The Crittenden Automotive Library

Mighty Muscular Macan

Topics: Porsche Macan

Mighty Muscular Macan

Geoff Maxted
DriveWrite
August 7, 2013

Here at DriveWrite we make no secret of our love of Porsches and it’s no good trying to persuade us otherwise. They could make a car that looked like a wart to the rest of you and we’d still find positives. It’s hard to remain impartial but, at least with the Macan, we can only comment on what we believe is to come.

Now, the Porsche Cayenne is a very desirable vehicle but it is also massive. We’ll concede that. Now though, Porsche have come up with the answer - The Macan. That’s it in the image and we promise you can get it in colours other than that sickly yellow/green hue. There has been a trend recently for smaller SUV type vehicles and most manufacturers have something of the sort in their line-ups. The Audi Q5 for example is a scaled down version of the bigger Q7. Now Porsche have followed suit.

The Macan, styled as a sporty off-roader, is due out in time for Spring next year and is rumoured to be priced from around £36,000 which puts it right in the path of the the hugely successful Range Rover Evoque. It will be formally introduced to the automotive world in November at the Los Angeles Motor Show apparently.

This new addition to the Porsche list will be based on the same platform as the above mentioned Q5 but it will be more than just that vehicle in a posh frock. The Macan will make greater use of aluminium components which will make it lighter than the Audi to the tune of 130kilos.

Four-wheel drive is standard and it is expected to be powered, initially at least, by a choice of six-cylinder petrol or diesel engines. It may well be that new four cylinder engines will make an appearance later on in the car’s life. As with the other models in the range there will be an S-version and the inevitable hybrid.

Along with the lighter body, the Macan will differ from its Audi sibling by utilising some different chassis parts and suspension tuning unique to Porsche. The cabin will be as well appointed as you would expect from this prestige car maker and will follow the style seen currently in the 911 and Panamera.

Obviously there will be the usual Porsche family resemblance. The tapered rear lights are reminiscent of the 911 but the big grill, bumpers and the butch stance are strictly Cayenne. The company is keen to disassociate the Macan from the idea of car as fashion statement. This may be due to the fact that they are a little late to the small SUV party and are therefore aiming at exclusivity.

The car is to be built at an enlarged factory in Leipzig. This means that there won’t be capacity for another model which may signify that the rumoured Pajun saloon is still some time away. In the meantime they are banking on the Macan which, at some ten thousand pounds cheaper than the base Cayenne, offers a genuine alternative to the big brother. We’ll take both, thanks.