Porsche kicks off the launch of the refreshed Macan in Europe

Guillermo Lopez 2 October 2018 4 min.

Porsche kicks off the launch of the refreshed Macan in Europe

With its debut at the Paris Motor Show, Porsche kicks off the European launch of a new generation of the Macan, a model that has been updated and refreshed.

With subtle exterior and interior design changes compared with its previous edition, the new Macan brings refreshed features that aim not only to update its look but also to deliver greater on-board comfort, connectivity and driving dynamics. It also adds new elements that complete its equipment in an exquisite way, such as the three-dimensional LED light bar at the rear of the car or the new communication management system, fully interconnected with the 10.9-inch touchscreen that the Macan offers in its interior.

The new Macan has “Cayenne-ised” its exterior look, adopting as standard equipment LED daytime running lights and a rear end that recalls its bigger sibling even more, from which it takes the now-familiar, larger horizontal taillights that stretch across the tailgate, with the word Porsche highlighted in the middle section. This feature is already common to other models in the range (Panamera, 718 Cayman, 718 Boxster, …). The adoption of the brand’s common light signature also implies the new brake lights with a four-point design.

At the front, in addition to the new LED headlights already mentioned, various elements (grille, bumper, …) have been redesigned, making the whole look wider, and the exterior colour palette expands with four new options: Mamba Green Metallic, Dolomite Silver Metallic, Miami Blue and Crayon.

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As with the previous generation of the model, of which units are still for sale at dealerships, dynamics remain the Macan’s main strength. Porsche engineers have revised the chassis in order to improve the driving pleasure of the Macan, as well as a greater level of comfort for passengers on board. It uses mixed-size tyres (different dimensions on each axle) to make the most of the benefits provided by the intelligent traction management system (PTM) developed by Porsche. Thanks to the performance improvements of the newly developed tyres fitted to the Macan, greater lateral dynamic capabilities are achieved compared with the previous generation. The Macan comes as standard with wheels ranging from 18 to 21 inches, with larger alloy wheels available as options.

2-litre petrol engine with 245 hp

It is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine whose combustion chamber geometry has been improved and a new petrol particulate filter added. The new Macan delivers 180 kW (245 hp) and a maximum torque of 370 Nm, which guarantees strong acceleration and high agility. The engine is paired with a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission, capable of delivering power with the speed needed for the new Macan to reach 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 225 km/h.

Later, at the start of 2019, a Macan S will arrive, with a 3.0-litre engine producing 340 to 354 hp, and the Turbo variant will replace the current 3.6 V6 with the supercharged 2.9 V6 producing 440 hp, already known from the Cayenne S. Hybrid and diesel versions, at least for the time being, appear to have been ruled out for the new Macan range.

Inside the car is where the changes compared with the previous Macan are most noticeable, mainly because the first thing that catches the eye is the new centre console, which creates room in the centre of the dashboard for the new larger touchscreen, forcing a change in the layout of the central climate-control vents, which are now located below the screen and the controls. The list of optional features grows with items such as the new GT sports steering wheel (where a new integrated button allows the also optional Porsche Sport Chrono stopwatch system to be used), air ionisation, or the new traffic assistant with numerous driver-assistance systems and enhanced assistance available, such as adaptive cruise control which, in addition to accelerating and braking the vehicle semi-autonomously at speeds of up to 60 km/h, also helps it stay in its lane during traffic jams.

As for connectivity equipment, the Macan leaves nothing out. It includes the new Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system and the aforementioned 10.9-inch full HD touchscreen. It also features online navigation, is ready to operate with two mobile phones interchangeably, and has two different audio interfaces and intelligent voice control.

https://youtu.be/vB8qahfqAO0

Although its price in Spain is still unknown, in Germany, where the Macan is already available, it sells from 58,763 euros (VAT included).