Well, I hope so. And so does Porsche. The 911 is the brand鈥檚 icon and the bedrock of a prodigiously successful business, yet it remains a cult hero. Very few ruthlessly executed profit centers command such a misty-eyed sense of purity amongst enthusiasts and customers. 59,650 Macan S, which we drove on the Balearic Island of Mallorca, is by far the most popular variant of this biggest-selling model. For a start, the engine. The old 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged unit is gone, replaced by a V-6 of similar displacement but with a single, twin-scroll turbocharger. That turbo is now mounted within the valley between the cylinders in a 鈥榟ot vee鈥?configuration, in German-engineer-trying-to-sound-cool vernacular. The new engine is lighter and more efficient, and it鈥檚 also more powerful, of course. The S model produces 348 horsepower from 6400 rpm and 354 lb-ft from barely above idle鈥?360 rpm鈥攁ll the way through to 4800 rpm.
The seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic now shifts even faster in Sport mode. Porsche claims a top speed of 151 mph, as well as a zero-to-60-mph time of 5.1 seconds (4.9 if equipped with the Sport Chrono package). That latter figure puts it just a tenth behind the outgoing 360-hp GTS model. The Macan S might be a philosophical universe away from the 911, but Porsche labels it the 鈥渟ports car of the segment鈥?and has gone to great lengths to further sharpen the dynamics. The geekiness of the engineering is delightful. For example, there鈥檚 a new composite brake-pedal assembly that鈥檚 300 grams (0.7 pound) lighter than the old steel setup, and which acts on a shorter arm to the master cylinder to cut response time and improve feel. Porsche has you covered. Individual modes; and the air-suspension that also includes the PASM adjustable dampers. 15,000 in performance options. On lightly trafficked highways like those we traversed on Mallorca, the sports car within the Macan S is pretty well hidden.
Th crossover rides with a relaxed fluency, the PDK 鈥檅ox shifts almost invisibly, and the new engine produces plenty of easily tapped torque. It feels extremely well-built too, and the new 10.9-inch touchscreen and infotainment looks good and works intuitively. Up in the hills, the Macan S simply drives away from the competition. The steering is a little heavy but it鈥檚 wonderfully accurate and provides just about enough feedback to live up to the sports-car billing. The front tires never seem to give up no matter how much you ask of them, and the old Macan鈥檚 slightly contrived tendency to create an abrupt yaw moment has been buffed away. The balance remains slightly rear-biased but it feels more consistent and natural. The new engine provides plenty of performance and linear response but it鈥檚 not exactly inspiring. It sounds a bit strained as you rev it out, while the odd pop and crackle from the exhaust is mildly amusing but doesn鈥檛 inject any real character. On this evidence the Macan S is definitely the sports car of its segment, but it still isn鈥檛 a sports car in the traditional sense. We鈥檒l admit we鈥檙e being picky.
The Macan S drives extremely well, exhibits superb body control, and has consistently powerful and feelsome brakes (even the non-ceramics). We sampled another Macan without the air suspension, and while the ride is a shade less supple, it has a more natural, honest feel and seems to better control weight transfer, too. Suddenly the Macan feels lighter and more alive with barely a penalty in terms of refinement. Is the new Macan it fit to wear the new-for-2019 Miami Blue or Mamba Green paint, colors more closely associated with Porsche鈥檚 sports cars? Well, it will be a very long time before we picture an SUV when we imagine a Porsche tearing through canyons. Even so, it鈥檚 nice to know that when design details from the iconic 911 are supplanted onto a completely different sort of vehicle that Porsche cares about the dynamics. The new Macan S is better than the old Macan S, which means it鈥檚 better than all its rivals, at least if you prize driving fun. It seems that鈥檚 mission accomplished.
The basic dashboard remains but the highlight is the 10.9-inch centre touchscreen in with beautifully clear and crisp graphics that looks like a OLED TV kaleidoscope. This controls of the Porsche Communication Management (PCM - get used to Germany鈥檚 love of abbreviations) system contain all the usual suspects from entertainment to sat-nav, ventilation and voice control. The voice control gets all the attention because it allows easy operation of the infotainment system and bypasses things like the need to type in an address for the sat-nav. Now you simply state the address. The full HD screen is up from 7.2-inches in the outgoing Macan and now gets full connectivity and the ability to be personalised. It also offers functions including security and connection to emergency services. The Porsche Connect app and Porsche Car Connect app - which talk seamlessly with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - are standard and designed for owners who want to communicate with the car via their smartphone. The standard audio is a 150-Watt, 10-speaker unit with digital radio.
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