Porsche Macan S
When the big Porsche Cayenne was introduced in 2002, it was not only the name that spiced up SUV-market. Porsche quickly took the lead and paved the road for a segment of luxury utility vehicles that has been growing ever since. With the tremendous success of the Cayenne it was no surprise that Porsche was keen to add another SUV to their palette of models – the Macan. With a name derived from the Indonesian word for tiger, Porsche wants to prove that you do not necessarily have to lose agility and power just because you are having a hefty body. Red Line Driving test the new German tiger on the bendy roads in the heart of the Swedish forests.
Today it does not matter if you’re Lamborghini, Maserati or Rolls Royce, everyone wants to be the subject when families sit around the kitchen table to discuss their next SUV. However, twenty years when Porsche first announced that they saw a potential in the market of clumsy jeeps, the idea did not appeal to the fans. Having a history of decades in racing and being recognized worldwide for the immutable design of the sporty 911, some saw it as a betrayal of the Porsche heritage. Others questioned whether a sportscar manufacturer could build a vehicle that was capable off-road. Perhaps the idea of a SUV would not have been so controversial amongst the skeptics if they would have recalled that Porsche built tractors in their early days and that their off-road skills had been used in the rally world several times. In other words, both the knowledge and foundation to create a great SUV have been a given part of the Porsche DNA long before the first Macan rolled off the production line.
Speaking about units sold, the Macan is by far the most popular Porsche and in 2017 it even outsold the classic 911 by a 3:1 ratio. Thus, it is no surprise that the 2019 update of the Macan is taken very seriously in Stuttgart. In fact, the new face-lift feels like an entirely new car. It does not only come with new optics to match the rest of the family, everything has been improved – engines, chassi, brakes and suspension. Even the braking pedal has been worked on and is now made of carbon fiber, to add extra feeling and shave off 300 grams!
“Speaking about units sold, the Macan is by far the most popular Porsche and in 2017 it even outsold the classic 911..."
Painted in the all new Mamba Green Metallic and equipped with the black 21” high-gloss retro-style wheels, the new Macan S is conspicuous. If that is not enough to get people’s attention, the 354 Hp V6-engine makes enough noise to wake up the neighborhood – if the active valve is open that is. The Sports Chrono Package in combination with the active air suspension makes the car very nimble. As we push the car through curvaceous roads in the Swedish forest, the elevated seating position is one of the few things that reminds us that it is a SUV that we are driving.
Unlike many other car manufacturers, Porsche can proudly say that they do not follow trends, they set them. It is as true for their grand tourers as it is for their SUV’s as they brought the sportiness into a previously dull segment. After driving the Macan S it is not hard to see why such cars is the recipe for success.
254 km/h
Top Speed
480 Nm
Torque
354 Hk
Power
5.1 sec
0-100 km/h
$110 000
Price
