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Updated Porsche Macan Gets Sportier Looks and More Equipment
The Porsche Macan is getting a mid-cycle refresh that will make the crossover sportier than ever before, thanks to its 911-inspired looks. It will also get brand-new equipment inside the cabin.
Exterior
The exterior of the new Macan will follow the features from the 911 sports car, just like the latest Cayenne and Panamera. Up front, there are the familiar four-point LED headlamps that are standard on every trim. The grille and the side vents have been revised with the grille featuring horizontal slats only. The side vents no longer have daytime running lights at the top. The vents below are wider and the center outlet is rectangular. These make the Macan seem wider.
The side remains unchanged, though there are new wheel designs available in either 20 or 21 inches. At the back, the revised taillights now have LED strip that we saw on the 911 and the Panamera. The rear is finished off with a new diffuser with round exhaust pipes.
There are three new colors available for the Macan: Miami Blue, Mamba Green Metallic, Dolomite Silver Metallic, and Crayon.
Interior
Porsche made big changes in the Macan’s cabin. The obvious upgrade is the larger infotainment screen, which is now an 11-inch diagonal display. The German automaker removed the A/C vents and put them in smaller units below. The enhanced PCM system also removed most of the buttons for a cleaner center stack display.
The GT sports steering wheel is another major change. It was inspired by the 911 and now has new controls, a mode switch, and the Sport Response Button. That last feature is offered with the Sport Chrono Package. Other features include Connect Plus module and optional Traffic Jam Assist, an ionizer, and a heatable windscreen.
Powertrain
The new Macan has an enhanced chassis that enhances “neutrality while maintaining stability and improving comfort.” The engine lineup will start with the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet. The 3.0-liter V-6 should be able to produce 340 horses and 339 pound-feet or 360 horsepower and 369 pound-feet.
The range-topping Macan Turbo will use the same 3.6-liter V-6 with 400 horses and 406 pound-feet. The Performance Package will increase the output to 440 horsepower and 443 pound-feet. There will be two diesel models: one with 211 horsepower and another with 258 horsepower. Both will have 428 pound-feet of torque.
3 Facts About The Facelifted 2018 Porsche Macan
At the end of this year, the auto industry will welcome Porsche‘s all-new Cayenne, which, along with a coupe-styled Cayenne (said to be still under consideration despite the spy shots), is set to fire things up in the SUV segment.
The latest spy shots, however, revealed something else entirely—that the smaller Porsche Macan will have a facelift for 2018. It’s three years old, after all, and is already due an upgrade.
1. Macan’s Role in Porsche’s Inner Circle
The Macan, which is one of Porsche’s smallest offering on its lineup, was launched back in 2014. Since then, it became a core part of Porsche’s range of vehicles, rapidly rising to become the company’s best-selling car. By 2016, Porsche managed to deliver 237,778 cars globally, 95,642 of which were the Macan.
Rivaling against the likes of Jaguar F Pace and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the Porsche Macan is pressured to keep itself fresh and up-to-date. The fact that 40 percent of Porsche’s sales come from the Macan is even more reason for the brand to keep itself updated.
2. Lighter Facelift
Don’t get your hopes up too much with the 2018 Macan because the facelift promises to be minimal. The spy shots have a light camouflage compared to others we have seen being tested.
The front of the test mule suggests that there are going to be new headlights and a wider grille. If you have seen the recent spy shots of the next-generation Cayenne, then you have seen a glimpse of what the new Macan will look like. Moving to the rear of the car, it’s clear that Porsche will put on a new single LED strip that runs the width of the tailgate.
This is a design feature first seen on the latest Panamera. It will play a significant role in the brand’s entire portfolio since it’s going to be the newest trademark rear lighting signature.
3. Ready by 2018
Don’t expect the new Macan to come to your dealers as early as this year. It will have to give way first to the Cayenne, whose likely debut will be before the year ends. Porsche will unwrap the new Macan in 2018.
Snowy Showdown Between the Porsche Macan GTS and Jaguar F-Pace S
The Porsche Macan GTS and Jaguar F-Pace S belong in the best SUVs of the world today. When it comes to mechanical specifications, the vehicles are almost alike. So what happens when the two are pitted against each other?
In one episode of Head 2 Head, Motor Trend Senior Editors Jason Cammisa and Johnny Lieberman took the SUVs for a spin in the snowy peaks of Steamboat Springs, Colorado at the famous Bridgestone Driving School.
The automotive experts got into the steering wheels of the Porsche Macan GTS and Jaguar F-Pace S to see how they fare against each other in a drag race, grocery retrieval and drifting. They also take viewers inside each SUV to provide a feel on how it is like to be a passenger and driver of each vehicle.
Quick Facts About the SUVs
Before anything else, here is a quick introduction of the Porsche Macan GTS and Jaguar F-Pace S:
2017 Porsche Macan GTS
The Porsche Macan GTS houses a 3.0-liter twin turbo V6 engine. It has an output of 360 hp with 369 lb-ft of torque. The power of the SUV goes through an all-wheel drive system with a 7-speed twin clutch automatic. The curb weight of the auto is 4,506 lb. The starting price of the unit is $68,250 but the one in the video costs $89,070.
2017 Jaguar F-Pace S
The Jaguar F-Pace S is equipped with a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine. It produced 380 hp with 332 lb-ft of torque. The SUV is also an AWD and the power is distributed to the wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The auto has a curb weight of 4,442 lb. The starting price of the vehicle is $57,695 but the unit in the video is worth $71,018.
The Showdown
Now watch the Porsche Macan GTS and Jaguar F-Pace S go head-to-head by playing the video below:
Is The Porsche Macan Coming To The US?
A few years back, Porsche introduced the Macan, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is second to none. It did not confirm back then if the Macan will be available for US consumers so US-based Porsche lovers were left to wonder.
On the other hand, an entry-level Macan, of course, is accessible for certain global market while the UK certainly has it out in the market already.
But now, it looks like Porsche finally decided to bring the Macan to US shores, according to well-placed insiders and sources. We have to wait for an official announcement, as well as more information about that, though.
For those who are not familiar, the Macan houses a corporate VW Group inline four-cylinder engine, and not the turbocharged flat-four used by the new 718 Boxster sports car. Still, that turbo four engine makes 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. It is coupled with a seven-speed and dual-clutch automatic.
Up until now, the regular Macan you will see in the US is the S version, which is powered by a 340-hp twin-turbocharged V-6. There are two other variants—the Macan Turbo with a 400-hp power on its twin-turbo V-6 and the ultra sporty Macan GTS.
More than power, Porsche Macan also improved its fuel economy. The V-6 diesel model, which would most likely face challenges because of emission testing, will probably arrive in the US sometime this year too.
If you base your judgement on specs alone, the four-cylinder engine Macan utilized is similar to the unit placed on the 2017 Audi A4. But remember that the Porsche is way heavier than the Audi A4 so it remains to be seen how the engine will fit in a much heavier body.
This machine should definitely have a price lower than $50,000 since the Macan S starts at $53,650.00.