Porsche Macan is coming

Just back from a visit to the Porsche plant in Leipzig which is where the new Macan will be built. Currently it builds the Cayenne and the Panamera though significant work is done elsewhere. The Panamera body is made in VW Hannover and most of the Cayenne is made in Bratislava.

It's clear they are building up for significant volume - a new body plant will double the space and they expect to make 40-50000 Macan's a year.

Engine options are likely to range from the VW 2.0 diesels to the existing Porsche 3.0 V6. However you look at it, the Macan will provide serious competition to the Evoque. The Cayenne leaves me cold but it's lower cost than the FFRR; the high-end Evoques are likely to be under pressure from the Macan but of course, low-end Porsches are poorly equipped as standard.

I'm really hoping for a leading response from LR... we so badly need an Evoque with some real oomph.

Personally I don't think it will hit LR hard, that thing they call a 4wd hasn't dented the FFRR sales. To many have tried and failed to take the top spot from LR.

Just my tuppence worth.

Cayenne is not a competitor to the FFRR, it is direct competition for the RRSport. FFRR doesn't really have any serious SUV competition, it's competitors are the very high end saloons like S Class Mercs, the VW Mulsanne/GTC etc/ and the BMW Royce. Personnally I doubt the Baby Porsche SUV will be a lot of competition to the Evoque, yes it will steal a customer or two, but I don't believe the customers/ market they are aiming at are same. It will be too pricey and sporty for the family man and the inspirational young professionals will find it too costly to insure because it has the word Porsche on the nose

(18-10-2012 10:15pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  It will be too pricey and sporty for the family man and the inspirational young professionals will find it too costly to insure because it has the word Porsche on the nose

If I (just for one moment) don my snob hat - I would much rather own a Range Rover than a Porsche.
IMO (and entirely MO) porsche are heading rapidly into BMW M3 territory in terms of their owners - (these are the guys that grew up from the saxo's and xr3i's )

"Cayenne is not a competitor to the FFRR, it is direct competition for the RRSport."

Yes and No.

I had this argument for hours and I was on your side. But, the point has to be made that those people who are looking at a Cayenne Turbo or Turbo S are most probably considering a FFRR not an RRS. (when considering buying a Marquee Mid/Large SUV.)

I suppose at Turbo/Turbo S prices it is a competitor on price but even a 5.0S/C I wouldn't consider a competitor for them, it is a high rise 4WD limo that can go quite fast but it is not an SUV race car. One thing people don't buy a Cayenne specifically for is its off-road capability (although I have seen one off-road and they are very very competent with a very complex system of locking diffs)