By: IOL Motoring Staff
Stuttgart, Germany - Porsche has outplayed the tuning houses for which Germany is famous, at least in terms of upgrading the Macan compact SUV, with a performance package of its own, which takes its place at the top of the model line-up.
As well it should; based on the existing Macan Turbo, it ups the ante on the 3.6-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 by 30kW (up from 304 to 324) and 50Nm (was 550, now 600, on tap from 1500-4500rpm). The seven-speed dual clutch transmission has also been tweaked for shorter response times, higher-revving shift points and extra torque during gear-changes.
All told, that's enough to knock almost half a second off its launch time to 100km/h - from 4.8 to 4.4 seconds - and add 6km/h to its top end, now up to 272km/h, at a nominal cost of 9.4 to 9.7 litres per 100km, depending on which tyres you opt for.
What's perhaps more important in real-world driving, is that acceleration from 80-120km/h is two tenths quicker at 2.9 seconds - and those will be two very important tenths when it comes to overtaking a 22 metre semi-trailer rig.
Chassis upgrades
But even a Macan cannot live by power alone; the official Performance Package includes uprated brakes with red-painted six-piston callipers on 390mm grooved front discs (30mm bigger than the standard Macan Turbo) and active suspension management - specifically tuned for this application with a 15mm lower ride height; self-levelling air suspension with height adjustment is an option.
Standard kit includes a sports exhaust system and Sport Chrono Package - which amps up the performance a little bit more in Sport Plus mode, tightening up the steering, throttle response and gear-shift mapping, accompanied by a seriously sporty soundtrack.
Two further packages are available as factory-fit options; the Turbo Exterior Package includes 21 inch 911 Turbo-style rims with gloss black detail, LED adaptive headlights and black body trim elements, while the Turbo Interior package adds black leather trim with lots of alcantara inserts, colour appliqué and carbon-fibre trim elements, including door sill plates with the model logo back-lit in white.
Price guesstimate
The Porsche Macan Turbo with Performance Package is available to order now, with first deliveries in South Africa planned for late November or early December, at a base price of R1 540 000.
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