SYDNEY: The 2015 Porsche Macan is a crossover vehicle that represents the German manufacturer’s fifth model line and the first entry into the compact sports utility vehicle marketplace. The Macan actually bowed in 2013 as a 2014 model. The first Porsche SUV model line came to market as the Porsche Cayenne, and many wondered why Porsche was venturing out of their realm of sports car expertise and into the SUV market. Initially, I was one of those skeptics and failed to grasp the big picture — increased cash flow from a new revenue source. Without the added infusion of income from the Cayenne model lineup, the development and production of such stellar vehicles as the Carrera GT and near million dollar 918 Spyder Hybrid would not have been possible.
The Porsche Cayenne in its various forms has represented a huge sales success for Porsche, and now for 2015, the Porsche Macan is available in North America in two forms — the Porsche Macan S and Porsche Macan Turbo.
At first glance, the Macan appears to be an unsanforized version of its larger Cayenne sibling. Despite its somewhat smaller footprint, the Macan (which is Indonesian for Tiger) is still a highly capable Sports SUV. Sales expectations call for moving 50,000 annually of this newest compact Porsche SUV.
The Macan is based on Volkswagen’s MLB platform architecture — the same platform that Audi’s Q5 SUV is based on. Both the Macan and Q5 are approximately the same size, and both are powered by V-6 engines positioned ahead of the front axle, but the Macan differs from the Q5 with roughly only 20 percent of the parts interchangeable.
The base model Macan S draws its motive energy from a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6 that delivers 340 horses along with 339 foot-poundsof torque, while the top model Macan Turbo is powered by a 3.6-liter Twin turbo, 90 degree V-6 with Direct Fuel Injection and auto stop/start that cranks out 400 horsepower at 6,000 rpm while generating 406 foot-pounds of tiorque in a range from 1,350-4,500 rpm. Both the S and the Turbo Macans are all-wheel drive. Look for a less expensive trim model to follow these two initial entries.
