The new Porsche Macan may be based on the Audi Q5 platform, but company engineers believe they have done enough to make the Macan very different to drive.
It is sharp enough, they say, for the Macan to be called a ‘sports car’.
At the base of this is the decision to install a completely different transmission, Porsche’s own 7-speed PDK ‘box. This is a natively rear wheel drive unit, which means 80 per cent of the engine’s torque goes to the Macan’s rear axle in normal circumstances.
Porsche says some ‘two thirds’ of the Q5’s base components have been ‘replaced or modified’. The Macan also gets the option of adjustable air-suspension, giving it reasonable off-road ability.
The Macan is also marked out by a lower driving position than the Audi. The seat positioning has been modified, as have the mounts for the steering column, to allow the wheel to be mounted in a, flatter, ‘more Porsche 911-like’ position.
Earlier this month Porsche engineers took journalists on demonstration drives in the Macan to give a taste of the car’s abilities, ahead of the official launch.
Porsche Macan Launch Specs
Macan S (£43,300) - 335bhp 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo petrol engine. 0-62mph in 4.8sec and 32.5mpg.
Macan Diesel S (£43,300) - 254bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel. 0-62mph in 6.3sec 46.3mpg.
Macan Turbo (£59,300) - 394bhp 3.6-litre V6 twin turbo. 0-62mph in 4.8sec and 31.7mpg.
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