Macan 2 litre 4 cyclinder announced

Porsche have announced an entry level Macan which puts it in direct competition with the Evoque Si4; costs around £40k but this is poverty spec and you'd want to add something like £8 - £9k to bring it up to the equivalent level. Different focus of course but the most direct competition for the Evoque we have seen so far.

A 4 cylinder diesel is the next logical step...

(25-04-2014 10:36am)mark_n Wrote:  Porsche have announced an entry level Macan which puts it in direct competition with the Evoque Si4; costs around £40k but this is poverty spec and you'd want to add something like £8 - £9k to bring it up to the equivalent level. Different focus of course but the most direct competition for the Evoque we have seen so far.

A 4 cylinder diesel is the next logical step...

But they're really ugly!!

Based on a VW platform and sharing an engine with a Skoda....Nice

Dacia Duster tow out excepted, Autocar says the 3.0ltr S is quite competent offroad although the important approach/ departure and breakover angles are significantly less than the Evoque and Freelander2. As Autocar comments in this weeks edition "that won't bother too many owners who are unlikely to get mud in the wheelarches" Their summary of it is " A civilised rally car!"

I know there's unlikely to be much objectivity here. Yes the car is based on an Audi platform, just like the Evoque is based on the Freelander. Yes, the 4 cylinder is a generic VW engine but so too is the Evoque engine which is a Ford engine which finds use in the Ford Focus.

The car looks great in the metal and I am going to Leipzig next week to see them being made and hopefully drive one on Porsche's test track.

Hopefully, LR are mildly spooked by the success of the car - 18 month lead times - and realise they need to up their game.

(25-04-2014 05:18pm)mark_n Wrote:  I know there's unlikely to be much objectivity here. Yes the car is based on an Audi platform, just like the Evoque is based on the Freelander. Yes, the 4 cylinder is a generic VW engine but so too is the Evoque engine which is a Ford engine which finds use in the Ford Focus.

The car looks great in the metal and I am going to Leipzig next week to see them being made and hopefully drive one on Porsche's test track.

Hopefully, LR are mildly spooked by the success of the car - 18 month lead times - and realise they need to up their game.

They really should make an Evoque RS with the 510 - 550 hp V8 in it. They could even de-tune it to 500 hp -- would be a hell of a ride.

I'd definitely buy one if it came with the above and air suspension


But more realistically they could easily drop in the supercharged V6 and tune it for an output of 400-425 hp that would a nice Maccan fighter

I drove the diesel one last week in Germany and I have to admit it's really quiet, in fact the petrol one is louder!
The test one I drove was fully loaded and cost 97,000 euros.
I could have one in Feb so not really the 18 month lead time!
But it had things I didn't like: no push start button but instead a dummy key you needed to turn! The panorama roof blind is too thin, the sun still shines through. Plus some other stuff.
So not sure if I'd want to spend £60 plus because of a badge?

£60 is quite cheap!

I test drove the V6 petrol Macan S a few days ago. The dealer said the forthcoming 4cyl engine will have 237bhp.
Can't help thinking the Evoque will out-perform that version. Even with a lighter engine, the Macan will still be a good 100+kgs heavier than the Evoque. The PDK gearbox might just give it a better 0-60 time, but acceleration in-gear has to be worse.

The Macan's V6 3.0L engine is very good though! Wish they could shoehorn one into the Evoque's engine bay..
The engine and gearbox make a great howling/whining noise as you wind up through the gears
The dual-clutch gearbox is seriously smooth. The Evoque's 9spd auto is very good most of the time, but the PDK box is so smooth all of the time - I simply could't catch it out. It also works very well as an 'auto' box left in 'D' if you just want to drive in a relaxed fashion. I reckon the gearbox is probably the car's best feature.

I was disappointed with the steering. Before the Evoque, I drove a 911 for 8 years and I was hoping the Macan would have the same kind of steering feel - but it just doesn't! It's good, better than the Evoque, but only by a fairly small margin. My other car is a Fiesta ST and it does have 911/Cayman-like steering - very quick and precise. To be fair to Porsche, they have now built the best performing/handling/steering SUV to date. But when they try to tell you it feels like a 911 or Boxter - that's a stretch.
Ride quality was very good, I was expecting it to be firmer but it was near identical to the Evoque.
This was on conventional springs with PASM adaptive dampers. Apparently the air-suspension option improves the ride even more.

I was really hoping I would like the looks of this car when I got to see it in the flesh... But no.
I tried quite hard, from many angles... But no! It's not a pretty sight...
Saw one parked next to a Cayenne and, seen from a distance, you'd be hard pressed to tell which was which.
No shortage of buyers though, the dealer said they'd got 80+ outstanding orders and only 37 more deliveries this year. If I ordered today it would be 18-24 months before delivery!

I jumped back into the Evoque, ready to be disappointed having thoroughly enjoyed driving the Porsche.
Dynamically, the Macan is definitely better in every department.
But on the drive home I was pleasantly surprised to be reminded just how good the Evoque is too.
The Macan is the better drive, but it's not by a huge margin...

Interesting comments, thank you. I agree the surprising weight of the Macan is likely to count against it with the 2 litre engine and it's not surprising it's special order only in the UK. The 3 litre V6 is only £4k or so more so here in the UK, it's a no brainer. The car exists mainly for those markets where engines over 2 litres are heavily taxed.

The steering comparison may be down to the extra weight over the front wheels which tends to dull feedback but also the use of electric power steering compared to your (and mine) older 911.

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(25-04-2014 07:13pm)Stadt Panzer Wrote:  I could have one in Feb so not really the 18 month lead time!

That's for Germany; Porsche supply to the UK is restricted because cars sell for less here so the profit margin is reduced and there's less incentive to supply. The prices at the dealership opposite the factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen - new and used - defy belief.