by John Glynn | Jul 25, 2018 | New Models, Porsche News
The new Porsche Macan has been unveiled in Shanghai. It looks rather the same as the previous model but the facelift comes with new colours, improved engines and more technology, all of which should rejuvenate appeal amongst Macan’s target audience.
Available colours now include Mamba Green Metallic, Dolomite Silver Metallic and Crayon (primer grey which everyone seems to love) as well as the Miami Blue seen here, which has been chosen as the launch colour. New interior packages provide a wider range of opportunities for customer personalisation. If Mamba Green is anything like the classic Apple Green Metallic, that will be my favourite.
Porsche’s press release doesn’t say anything about the new engines as the obvious first question is “what about diesel?”. The manufacturer has made a bit of a song and dance about supposedly dropping diesel in the wake of the Volkswagen scandal, but the Cayenne is still on course to receive a new diesel engine and Macan S Diesel is/was very much alive and kicking. UK registrations of Macan S diesel outnumber all other models combined (8.9k vs 7.1k since 2014 if you’re interested).
Porsche is unlikely to throw away sales potential like this for its baby SUV range, especially given that a hybrid version is probably not possible due to the bodyshell configuration. Perhaps the omission is related to current tensions between Porsche and Audi on diesel engine supply and the use of emissions cheat devices. A very soft launch may lie ahead for facelifted Macan oilburners.
The 2-litre petrol is still available and has a few more ponies to play with: up from 248 to 256 bhp, according to Greg Kable at Autocar, who also reveals that the V6 engines are being replaced with Porsche-Audi V6s. Expect more bhp from the Porsche applications to fit brand identities.
Tech-wise, the dash looks great with the 11-inch touchscreen and relocated air vents instantly making previous models less desirable. Macan.2 gets new options including the 911’s GT steering wheel with ‘Sports Response’ button (the contemporary equivalent of Knight Rider’s pursuit mode for anyone as old as me), as well as a cabin ioniser and a heated windscreen.
Porsche has also used the introduction of the new model as an opportunity to expand the range of assistance systems in the Macan. The new Traffic Jam Assist including adaptive cruise control enables more comfortable and relaxed driving behaviour at speeds up to 60 km/h. The system features partially automated acceleration and braking and also assists with steering in a traffic jam or in slow-moving traffic.
by John Glynn | Apr 10, 2018 | New Models, Race and Rally
The FIA has confirmed Porsche’s entry into the 2019 Formula E championship. Porsche’s Formula E debut will coincide with the launch of the production version of the Mission E: Stuttgart’s first all-electric sport car and part of the six billion Euros being invested into electric mobility up to the end of 2022.
Former head of the 919 project, Andreas Seidl, will be responsible for the technical development and the execution of the Formula E programme. “The possibilities and performance of electric cars have been a central topic at Porsche for quite a while,” says the Team Principal. “The deeper our engineers get into the topic, the more fascinating the solutions become. We can’t wait to receive our first vehicle in early 2019 and to test our own powertrain in it.”
Porsche unveiled the Mission E Cross Turismo at this year’s Geneva Motor Show: another take on the 800-volt Mission E Concept car blessed with 600 horsepower giving more than 500 kilometres of range. The production version may end up with slightly lower numbers, but it definitely won’t be cheap so it will need plenty of toys to show for the money. Four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering with the usual electronic driver aids should still take the four door, four-seater to sixty in 3.5 seconds, which will obviously keep people entertained.
The Gen2 Formula E car will also create some added entertainment compared to the current model, as drivers will finally be able to run a complete race without needing a car change in the middle of it. As a motorsport fan who pays no attention to Formula E, the upgrade is unlikely to have any impact on my perception of the series or of the brands taking part, but for those marketing the new Mission E to a generation that links E with excitement rather than lean-running eco superminis, the connections are excellent.
by John Glynn | Oct 30, 2017 | New Models, Porsche Cayenne
First drive reviews of the brand new Porsche Cayenne have been popping up across the credible motoring sites and the reception is generally excellent. Porsche flew lots of reviewers to Crete for the European launch, which won’t have done their feedback any harm, but what the journos are saying makes sense.
The new Cayenne shares its platform with the Bentley Bentayga, Audi Q7 and forthcoming Lamborghini Urus. The Cayenne S has abandoned the beautiful big Porsche-built V8 that my old bus uses and gone to a group-derived 434bhp, twin-turbo V6 with eight-speed automatic transmission.
The 2.9-litre engine has an exceptional torque curve, with 405lb ft on tap from 1800 to 5500 revs! That is really something else and a chunk more than a standard V8 S, which had 310lb ft from 2500-5500. Mine has been ECU flashed, so maybe makes a bit more, but would love to try this twin-turbo with a car trailer on the back.
Matt Bird at Autocar gave the new truck just shy of a five-star rating, calling it “fairly tremendous at a great many things. The Cayenne’s cabin is a triumph, comprised of sumptuous materials, seamlessly integrated technology and considerable style.” The Autocar review goes on to rate the chassis pretty highly:
“Our test Cayenne S featured carbon ceramic brakes, adaptive air suspension, rear axle steering and 21in wheels. When you bear in mind that a standard car would use steel springs, half the amount of steered wheels, smaller rims and iron brakes, you can see how it is hard to make a definitive judgement on the standard Cayenne S. As you might expect, however, the test car delivered a stellar dynamic performance.”
I can’t say that ceramic brakes or rear wheel steering would be essential additions on what I use my Cayenne for, but if you want to hoon it while the kids are in the back trying to Snapchat each other then good luck to you – don’t forget to tick the wipe clean upholstery box.
For the 500 miles a year that a family man might get to really thrash a Cayenne hard with no one else in it, and given how well mine goes on steel springs and steel brakes, not to mention the lack of complexity, I think I would just spec it as standard, but that is not the press fleet way. If you’re going to fly hundreds of road test heroes to Crete at great cost, you must give them air suspension and 21-inch wheels to caress.
Meanwhile, regular people with cash will buy the S with nice paint, simple leather, smaller wheels and reasonable spec. The huge central screen is a must. Pano roof also nice but big glass roofs have a name for playing up in the long term. I don’t miss a leaky, creaky sunroof on mine.
New Cayenne: I like it too. No surprise there.
by John Glynn | Oct 25, 2017 | New Models, Porsche News
Porsche has announced the new 911 Carrera T: a 911 that is 20 kilograms lighter than the regular Carrera, has a bunch of sporty touches and is sold in a range of bright colours. T stands for Touring, but the car is built with lightweight glass, RS-style pull loops in the doors and a shorter final drive ratio: all hallmarks of a sports purpose machine. The T badging is curious.
The Carrera S (S for Sport) does not come as standard with a shorter final drive, seven speed manual or limited slip differential, while the Carrera T (T for Touring) has all of those things. Twenty-seven litres of fuel equates to twenty kilograms. One could theoretically short fill a Carrera by 27 litres and have a car weighing the same as a Carrera T on full tanks.
The Touring Carrera also comes with less sound deadening (?), no rear seats and an unladen weight of 1425 kilograms. It has a chassis lowered by 10mm (four tenths of an inch), Sport Chrono but without the dash clock (which everyone loves and is sort of the point of Sport Chrono), a gearknob with red shift pattern, something else and some other stuff.
It has a power-to-weight ratio of 260hp per tonne. This is supposed to be viewed as exciting, and it probably is. But I have a twenty year-old BMW M3 sedan with full sound deadening and rear seats (seat belts for five people) that is not a million miles away from this figure. One could get the weight down pretty easily and stick a rocket up the power-to-weight, but that would defeat the point.
Yesterday, I drove a 911R recreation/celebration by the boys at EB Motorsport. It weighs 804 kilograms with a single seat, skinny R wheels and tyres, fully oiled up with a quarter tank of fuel. The twin-plug, 2-litre engine makes 220 horsepower, which gives a power-to-weight ratio of 275 horsepower per tonne (more on this car later).
OK, the Carrera T is £86k and the EB 911R is at least £100k more than that, but if you’re going to market something as lightweight, then it should not weigh the same as 23 people (average adult weight globally is 62 kilograms). The average weight of a (female) cow is 720 kilograms, which is two Carrera Ts. A five-foot Steinway ‘City’ grand piano weighs 252 kilograms, which means that a 911 Carrera T with some fuel weighs roughly the same as six Steinway grand pianos.
“Improved power to weight ratio delivers enhanced performance,” says Stuttgart, and no doubt the 0-60 time of 4.5 seconds – one tenth quicker than the standard Carrera – is quicker than a baby grand, unless the piano is travelling downwards in a straight line towards the pavement. I also like the cool range of colours including Racing Yellow, Miami Blue and Lava Orange: difficult to choose between those three. But something is not right with this T badge.
Everyone knows that the volume sellers are where Porsche makes its money: Macan, Cayenne and Panamera. The 911 remains a desirable car, but are these editions serious, or are they just preening for press releases? The truth is that, these days, if you really want a lightweight Porsche – and trust me, you do – you have to build it yourself. For the £85k cost of a standard Carrera T, one could easily build a lightweight air-cooled 911 and have enough left over to buy a nice grand piano or two. Now that’s an idea I can get with.
The new 911 Carrera T is available to order now from Porsche Centres in the UK and Ireland priced from £85,576.00 RRP inc VAT. First deliveries begin in January 2018, at which point, journos will be freaking out over the transformative effect of the shorter final drive and claiming this as a credible alternative to a GT3 Touring.
News update: my 1976 911 has a shorter final drive, as does every 911 rally car ever. When the national speed limit of 70mph is being ever more rigorously enforced, it is not rocket science to shorten the final drive and have more fun getting to a lower top speed.
I would like to drive this T: I suspect it actually will be rather more invigorating than a standard Carrera. Group test pitch for GT Porsche magazine: my 1020-kilo 3-litre 911 versus six grand pianos with 370 horsepower. Simon will love it.
Ferdinand blogs my freelance adventure with Porsche at the centre. To support the blog or engage with me in other ways, you can:
by John Glynn | Oct 20, 2017 | New Models, Market & Prices
Stuttgart loves a special edition and another Macan has just joined the list: the Turbo Exclusive Performance Edition. The styling reminds me of a Volkswagen Polo ‘Beats’ Edition, but that is not a bad thing: everyone knows the VW Polo is one of the best cars in the world. Even Alois Ruf agrees with me on that.
Based on the current Macan Turbo with Performance Package, the 3.6-litre Turbo produces 440 horsepower. Porsche sticks a lot of extras on the standard model and carries the changes out at the ‘Exclusive Manufactur’ department in Leipzig, so the base price corresponds to that: £86k including VAT in the UK. Adding colour-to-sample paint and the other options could quickly take it to over £100k – a ton of cash for a mid size SUV.
Standard equipment includes 21-inch 911 Turbo Design wheels with lateral spokes painted in Black (high-gloss), LED headlights and tinted LED rear lights. The front seats, rear seating and steering wheel are heated as standard.
Custom Exclusive parts created specifically for this Macan include aero add-ons on the front spoiler, rear apron and side blades painted in Carmine Red. The Macan Turbo model designation on the tailgate is also painted in Carmine Red underneath PORSCHE lettering in high-gloss black.
Inside, there are more black and red accents through the black leather interior with Alcantara elements. The Garnet Red bolsters for the front seats are bespoke for this car. The colour is used also for the contrasting stitching, embroidered Turbo script on the headrests, seat belts, Sport Chrono stopwatch bezel and the vehicle key wallet.
The aluminium PDK gear selector is finished with Garnet Red leather in Garnet Red, and a “Macan Turbo Exclusive Performance Edition” logo has been added to the customised door entry trim strips and the dashboard trim. Well done Leipzig for fitting that into one plaque.
Porsche Macan Used Prices UK
A £90k soft-roader is obviously never going to have a place in my life but the colour to sample in Voodoo Blue looks pretty cool. I keep looking at Macans and wondering when they will get affordable as secondhand buys – not sure that day is coming any time soon. Of the 310 Macans on Pistonheads, the cheapest is a fairly boring 2014 2-litre PDK model with 15k miles up for £37k. Next cheapest car is an 82k-mile diesel for the same money.
Official Porsche Centres offer decent spec TDI PDKs with metallic paint, sensible mileage and the worth-having used Porsche warranty from £41k and that might be the best place to start looking. An independent petrol offering at £38k struggles to compete with that package.
