Porsche Macan SUV unveiled in LA with up to 400 hp

Porsche has just unveiled the all-new Macan at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The compact SUV is the sports car maker’s sixth model line in its vastly expanding range, and is claimed to be the most dynamic vehicle in its class. One worthy of the Porsche badge, apparently, while also delivering a high level of comfort and versatility.

The company goes on to say that it’s both an SUV and a sports car. We won’t go quite that far, but it looks like a Porsche, that’s for sure. Its sloping roofline and wraparound bonnet give off a sporty appearance, while the rest of it is as per the bigger Cayenne SUV. A few nods to the 911 and 918 Spyder are also apparent.

Inside, the steering wheel mimics that of the 887 hp hybrid hypercar, while the sloping centre console will be a familiar sight to all current Porsche owners. The three-cowl instrument cluster includes a high-res LED colour display, and the gear selector is mounted high up in the cockpit. Buttons for vital features are all grouped around the gear lever for easy operation.

Three variants are available at launch: Macan S, Macan Turbo and Macan S Diesel. The base petrol version gets a brand new 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 engine with 340 hp/460 Nm, and can get to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds (or 5.2 with the optional Sport Chrono package), and on to a top speed of 253 km/h. It delivers up to 11.4 km per litre too, if you have a light right foot.

Move up a notch, and the Macan Turbo gives you 400 hp/550 Nm from a 3.6 litre V6, which is also twin-turbocharged. It gets to 100 km/h quicker too of course, needing just 4.8 seconds, falling to 4.6 seconds with the Sports Chrono pack. Average fuel consumption suffers a little bit, down to 11.1 km/l, while top speed is up to 264 km/h.

Slowest of the lot is the Macan S Diesel, with just 258 hp/580 Nm from its 3.0 turbodiesel V6. Zero to 100 km/h takes 6.3 seconds (6.1 with Sport Chrono pack), hardly tardy for an SUV, while it can do 16.2 km/l. V-max is set at 229 km/h. Porsche says even the diesel will sound like a sports car, with an acoustically-designed active exhaust flap fitted as standard on all models.

A quick look at Porsche’s official Malaysian website reveals that we will get a detuned Macan S Diesel with 245 hp and 550 Nm – the same outputs with the Cayenne Diesel we have here. Why not the 258 hp turbodiesel? We reckon it’s because the engine uses an advanced Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system, which will have issues with our local, say, unique diesel fuel.

On the outside, you can spot the top-of-the-range Macan Turbo by its distinctive ‘C-blade’ air intakes up front. Round the sides, the so-called sideblades running at the bottom of the doors are painted in body colour in the range-topper, but in Lava Black in lesser variants. The exhaust pipes are different too – round on the Macan S and S Diesel, square on the Turbo.

Standard across the range is the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel drive system, mated to a seven-speed PDK double-clutch transmission. There’s an off-road mode offered as standard too, for those who would be crazy enough to go off the tarmac in their Porsches.

Optional extras include handling-enhancing Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) and performance-tuned Sport Chrono package. The latter bundles in Porsche’s Launch Control (hence the quicker acceleration times) and a more extreme setting for the chassis, engine, transmission and exhaust package.

There are three chassis variations available on the Macan. The base Macan S and S Diesel get standard steel springs, while the Macan Turbo is upgraded to Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) chassis with Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus settings. Optional on all models is air suspension, which adds the ability to adjust the vehicle’s ride height.

Always a Porsche forte, the Macan features a high-performance braking system. Six-piston fixed-calliper front brakes are standard across the range – 350 mm in diameter in the Macan S and S Diesel, and 360 mm in the Macan Turbo. At the rear are 330 mm discs on the two base models, and 356 mm items on the Turbo. Up to 21-inch wheels are available on all variants.

The Macan should make its way to Malaysian shores in due time, but for how much? In other markets, the Porsche Macan S and S Diesel are both priced around 25% less than the V8-powered Cayenne S (which starts at RM700k locally), while the Macan Turbo creeps up on the Cayenne S Hybrid’s price range (RM740k here). Interested?

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