Porsche is moving at least one-step closer to achieving mainstream manufacturer status with the soon-to-be-released Macan compact SUV, which our spies nabbed in Germany in both regular (first two photos in the gallery below) and Turbo trims wearing very little disguise.
Indeed, the only parts of the car hidden from common view are the headlamps, taillights and the rear-quarter side windows, all of which were dressed up with fake decals. While there’s no doubt that Porsche’s designers used the Cayenne styling formula on the Macan, they applied it in a way that the smaller SUV looks more dynamic with stronger overtones.
You can see that in the more rakish roofline and the heavier angled rear window, as well in the sportier window line and the more hunkered down front end, which also gains a clamshell-style bonnet that may be a curse in fender benders, but it does give the Macan some extra character.
A different front end with a more imposing grille and bigger air inlets, along with a quad exhaust pipe system at the rear, distinguish the Turbo version from the regular Macan. From what we’ve heard, under the Turbo’s hood is a modified version of the VW Group’s 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 delivering somewhere between 350 and 400 horses.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Macan’s lineup is expected to include a range of turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline and diesel units, all paired with a specially tweaked all-wheel drive system.
The underpinnings of the Macan will be shared with the next Audi Q5, with Porsche having stated multiple times that it will make all the necessary changes to provide the SUV with sportier handling characteristics.
Porsche says it anticipates to sell around 75,000 Macan SUVs in its first year on the market. The compact model’s rivals will include both regular premium SUVs like the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, as well as their sportier iterations, such as the upcoming BMW X4. The new Macan will arrive in the market next year.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
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