GTS details it's important to note the entire Macan lineup has been made over for this new model year. As usual the options list is long and thorough, with new full LED headlamps now available on all trims. All of the above is also true for the subject of this review, the entirely new 2017 Macan GTS that becomes the 10th Porsche model to benefit from the Gran Turismo Sport treatment. And yes, like that S and even the new base model the GTS strangely lacks "Turbo" badging of its own, all of the Macan's engines turbocharged since inception. A similar scenario is playing out in the Cayenne, Panamera and legendary 911 lines, Turbo and Turbo S now trim designations for the brand's most potent supercars and super SUVs. Call it what you may, the GTS is one amazingly capable performance machine, the increase in output noticeable even if the mere 0.2-second improvement in zero to 100km/h sprint times isn't. 1,700 option, but options upon options are nothing new with Porsche.
Jaguar F-Pace I recently drove, but some will like that you can press an exhaust button on the GTS' lower console to kill all the raucous, which makes the Porsche easier to live with day to day. LM002s and Paris-Dakar rally-prepped 959s, albeit a much more refined way to bash through the wilderness. Those big black wheels are just four easily noticeable upgrades made to the GTS' exterior, the rest of the SUV's trim bits blackened as well, albeit finished in an inky gloss above the waistline. LED taillights, and caps the exhaust pipes in black chrome, while the rear diffuser they poke through is real and working, just like all the vents and ducts up front. I noted an infotainment upgrade during the intro and the new Porsche Communication Management (PCM) interface is so impressive it's worthy of a review on its own. It starts off with a full-colour high-resolution seven-inch touchscreen with smartphone style swipe and pinch capabilities plus proximity-sensing buttons that appear when your finger gets near.
VW sourced being that the parent company and Audi are some of the only brands to feature such high-level capability, which also prompts multi-touch gestures and comes equipped with Apple CarPlay plus Siri voice control. Another win/fail combo is the new proximity-sensing access and keyless ignition system. Porsche replaces the regular ignition switch with a large twistable protrusion that reminded of a stopgap method some domestic producers used when retrofitting fully loaded models many years ago. It comes across as a halfhearted aftermarket-style attempt to modernize Porsche's convenience features, and while the user experience isn't exactly state-of-the-art it's better than fumbling through your pockets or purse for keys. Rather than leave things on a downer I need to compliment Porsche on what is otherwise one of the most upscale interiors in the class. This goes above and beyond anything else in the class, setting the Macan apart from its compact SUV peers, especially that F-Pace noted earlier. What's more, the brushed aluminum inlays across the instrument panel and doors are also a cut above, literally, their thick edges almost sharp enough to slice thanks to their genuine metal fabrication. 14- or even 18-way capability, although benefiting from two-way memory. While the Macan still has room for improvement, especially with respect to the majority of smartphone users, the new GTS is a superbly capable performance SUV with style, comfort, refinement, luxury, convenience and utility hardly forgotten. 3,560 of that extra cost for its exclusive Carmine Red paint, but it's a Porsche, and one that thoroughly lives up to the storied brand's name.
Buffeting is inevitable, but to reduce some of the turbulent air, engineers have placed a manually adjustable two-position wind blocker at the top of the windshield header. Its raised position is most effective to reduce airflow, but it's also the loudest, as it places the small plastic wing directly into the slipstream. Keep it in its default low setting for best results. There is a noticeable amount of wind hitting the bright silver hoop and spilling into the cabin at speeds above 50 mph. To accommodate its slightly heavier curb weight, Porsche has retuned the Targa's front MacPherson struts and rear multi-link suspension. But instead of matching the damping of the Coupe and Cabriolet, the Targa has been calibrated for a slightly more compliant ride to suit its role as an all-season grand tourer. The roads in Southern Italy would earn no better than a C- grade, as the surfaces under the Porsche's wide Pirelli PZeros (the optional tires were sized 245/35ZR20 front and 305/30ZR20 rear) were broken and rutted more often than not. Regardless, the Targa's ride was surprisingly comfortable.
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