Macan 2 litre 4 cyclinder announced

Mark.

I can't argue or disagree with what you are saying, it does seem bizarre that with a relatively new design that the Evoque is, that it doesn't have room for the bigger V6 engines, I know I'd buy one in a jiffy.

However, we do not know what the JLR strategy is at the moment re Engines, other than 4 pot diesel and petrol engines are the new basis of the Ingenium range. They will have to be good and I see no reason why they shouldn't be, time will tell.

I read at the weekend Ford and VW are looking at downsizing their engines in the near future, a 138 bhp, 4 pot, 1.1litre engine is to be fitted to the Mondeo.

My main thoughts though are that the SD4 diesel engine has plenty of grunt and is well capable of illegal speeds in this country, I cannot see the need for more powerful engines when we cannot exploit their full potential, certainly in this country anyhow.

I'm no slow coach either, I also like fast, my motorcycle ownership proved that.

(07-05-2014 09:38pm)Chrisr1806 Wrote:  Sounds like you've already decided on the Macan then.

Not at all; my preference is for an RRS but LR have a potent new competitor in the premium SUV market.

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The Macan is a longer car than the Evoque and my impression is that most of that extra length is in the engine bay which of course allows larger engines to be installed longitudinally. Part of the styling appeal of the Evoque is the shorter length which enhances the Tonka-toy look but that requires transverse engines and rules out V-engines from what I can see.

Of course the top speed performance is not usable here, the in-gear and through-gear acceleration is and we all know or can imagine the benefits of safe and rapid acceleration and overtaking.

It was interesting to v-max my little rented Audi A1 while in Germany. On the level on the A9 from Leipzig to Berlin, it got to an indicated 204kph, something over 120 mph and at that speed, it felt safe and secure, though buffeted by the big Audis, Mercedes and BMWs overtaking at much higher speeds. It would have been interesting to see how the Evoque behaved, I think it's v-max is a bit over 130 mph.

One aspect of the Macan I didn't like was the number of switches on the centre console and overhead and on the steering wheel. It's the complete opposite of the LR operating model which is to minimise the number of physical switches and move their function to the centre screen, especially in the RRS. All the more of a pity therefore that the screen and user interface are as slow and as dated as they are in the RRS and Evoque.

The LR is much better equipped as standard than the Macan and in the usual way of German manufacturers, there's a very long options list. An equivalently specified car costs something between £5-£10k more. That is the price of a better built and higher performing car plus I expect, a brand premium.

I bet if you ran a poll to cauterise a car brand the results would be

Porsche. Sporty, fast, fun.
RR. Go any ware, grand, luxury cruiser.

One thing for sure, I wouldn't buy a Range Rover as a sports car, I'd leave that to the experts like Porsche and Jaguar (I don't consider Mercedes, BMW and Audi to build "sports" cars they build fast repmobiles). To be honest, as a buyer of vehicles that need decent offroad performance I wouldn't consider buying a Porsche as an offroader, even though their offerings are miles better offroad than even the VW's that they are based on. You rarely hear of Porsche Cayenne owners venturing further offroad than the golf club carpark - a huge number of Range Rover owners are quite happy to take their cars into far more wild and remote places. Porsche supplies the Sport in SUV, Land Rover the Utility! I think it shows how far Land Rover has come in the last 20 years that it's cars CAN be held up as competitors to the likes of Porsche, especially if you are fortunate to be able to run a 5.0ltr V8 RRS or FFRR, which are basically off-road vehicles honed to have excellent onroad performance - the rest are on-road cars given some offroad ability. What I don't understand is why people looking for sports car handling and performance buy a high powered SUV and expect it to handle like a 911 or Boxter...............

(08-05-2014 09:53am)XFullFatTim Wrote:  One thing for sure, I wouldn't buy a Range Rover as a sports car, I'd leave that to the experts like Porsche and Jaguar (I don't consider Mercedes, BMW and Audi to build "sports" cars they build fast repmobiles). To be honest, as a buyer of vehicles that need decent offroad performance I wouldn't consider buying a Porsche as an offroader, even though their offerings are miles better offroad than even the VW's that they are based on. You rarely hear of Porsche Cayenne owners venturing further offroad than the golf club carpark - a huge number of Range Rover owners are quite happy to take their cars into far more wild and remote places. Porsche supplies the Sport in SUV, Land Rover the Utility! I think it shows how far Land Rover has come in the last 20 years that it's cars CAN be held up as competitors to the likes of Porsche, especially if you are fortunate to be able to run a 5.0ltr V8 RRS or FFRR, which are basically off-road vehicles honed to have excellent onroad performance - the rest are on-road cars given some offroad ability. What I don't understand is why people looking for sports car handling and performance buy a high powered SUV and expect it to handle like a 911 or Boxter...............

Only issue I have the Macan is that it's ugly and anonymous looking.

Otherwise, the ability of a Macan is definitely more appealing than my Evoque. No one really buys buys an Evoque for Off-Roading - it's that it's all weather all terrain vehicle that looks great and will generally stay on pavement, the off-roading is a bonus but any SUV can be taken off the pavement and do OK.

For that purpose, the Macan would feel and be a lot more involving to drive on 98% of the driving, just as good in snow and inclement weather, and still push a button to raise the suspension when you actually do have a need to go off-road for a trip or something.

I would definitely be looking at the Macan, maybe generation 2 for my next car.

According to Autocar's short test in today's issue the verdict is " Nice car, shame about the poor diesel engine, other marques do it a lot better" Also they advise that buyers should avoid the air sprung versions if possible, the steel sprung ones ride better. The car on test was a 3.0ltr V6 Turbo Diesel with lots of options fitted. I'm sure that won't bother 90% of buyers who will buy them just to have a Porsche on their drive!

I have also specced up a an S Diesel to as close to my car's spec and the price works out at ............... hope you are sitting down here (or have been looking at RRS prices) £68950.42p or £25950 worth of extras to get the toys I have now for the ££53000 list price of my Evoque. OK so I don't have the option of a V6 Diesel on the Evoque but the SQ5 has one as standard for a lot less dosh. I think I would sooner spend the money on a low spec RRS or an SQ5. I bet Porsche's servicing will cost somewhat more than £499 over 5 years too! For that money I could also have a very nice brand new Cayman, Boxter, F Type Jaguar V6 S or any number of nice used sporty cars.

In which case the new Jag SUV which should be launched in 2016 will give it a good run for its money.

At least I'm hoping so.

I agree the Macan is anonymous looking. Put one along side a Cayenne, Q5, even a Q3 and you can barely tell them apart. I enjoyed driving the petrol Macan S but it just doesn't feel special enough. Doesn't surprise me the diesel is a bit gutless; it's not even a Porsche engine, instead, it's the standard VAG 3 litre diesel with perhaps a few Porsche tweaks. What does surprise is that with this new car, they did not go aluminium to lighten it up.

Could the lack of Aluminium be because they don't have the tech to do it? Audi does but none of the other parts of the VW Group seems to utilise their tech.

(22-05-2014 03:20pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  Could the lack of Aluminium be because they don't have the tech to do it? Audi does but none of the other parts of the VW Group seems to utilise their tech.

The 911 is now made (mostly) of aluminium though that's a different plant in Stuttgart. The Audi aluminium centre of competence is in Neckarsulm just up the road where they make the A8 and the R8. So while VAG does aluminium, it's not for the volume cars.

Land Rover has done well to master aluminium and, presumably, they will extend it to the Evoque at some point.