Finally unveiled at last, Porsche’s compact crossover vehicle shows off standard all-wheel drive and unmistakable Porsche DNA in its styling. This junior to the Cayenne has a similar mission in life, aimed at other sport-premium crossovers from BMW, Audi and Land Rover. It’s a sizeable gamble for Porsche, and the company has spent some serious euros retooling a plant for high-capacity production.
There’s no mistaking this vehicle’s parentage; the sloped nose and pulled-back headlights with just a hint of separate front fenders tell the whole story. Large air intakes down below are similar to the recently-revised Cayenne and Panamera models, while the dramatically sloped greenhouse and muscular side profile speak of automotive athleticism. LED lighting is used at the rear, and the exhaust is tuned for a uniquely Porsche engine note.
It definitely looks the part, and Porsche has gone to great lengths to make sure that the Macan is a respectable member of the family. A choice of 340-horsepower 3.0 liter or 400-horse 3.6 liter turbocharged V6 engines is on offer. 0-60 times are 5.0 and 4.6 seconds respectively, and the Macan Turbo will top 160mph on the track. The excellent seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission sends the power through the Porsche Traction Management all-wheel drive system. The pavement-based AWD system uses torque vectoring to balance power during hard driving and, combined with the Macan’s relatively wide stance, should result in extremely stable handling.
A choice of conventional, active and air suspensions is offered, to cater to a range of drivers. The Macan’s Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) active suspension helps to reduce body roll and can be set to the individual driver’s preference. Six-piston calipers on all models ensure that braking is up to Porsche’s standard as well. It may come as a surprise that the available air suspension can also be raised to an off-road mode as well, increasing ground clearance to a maximum of 9.06 inches and improving the approach and departure angles to 19 and 25.3 degrees. Will the Macan be able to pull off a credible Land Rover Range Rover Evoque imitation?
