It’s an open secret that Porsche’s hot new SUV is based on the six-year-old Q5 (updated two years ago), but Porsche emphasises that two-thirds of the Macan are bespoke. Coincidentally, the last Q5 I drove was the SQ5, the rapid 3-litre supercharged variant with 354bhp, 470Nm and a century sprint timing of 5.4 seconds.
The Macan S, with its 3-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 340bhp and 460Nm, has a slightly lower output than the SQ5, but the ample torque arrives early (at 1450rpm) compared to the Audi, and the 7-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission works quickly.
It works even more promptly with the Sport Chrono option, which offers Launch Control that cuts the century sprint timing from 5.4 seconds to 5.2. That’s quicker than the Cayman, a dedicated 2.7-litre flat-6 Porsche coupe. The Macan stops very well, too – its disc brakes bite as gently or as fiercely as I like, with a brake pedal that’s been calibrated perfectly for every stopping scenario.
The Macan S sounds promising when started up, with a small explosion of V6 revs and a big bark from the exhaust pipes, followed by a purposeful burble as the engine idles. On the go, there’s no lag in both the turbocharged output and the throttle response – the car speeds up without any hesitation, seeing 200km/h before the rate of acceleration begins to taper off.
The top-of-the-line Macan Turbo, with a punchy 400bhp and 550Nm from its 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 (essentially a stroked-up version of the 3-litre motor), goes and sounds faster than the already lively Macan S, but doesn’t feel much faster at first on Leipzig’s single-lane country roads. Only on the autobahn does the greater vigour become obvious – unlike the S, which loses some steam after the needle swings past “11 o’clock” on the speedometer, the Turbo continues to accelerate like a Teutonic rocket above 200km/h, hitting 220km/h in a jiffy and touching 240km/h with just a bit of extra mechanical effort.
Also, the full-blown upshifts by the PDK dual-clutch transmission are more brutal in the Turbo than in the S, whose gearchanges seem to be smoother across the board.
If the unrestricted German highway is long enough and the high-speed traffic is light, I reckon the Turbo could cruise happily at 200km/h to 220km/h for an hour or two without the driver getting tired. Good thing, too, that the car comes with a 75-litre fuel tank instead of the 65-litre petrol container in the Macan S.
Cruising at any speed, the car is unflappable and comfortable, especially if it’s equipped with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management). This electronically controlled system continuously regulates the damping force according to the motoring conditions and driving style, with the driver also able to select one of three suspension maps: Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus.
Even in the Comfort-oriented setting, the car maintains superb stability and tackles corners tidily, but the Sport settings make a discernible difference to the vehicle’s controllability and handling, with an acceptable reduction in the ride quality.
Air suspension is also available – in Singapore, it’s a $10k option for the regular suspension or a $6k add-on if your Macan already has PASM (which is standard equipment for the Turbo variant). The air suspension system features full load-bearing and continually adaptable, situation-dependent damper-force adjustment, plus three different levels of ground clearance (High/230mm, Normal, Low/180mm). “Normal” in this case means a ride height that’s 15mm lower than the steel-spring suspension and therefore 15mm closer to the road in terms of roadholding.
Air suspension also allows the Macan to have a low-loading function that “drops” the rear end for easier access to the boot compartment.
There’s 500 litres of cargo space, expandable to 1,500 litres by folding down the 40/20/40 split-fold backseats. The boot is noticeably less roomy than the Cayenne’s (670-litre capacity), but its squarish shape facilitates the carrying of luggage (not necessarily the co-branded Rimowa trolley cases that come in the same colours as Porsche’s paintwork palette).
The cabin space is similar to the Audi Q5’s, but the Macan’s classier interior architecture and nicer headliner (Alcantara in the case of the test car) ensure that passengers in the Porsche won’t mistake it for an “upper-upmarket” Audi SUV. Even the grab handles above the windows appear to retract more gracefully than those in the premium-quality Q5.
There is also the usual leather package from the Porsche factory (standard on the Turbo and optional for the other models), which spreads the cowhide more generously, including to the upper part of the dashboard. The upholstery can also be two-tone, if you wish. Trim choices include brushed aluminium, carbon and burr walnut (wood looks odd in a car like this, I think).
The cockpit is where the Macan really sets the pace in its segment. Even though the switchgear, infotainment system and sloping centre console will be familiar to Cayenne owners, the rest of the Macan cockpit feels refreshingly different and generally more exciting.
The driving position is significantly lower than in the Cayenne, or for that matter, any other German SUV in recent memory. The steering column has been placed at a sharper angle, too, and the steering wheel is modelled on the one in the 918 Spyder, Porsche’s spectacular hybrid hypercar.
Said wheel looks fabulous and feels fantastic, and the same goes for its paddles that override the PDK gearbox. Too bad the tiny ball-like thumbwheels on the steering’s horizontal spokes feel flimsy, at least on the early-production Macans I drove.
The electrically adjusted front seats provide solid support and long-journey comfort, but the optional 18-way, variable-bolster sports seats are even better (and costlier at the same time).
Whatever the seating package, visibility is excellent in every direction, although the rear view mirror, stylishly shaped to match the rear windscreen, should provide a wider view. It’s easy for the driver to “place” the vehicle, whether in the confines of town or out in the expansive (European) countryside.
And the all-wheel-drive Macan doesn’t mind getting dirty, tackling part of the massive 18-section off-road course at Porsche’s Leipzig facility without any trouble. Admittedly, the dirt tracks, angled inclines and steep ascents/descents would probably be a walk in the park, too, for something like the Range Rover Evoque (a major rival), but considering the sporty personality of the Macan, its outdoorsy 4×4 capability is a bonus.
Venturing off the beaten path in the car is stress-free (apart from worrying about scratching the lovely alloy rims on rocks and whatnot), thanks to convenient one-button activation of the off-road mode. Operational between 0km/h and 80km/h, said mode modifies all the relevant systems accordingly for optimum traction and maximum safety.
Another button activates the Porsche Hill Control system, which enables the vehicle to negotiate a downslope at a preset speed of between 3km/h and 30km/h, depending on the driver and his level of gung-ho. It’ll be plain sailing for this SUV in Singapore’s ulu areas and urban carparks.
But more important than the Macan’s ability to venture off the beaten track is its ability on the racetrack – in this case, the challenging circuit within the same Porsche facility.
Keeping up with the pace car, a 911 Carrera, is easier in the Turbo than in the S, but both Macan models (shod with upsized 265/45 R20 front and 295/40 R20 rear Michelin Latitude HP Tour tyres) are equally enthusiastic on the circuit.
Their body control is so good that at some point, they could be mistaken for chubby Caymans on stilts (or should that be Caymen?). And their steering feel is spot-on, albeit a little over-assisted, even with the adaptive dampers in their stiffest configuration, Sport Plus. The two Macans generate more grip than I need, and they spear through corners with verve. Clearly, these Porsches are serious about prioritising the “sports” in sports utility.
So, the Macan is a seriously sporty SUV. It’s also a seriously stylish SUV, but not to the extent suggested by Porsche, whose design description for its newcomer includes “the rear wings take their cue from the 911”, “the spoiler lip follows the style of the 918” and “it’s deeply rooted in Porsche’s legacy of sports cars”.
The most accurate part of the official design description is this quote from Porsche chief designer Michael Mauer: “The Macan is not a miniature Cayenne.”
Without a doubt, the Macan isn’t a downsized Cayenne – it’s rakish by SUV styling standards and has extremely pretty “3-D” LED tail-lights. But it’s still a high-riding five-door hatchback, albeit one that, unsurprisingly, makes the Cayenne look rather frumpy.
The surprise is the car’s clamshell bonnet, which encloses the headlights and forms part of the front fenders. It helps to keep the nose neat, but it’s also more costly to repair/replace after a collision (a Porsche engineer told me that his company has adjusted the cost of relevant replacement parts accordingly).
To my bespectacled eyes, the Macan’s aesthetic appeal appears to be colour-sensitive, with my favourite being Sapphire Blue (a special metallic paint job from Porsche Exclusive). I also prefer the round tailpipes of the Macan S to the squarish tailpipes of the Macan Turbo, with their respective shapes possibly meant to match their frontal foglamps (round on the S and rectangular on the Turbo).
DRIVETRAIN
TYPE V6, 32-valves, turbocharged
CAPACITY 3604cc
BORE X STROKE 96mm x 83mm
COMPRESSION RATIO 10.5:1
MAX POWER 400bhp at 6000rpm
MAX TORQUE 550Nm at 4500rpm
POWER TO WEIGHT 207.8bhp per tonne
GEARBOX 7-speed dual-clutch with manual select
DRIVEN WHEELS All
PERFORMANCE
0-100KM/H 4.8 seconds
TOP SPEED 266km/h
CONSUMPTION 11.2km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 208g/km
SUSPENSION
FRONT Multi-link, coil springs, electronically controlled adaptive dampers
REAR Multi-link, coil springs, electronically controlled adaptive dampers
BRAKES
Front / Rear Ventilated discs
TYRES
TYPE Dunlop SP Winter Sport
SIZE 235/55 R19 (front), 255/50 R19 (rear)
SAFETY
AIRBAGS 8
TRACTION CONTROL ABS with PSM
MEASUREMENTS
LENGTH 4699mm
WIDTH 1923mm
HEIGHT 1624mm
WHEELBASE 2807mm
KERB WEIGHT 1925kg
TURNING CIRCLE 11.9m
BUYING IT
PRICE EXCL. COE $356,888 (no CEVS rebate/surcharge)
WARRANTY 5 years/100,000km
WE SAY
+ Real sportiness in performance and handling, attractive and practical interior, handsome styling
Bound to cannibalise Cayenne V6 sales, being associated with the much older - Audi Q5, spindly windscreen wipers
