples of the car. In hindsight, not every owner liked living with the SD1 because reliability issues and rattling plastics bits were alarmingly common. However, many agreed it was a triumphant display of British design. Again, through hell or high waters, Rover was determined to keep the momentum going for as long as possible.

Rover 800 (1986)

While many motorists found the SD1’s rakish design appealing, Rover left behind a small portion of buyers when it decided not to make a conventional three-box version of the car. It corrected this mistake when it released the SD1’s replacement, the 800, in 1986. At launch there was a three-box version named Saloon and, from 1988, the line-up also included an SD1-like model called Fastback. Both were developed jointly with Honda and sold in the United States under the Sterling brand as Rover’s third and final failed bid to nail the American market.

In Europe, the 800 occupied the highest rung in the Rover hierarchy so it was equipped, powered and priced accordingly. Named Vitesse, the top-spec Fastback came with a 2.7-liter V6 rated at 177hp.

Rover completely re-engineered the 800 in 1991 and later added a two-door coupe to the portfolio, designed for the US but destined to never get there. The Fastback and Saloon variants carried on throughout the 1990s. Rover again never referred to its flagship as a four-door coupe but it was clearly envisioned as a successor to the P5 coupe.

800 production ended in 1999. This time, Rover’s journey into the four-door coupe (or, at least, coupe-like) segment was over. It replaced the 800 with the more conventional-looking 75 introduced in 1998.

Mercedes-Benz Vision CLS Concept (2003)

While Mercedes-Benz didn’t invent the four-door coupe, it deserves credit for resurrecting the body style when it presented the Vision CLS Concept during the 2003 Frankfurt auto show. It was an upmarket, boldly design-led model characterized by a low, arched roof line. The swoopy sheet metal hid an evolution of the platform that underpinned the W211-generation E-Class so Mercedes hinted that turning the Vision CLS Concept into a production model would be relatively simple and cost-efficient.

“The Vision CLS is a coupe generation ahead of the rest. The idea of a four-door coupe opens up exciting possibilities. It is aimed primarily at people who have a passion for motor cars and motoring,” said Jürgen Hubbert, the head of Mercedes after the concept’s unveiling. His rhetoric sounded familiar to anyone who had followed Rover during the 1960s.

Mercedes-Benz CLS (2004)

To no one’s surprise, it took less than a year for the Mercedes-Benz Vision CLS Concept to transition into a production model. The first-generation CLS made its global debut during the 2004 New York auto show. Mercedes had effectively already revealed it, as the production model was very nearly identical to the original concept, but it still turned every head on the show floor. It was a brand-defining model; the CLS was to Mercedes what the TT was to Audi and rivals didn’t know what to make of it.

Mercedes replaced the original CLS with a second-generation model in 2010 and the current, third-generation car was introduced in 2018. Both stayed within the design parameters set by the original CLS. In essence, they’re more stylish, form-over-function evolutions of the E-Class. Mercedes still considers the CLS a coupe: it’s listed under the same menu as the C-Class Coupe on its website.

BMW Concept X6 (2007)

BMW couldn’t ignore the popularity of the Mercedes-Benz CLS. It wanted a piece of the pie without releasing a blatant copy of its rival’s design icon. Instead of turning the 5 Series into a CLS-like fastback, it started with the X5 and lowered the roof line until it resembled a coupe. The Concept X6 shown during the 2007 Frankfurt auto show introduced the world to what BMW called the sports activity coupe. 

BMW X6 (first-generation; 2007)

Penned under the guidance of Chris Bangle, the Concept X6 quickly spawned the original X6 released in 2007. Stylists honed some details but the overall design – which many described as polarizing – remained untouched. Here again, the concept turned out to be a production car in disguise.

Quick and surprisingly dynamic to drive, the X6 proved it was more than just a microwave-melted X5 with a higher price tag. The two SUVs were similar under the sheet metal but they competed in separate segments of the market and each appealed to a different set of buyers. BMW achieved its goal of giving the X6 its own personality, much like Mercedes-Benz had done with the CLS. Rivals soon followed its example.

Volkswagen Passat CC (2008)

Volkswagen made the four-door coupe more accessible when it released the Passat CC at the 2008 Detroit auto show. The CC – an acronym which stood first for concept coupe and later for comfort coupe – was presented as a sportier version of the humble Passat it was based on. It certainly looked the part; it was more rakish than any Volkswagen-badged model that came before it. It featured frameless doors as well as a four-seater interior made with nicer materials and many CC-specific parts.

Volkswagen dropped the word Passat from the CC’s name as it gave it a mid-cycle overhaul and it retired the nameplate entirely in 2017. Its replacement, the Arteon, made its debut in 2017.

Acura ZDX (2009)

Acura explained it began developing the ZDX after noticing that many of its customers parked both a sports car and an SUV in their garage. Designed in America for Americans, the ZDX was envisioned as a one-of-a-kind vehicle that bridged two seemingly distant segments. Stylists even integrated the rear door handles into the roof pillars to give it a more coupe-like look.

It was difficult not to compare the ZDX to the BMW X6 because both models competed in the same niche. But while the X6 was a runaway hit, and it’s about to enter its third generation as of 2019, the ZDX was a much tougher sell. Many buyers couldn't stomach its looks. It retired without a successor in 2013 after Acura made about 7000 units.

The ZDX may have been ahead of its time. Acura executives are considering releasing a second-generation model during the early 2020s but it hasn’t been approved for production yet.

Porsche Panamera (2009)

Porsche could have beat its German rivals to the four-door coupe segment. In the late 1980s, when it was stuck in a financial rut, it built a 911-inspired four-door model called 989 that was powered by a front-mounted V8 engine. Executives tentatively locked in a 1995 release date but they canceled the project in 1991 when they realized it would be too expensive to fully develop and build.

Porsche dropped the idea of a low-riding four-door model until it began working on the first-generation Panamera (pictured) during the 2000s. Encouraged by the Cayenne’s success, stylists borrowed a handful of basic styling cues from the 911 to design the first Porsche positioned as an alternative to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Visually, the production model released in 2009 received very mixed reviews; few saw the 911 influence in the original Panamera’s roof line and some observers likened it to Quasimodo.

Even some Porsche insiders admitted the original Panamera’s design never grew on them. Stylists knew exactly where to start when they drew the second-generation model. They flattened the roof line and re-sculpted the back end to create a more credible visual link between the Panamera and the 911.

Audi A5 Sportback (2009)

The popularity of the Mercedes-Benz CLS didn’t go unnoticed in Ingolstadt. As Audi prepared a direct rival, it seized the opportunity to add a pair of doors to the A5 to create a smaller four-door coupe aimed at buyers who couldn’t stretch their budget into CLS territory. The A5 Sportback introduced in 2009 sold even better than expected and, within a few years, it faced competition from similar models made by most of Audi’s main rivals.

Audi released the second-generation A5 Sportback in 2016. This time, it became available in the United States.

Aston Martin Rapide (2010)

For Aston Martin, the four-door coupe represented an occasion to reach new buyers by offering a more spacious model without summoning the dark cloud of controversy that came with an SUV; in the late 2000s, some automakers still worried they didn’t have the credibility to build a high rider.

The Rapide introduced in 2010 looked like a long, wide coupe when viewed from a distance. It intentionally shared many styling cues with the Vantage, and it was nearly as quick as one thanks to a powerful V12 engine, but it offered space for four passengers and a more useful cargo compartment.

The Rapide became the 550hp Rapide S in 2013. Aston Martin turned it into a limited-edition electric model called Rapide E in 2019.

Audi A7 Sportback (2010)

Audi fired the first direct shot at the Mercedes-Benz CLS when it released the original A7 Sportback (pictured) in 2010. Previewed by a concept unveiled a year earlier, the A7 Sportback followed the same recipe as the CLS in the sense that it was a swoopier version of a tamer model; the A6, in this case. However, Audi unveiled the A7 before showing the public the car that it was based on.

The original A7 was a smash hit; critics heralded it as one of Audi’s best-looking cars. The second-generation A7 made its debut in 2017 with a crisper design that’s more evolutionary than revolutionary. Both variants of the nameplate share defining details like the shape of the roof line and the broad shoulder lines.

BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe (2012)

With the X6, BMW had a unique product to offer motorists looking for a four-door coupe. However, those in the market for a Mercedes-Benz CLS or an Audi A7 Sportback were often reluctant to consider an X6 due to its size. BMW filled this gap in its line-up with the 6 Series Gran Coupe released in 2012. It was a four-door evolution of the true 6 Series coupe which shared many parts with the 5 Series under the sheet metal.

The second-generation 8 Series began replacing the 6 Series in 2018. Called 8 Series Gran Coupe, the 6 Series Gran Coupe’s successor will make its debut in 2019 with over 600hp in its most powerful configuration.

Mercedes-Benz CLA (2013)

With the first-generation CLA, Mercedes-Benz took the four-door coupe into yet another new segment of the market; it was smaller and cheaper than both the CLS and Audi’s A5 Sportback and it was more prestigious than the Volkswagen Passat CC. Controversially built on a front-wheel drive platform, the CLA was primarily developed to lure younger buyers into showrooms and help rejuvenate the brand’s image. Gordon Wagener, Mercedes’ head of design, told Autocar the firm was too often seen as “the brand of the fathers but not the sons” before the CLA made its debut.

The CLA – and the other compact models it shared its platform with – successfully improved the public’s perception of the Mercedes brand. It returned for a second generation in 2019.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2014)

In the early 2010s, the four-door coupe’s meteoric rise sent Germany’s three main luxury automakers head-first into a seemingly endless tit-for-tat line-up expansion. BMW fired back at the Audi A5 Sportback with the 4 Series Gran Coupe released in 2014. The model was positioned as a more spacious alternative to the 4 Series coupe, as a sleeker-looking alternative to the 3 Series, as a sportier alternative to the 3 Series Gran Turismo and as a cheaper alternative to the 6 Series Gran Coupe. Still with us?

The 4 Series Gran Coupe brazenly bent segments and took no notice of naming systems (traditionally, even-numbered BMWs had two doors) to illustrate the effort the firm put into filling every niche it could create. While BMW has started the process of paring down the number of nameplates in its portfolio, the four-door 4 Series will return for a second generation in 2019.

BMW X4 (2014)

High demand for the X6 convinced BMW that a smaller, more affordable model would do well in key markets like the United States and China as well as in European countries where buyers tend to prefer smaller cars. This approach had worked for Mercedes-Benz and Audi, after all.

The first-generation X4 introduced at the 2014 New York auto show filled that void by putting an X6-like body on a modified X3 platform. BMW released the second-generation X4 in 2018.

Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe (2015)

Mercedes-Benz invented the modern-day four-door coupe so its executives were more than a little bit annoyed as they watched buyers buy X6s faster than BMW could build them. The firm arrived to the segment fashionably late with the GLE Coupe, which made its debut at the 2015 Detroit auto show. As its name implied, the GLE Coupe imitated the X6 by putting a curvier spin on a big, family-hauling SUV; the GLE (formerly known as the ML), in this case.

Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe (2016)

In the middle of the 2010s, Mercedes-Benz had lost its lead in the four-door coupe segment. BMW beat it twice with the X6 and the X4, respectively, and the list of CLS-inspired models was growing annually. Still playing catch-up, the company turned the GLC into the GLC Coupe to prevent its customers from defecting to a BMW showroom. 

Mercedes-AMG GT Four-Door Coupe (2018)

Thankfully, the Mercedes-AMG GT Four-Door Coupe is more alluring than its uninventive name suggests. Positioned as AMG’s answer to the Porsche Panamera, it’s presented as a four-door variant of the GT but it’s closely related to the E-Class under the sheet metal. It’s available with six- or eight-cylinder power and, like the GT, it’s exclusively part of the Mercedes-AMG family. 

Autocar’s road testers loved the Four-Door GT. “AMG defies physics with a four-door GT that handles beautifully,” we wrote after testing the GT63.

Porsche Cayenne Coupe (2019)

Porsche hopped on board the four-door coupe bandwagon when it released the Cayenne Coupe in 2019. It’s an evolution of the third-generation Cayenne with a noticeably lower roof line and a slightly wider rear end. The extra width makes the Coupe sportier to look at and to drive, according to Porsche. The company made the rear seats a little bit thinner than the standard Cayenne’s so that the occupants sitting in them still enjoy an acceptable amount of head room. Scheduled to go on sale by the end of 2019, the Cayenne Coupe will be offered with six- and eight-cylinder engines and hybrid powertrains will join the line-up a little bit later in the production run.

What’s next? (2019 and beyond)

While some enthusiasts vociferously argue the four-door coupe is a trend that needs to be checked rather than cultivated, the segment’s growth shows no sign of slowing down as car companies from all over the automotive spectrum plot ways to plant their flag in it. Renault notably released the Arkana in 2019 as a more budget-friendly alternative to the BMW X4; it will initially launch in Russia but it could later make its way to the European market. We expect it will inspire an array of competitors with varying degrees of roof slope from other mainstream brands like Peugeot and Volkswagen.

Moving upmarket, the Audi E-Tron Sportback (pictured as a prototype) will stand out as the first series-produced electric four-door coupe when it makes its debut before the end of 2019. The smaller Q3 will get a similar treatment at about the same time.