Porsche Macan

All posts in “Porsche Macan”

Porsche Macan: Final testing for the facelift

How far can you stretch a nameplate? There are virtually no limits since Ford has decided to name a portly electric SUV the Mustang Mach-E – while simultaneously selling the real thing. Now Porsche is taking the same approach with its Macan: Going forward, there will be an electric Macan – and a conventionally powered Macan.

It’s no surprise that Porsche is taking this dual approach: The Macan is the best-selling Porsche of all, thanks not least to its popularity on the Chinese market.

It is still unclear how quickly electric mobility will take off – or whether alternatives will prevail, such as hydrogen-powered cars or even conventionally powered cars that are more efficient than today and presumably powered by carbon-neutral synthetic fuels.

China, in particular, has taken a decidedly cautious approach on E-mobility, and Porsche understandably doesn’t want to take undue risks with its crossover cash cow. And therefore there will henceforth be two entirely different Macan models.

“When it launches in the 2023 calendar year, the Macan Electric will be the first Porsche off the PPE platform,” says Porsche spokesman Ben Weinberger. That platform is currently being co-developed with Audi, and the Macan Electric is a close sibling of the upcoming Audi Q6 crossover SUV and the next-gen Audi A6, which was previewed with a concept car at the Shanghai motor show this spring.

In off-the-record conversations, we are told that the Macan Electric will come in several power levels, and it is important to Porsche that its range significantly tops the Taycan’s. It will likely come to the US as a 2024 model.

But before that, the brand will launch the next generation of the conventionally powered Macan; we had a close look at a slightly camouflaged protoype. If it doesn’t look a lot different from the current model, that’s because it isn’t. To be launched later this year, it is the second big facelift of a model that initially launched in 2014 as a close relative of the Audi Q5.

What we can expect is a bolder, wider front fascia, and a new rear bumper with a black diffuser. That’s pretty much it, as far as the still-fresh looking exterior is concerned. “A good proportion never gets old,” says Weinberger. The Macan was styled by Mitja Borkert, who is now chief designer at Lamborghini.

Inside, the changes are more significant: There will be a new center console with a large glass area with touch-screen functionality. The number of buttons is sharply reduced, and the infotainment system boasts a 10.9-inch touch screen. There are new materials, the gear selector is shortened, and there is now a standard analog clock. Steering wheels are shared with the 911 – for the first time.

In the new Macan, Porsche will offer three power levels, down from four: The standard 2.0-liter four will now make 265 horsepower and serve up 400 Nm of torque, both significantly more than before.

One level up is the Macan S, powered by a 2.9-liter V-6 that will make 380 horsepower and 520 Nm of torque; that’s exactly the engine that was fitted in the pre-facelift Macan GTS. The ultra-aggressive application is unchanged from the former GTS, and thus Macan S customers get a car that’s a lot more interesting to drive than before.

The GTS itself rises to a whopping 440 horsepower and 550 Nm, exactly on the level of the former Macan Turbo. But the application has been sharpened in order to achieve the more boisterous temperament associated with the GTS nameplate.

The top-level Turbo version is gone; Porsche is not looking to go beyond the 434-horsepower power level, for several reasons: They want to give the uplevel versions of the Cayenne room to breathe, and both the 2.9-liter V-6 and the 7-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox are close to their limits with the former Turbo and the upcoming GTS power level.

The future GTS top model will be lowered and include the PASM system; the dampers are new, the air suspension is stiffer. And an optional GTS Sport package will be fitted with Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), the Sport Chrono package and sports seats.

Our impressions of the new Macan, which will be unveiled next month and launch as a 2022 model, are decidedly positive. It looks like the electric Macan will meet a formidable competitor when it launches a few years down the road…

2022 Porsche Macan Facelift

June 21, 2021 / Comments Off

343

Full Electric Porsche Macan to Launch in 2023, Gasoline Versions Too

Prototypes of the next generation all-electric Porsche Macan SUV are ready to be tested on the roads outside the Porsche premises. A member of the Porsche Executive Board quoted that by the time the full electric Macan will be unveiled in 2023, it will have completed some three million kilometres tests worldwide in different roads and weather conditions.

Digital development and testing saves time, costs, preserves resources and enhances stability. Porsche engineers use digital prototypes that replicate the properties, power units and system of a vehicle to a high-degree of accuracy instead of real vehicles.

There are over 20 digital prototypes available for the purpose of simulations in development categories such as aerodynamics, energy management, operations as well as acoustics. The aerodynamic specialists are the first engineers to work with a digital prototype. Low aerodynamic drag is crucial to the electric Macan to ensure long range, even minor flow enhancements can impact the results.

The engineers are currently using simulations to fine-tune details such as the cooling air ducts, the calculations take different arrangements components into account as well as reflect real life temperature differences.

New methods currently allow precise aerodynamic and thermodynamic simulations. The electric drive system from the battery to the motor requires a separate cooling and temperature control system that is different from the conventional powered vehicle. A combustion engine requires a temperature window of 90-120 degrees whereas an electric motor equipped with a high-voltage battery requires 20 and 70 degrees range depending on the component.

At an early stage, virtual prototypes can be combined with real-world scenarios. For instance, Porsche engineers are bringing the display and operating concept to life in an early development phase in conjunction with the digital virtual prototypes by using a seat box to recreate the driver’s environment.

The first physical prototype of the electric Macan was built by hand or special tools using data based and acquired from simulations. The findings from road testing are then fed into digital developments directly by the same token. The test programme of the electric Macan takes place under extreme climatic and topographical conditions includes disciplines such as the charging and condition of the high-voltage battery which is yet to meet the rigorous standards. Michael Steiner promises that the all-electric Macan will be the sportiest model in the segment and it will also offer typical Porsche E-Performance like the Taycan.

The launch of the all-electric Macan is planned for 2023 alongside the new combustion engined Macan models.

May 12, 2021 / Comments Off

374

Updated Porsche Macan GTS Revealed

A refreshed Porsche Macan GTS launched earlier this week. The GTS has become a staple model within the Porsche range. In the 911, Cayman and Boxster ranges it links the standard Carrera models to the hardcore RS range. For the Cayenne, Macan and Panamera, it sits between the standard models and the Turbo versions. It blends performance and comfort.

The latest version of the Porsche Macan GTS uses a 2.9-litre V6 engine with turbochargers mounted inside the V. It puts down 380 hp and 520 Nm, mild increases over the outgoing model. The changes are enough to propel the GTS to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, three tenths faster than before. It has a top speed of 261 km/h.

2020 Porsche Macan GTS

The GTS gets a reworked PDK dual-clutch transmission and an optional Sport Chrono package. The Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) damping control system has been specially tuned with the suspension sitting 15 mm lower than standard. The Macan GTS gets optional adaptive air suspension too, this drops ride height by another 10 mm.

The GTS rides on 20-inch RS Spyder Design wheels and generously sized cast iron brakes (360 x 36 millimetres at the front, 330 x 22 millimetres at the rear). Two further brake options are available including the Porsche Surface Coated Brake (PSCB) with tungsten carbide coating or the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB).

The Sport Design package is standard with the Macan GTS with a new front trim, rear trim and side skirts. Black painted elements – a feature of all GTS models – are plentiful. The LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) and the three-dimensional rear lights with LED light bar are darkened.

Inside, Alcantara is available on the seat centre panels, the centre console armrests and door panels. A multifunction sports steering wheel is fitted as standard. The GTS gets a unique seat set with eight-way adjustment. In Germany, prices start at 77,880 euros including VAT.

GTSPIRIT NEWSLETTER

December 19, 2019 / Comments Off

558

2019 Porsche Macan SUV

At the turn of the millennium, there were shockwaves sent through the motoring world when Porsche unveiled plans for the Cayenne SUV. Only 4 years ago, the manufacturer managed to shock people once more with the details of the streamlined Macan. However, the public responded favorably and to Porsche’s credit, it has become one of the biggest sellers.

For 2019, it is not shocking then that the company are releasing a new and improved version of this monster. The crossover-SUV now looks more like a traditional Porsche than it ever has in its interesting history. Although the vast majority of the upgrades are aesthetic, they are nonetheless comprehensive.

Take the front end of the car for instance – it is getting a repositioned and completely redesigned intake vents that will match nicely with the complete suite of standard LEDs in the front and back of the car.

The monster’s bodywork has been painstakingly altered to look wider at the front and slimmer at the back, with a striking and beautifully devised LED strip light the width of the tail. To match the all-wheel-drive system it will be given new wheels and tires.

It doesn’t stop there, with some upgraded tech being added to the interior – in the form of the 11-inch size, fully-interactive. touchscreen management system and self-driving tech known as Traffic Jam Assist – you even have the option to choose a GT-style steering wheel.

Find Out More

August 5, 2018 / Comments Off

546

Official: 2019 Porsche Macan

Porsche may have created and dominated the segment of sporty crossover SUVs with the Macan, but the model has been somewhat eclipsed by the competition: The second-gen Audi Q5 stands on the more modern MLB Evo architecture, and the BMW X3/X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC offer actual coupe versions. Now Porsche has facelifted the Macan, added new engines and upgraded its electronics significantly.

Under the hood, there is an entirely new generation of V-6 engines, co-developed with Audi: The Macan S is now fitted with a 3.0-V6 turbo that makes 354 horsepower, and the Macan Turbo gets a 2.9 V-6 biturbo that’s rated at 440-horsepower. A Macan S D will follow, fitted with a 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel that makes around 300 horsepower, and some markets keep the wildly popular Macan base model, fitted with a 2.0-liter turbo four, rated a 245 horsepower. All models keep the 7-speed Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, a “wet” dual-clutch automatic.

2019 Porsche Macan

Future derivatives will include a Macan GTS with around 380 horsepower, and possibly a Macan Turbo Performance Package with close to 500 horsepower. There will be no plug-in hybrid, which we don’t think is much of a loss.

The chassis has been slightly tweaked, and the Macan’s 18- to 21-inch wheel portfolio features a few new entries. Inside, the infotainment system is entirely new and now operates on a level with the Cayenne and the Panamera. The voice control system works better, the cruise control now offers enhanced stop-and-go assistance, and the touch screen grows from a modest 7 inches to a full 11 inches, forcing the air vents below. And, lo and behold, you can get an ionisator, for whatever its placebo effect is worth.

The Sport Chrono package now includes the red “Sport Response Button” that’s a fixture in Porsche’s other lineups equipped with the package. The fat stopwatch remains atop the dashboard, in stark contrast to the otherwise angular and futuristic ambience. The optional GT steering wheel gets smaller in diameter.

Up front, the Macan looks a bit wider and it comes with new LED headlights, but the real changes are in the rear: The wide, three-segment taillight stretches across the entire tail, and it makes the car look a bit more contemporary than before. The Turbo model gets exclusive bumper treatment.

The facelifted Macan comes to dealers in the autumn, targeting the upmarket versions of the Audi Q5, the BMW X3 and X4, the Jaguar F-Pace, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC. We think it will continue to do well on global markets.

July 25, 2018 / Comments Off

526