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Spy Shots: Porsche Macan Starts Winter Testing  It’s been a while since we last saw the 2014 Porsche Macan out for a testing session, but today our spy photographers caught it playing around in the cold. As you can see, unlike the earlier prototypes, the Macan has dropped the Audi Q5 body and now shows off its production shape – or so we expect. Set to be placed under the current Cayenne, the future Macan will be produced in Leipzig with production beginning late in 2013. Just like its big brother, the future SUV will be offered with many engine variants, starting with a 220-horsepower four-cylinder engine and capping off with a 295-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine in the Macan S version. For those craving more power, there will also be a Turbo variant powered by a new 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine that will produce 370 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Diesel fans will get a 190-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo-diesel engine and it has also been rumored that we are going to see a hybrid powertrain. Expect to see the new Porsche Macan launched in March at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
Porsche CEO Confirms Two Additional New Models, Including 928’s Spiritual Successor Porsche’s future looks quite promising – according to its CEO, Matthias Mueller, at least – as it plans to expand its lineup even further. In an interview with Automotive News Europe, Mueller announced that the company plans to expand by at least four new models by 2018, with the first two to arrive being the 918 Spyder and the Macan. One of the remaining two is a new sports car — rumored to be called 961 — slotted between the 911 and 918 Spyder. The final new model will be a new sedan that is smaller than the Panamera. A final decision on the new sports sedan will be made by the end of 2013, but, if approved, it will be built on the Volkswagen Group’s MMB architecture, which will also be used for next-generation Lamborghini Gallardo and Audi R8. As for the baby-Panamera, Mueller confirmed that it will target models like BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The next-generation Panamera will also see a few more derivatives, including a coupe defined as a successor for the famous Porsche 928. Neither of the latter two models are close to production – neither is approved, actually – but stay tuned and we’ll bring you all of the information on these potential models as soon as we get it.
Porsche Claims the Macan is Not a Posh Copy of the Audi Q5 Slated to be announced at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Macan will mark the entry of Porsche into the premium crossover segment that is dominated by cars such as the Range Rover Evoque. Porsche has confirmed that the Macan will be based on the Audi Q5, but will have a completely different dynamic proposition from that of the Q5. In other words, it’ll be different despite the same platform. According to R&D Chief, Wolfgang Hatz, everything has been modified in this vehicle, ranging from engines, to transmission, to suspension systems. "It’s all new and Audi can’t believe what we’ve done.” Hatz also claims that Audi shouldn’t fear the Macan disturbing the sales of the Audi Q5, which have been great. He says that the Macan is targeting a different type of customer; more like the young and rich folks that also drive the Evoque’s growth. In the design department, the baby Cayenne’s design will be influenced by the recently announced Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo, where the design combines certain key elements from the 911 and the Boxster. If you want an idea of what it would look like in flesh, take the Panamera Sport Turismo and bloat it up. Voila, the Porsche Macan is served. In terms of performance, Hatz confirmed that the Macan will be the first modern-day Porsche to be powered by four-cylinder engines in its lineup, but don’t get your checkbooks ready as Porsche won’t be launching the 4-cyl versions in the beginning. Along with that, there will be a 3.6-liter V6 engine that develops 295 horsepower. The Porsche Macan: For those people who like to ferry their family around in an Audi with a Porsche badge, but can’t afford a Cayenne or a Panamera. This is certainly interesting for us. Is it for you? Let us know in the comments section. Confirmed: Styling Keys of the Panamera Sport Turismo will make it across the Entire Porsche Lineup No one except the top guns at Porsche really know whether the newly released Panamera Sport Turismo Concept will ever reach production or not. That said, if you are a fan of its styling cues, particularly the headlights and taillights (which we definitely are), you are in for a good surprise. Porsche has just announced that these cues will be transferred to the entire Porsche lineup. If you hadn’t noticed already, the two styles already exist in the sport car builder’s lineup, as the taillights are derived from the 911 and the headlights are obviously slightly modified mockups of the new Boxster’s headlights. This smashup of the two styles, according to Matthias Müller’s interview with Motor Trend, will see first production life on the Porsche Macan, and will be carried to other models from there. In the same interview, Müller also confirmed that the plug-in hybrid drivetrain that we saw in the Sport Turismo concept will see production sooner rather than later. It will debut in the Panamera next year and then appear in the Cayenne in 2014. There is no confirmation on whether the impressive 428 horsepower will carry over too, but we think it’s safe to assume it will. To say the least, it looks like Porsche is ready to revolutionize the supercar and sports car arenas once again with these coming additions and we are excited to see how the dominos fall. Add in the fact that the 918 Spyder will soon hit the market and you can color us flat-out excited to see how the Porsche lineup evolves in coming years. These changes are exactly what Porsche has needed for many years and avoided in the past out of what we can only assume is a fear of change. Keep it up, Porsche, we love it!
Report: Porsche Nearly Doubling the Macan’s Production Forecast for Next Year Even though the Baby Boxster is still supposedly on hold, we all know that the Baby Cayenne (AKA the Porsche Macan) will make its debut sometime next year. We also learned, via Autocar, that the Macan will bear a 370-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 at its top end and will likely feature a 220-horsepower 4-cylinder at the bottom end. Mixed in the middle may be a 295-horsepower, 3.6-liter 6-cylinder and a 2.0-liter diesel engine with 190 horsepower. Additionally we knew that Porsche was planning to limit first-year production to just 45,000 units. According to Automotive News Europe, via WirtschaftsWoche, Porsche has recently upped that number to 75,000 units. There’s no rhyme or reason to the increase, but apparently Volkswagen, Porsche’s new majority owner, sees the Macan as a key piece to hitting the 200,000-unit sales number goal by 2018. The reports of this increase come without any sources cited, so we are not sure of its validity. Porsche will certainly make an announcement of this increase in production numbers soon, given it is a true report. Hopefully, VW seeing that there is a market for Porsche to get into smaller and less-expensive versions of its existing vehicles will lead to a restarting of the Baby Boxster project, but, we’re not holding our breath on that one. We’ll update you with any more information that pops up on the Macan as we inch closer to its debut. Spy Shots: Take a glimpse at the Porsche Macan’s interior In the past few weeks, Porsche has been busy developing both the 918 Spyder and the upcoming Cayenne Junior - aka Macan. Today, our spy photographers have caught the car testing one more time, and luckily, they have also managed to take the first shots of the interior. The interior images aren’t as clear as all of us would like them to be, but they are still enough to see that the next Macan will be stuffed with all of the latest technology. Some of these elements may even be borrowed from the new Boxster’s interior, including the information on the on-board computer, communication, audio settings, and the navigation system being displayed on a high-resolution TFT color screen. Other elements include a 3-spoke sports steering wheel and all kinds of leather goodness. As for the engines to be used in the next Macan, Porsche has already confirmed that the SUV will get a 370 HP 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine for the Turbo version, as well as a new four-cylinder engine with an output of about 220 HP. There will also be a diesel version for markets like Europe, and a hybrid version that could combine a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with an electric motor. The new Porsche Macan will go into production in 2013, so we should get tons more information before that time comes. Stay tuned! A Look Ahead: Porsche’s Plans For the Foreseeable Future
With Volkswagen buying out the rest of Porsche, there are definitely some changes afoot, but for the most part, the changes are going to be the same as we have known since before the buyout, err, “corporate restructuring.” The production line, fortunately, will not change under the new ownership, and we felt it was time to outline what Porsche has in store for us in the coming years. The Pajun has been one of the most on-and-off models recently, as was the baby Boxster. The baby Boxster is all but eliminated from consideration, but the Pajun looks to be a distant possibility. Also in design and testing phase are the 918 Spyder and Macan models. In planning we have “Project 960,” which is Porsche’s potential answer to Ferrari. This is far and away the most intriguing of the group, as it’s something that Porsche has lacked since its inception. While many Porsche enthusiasts may complain about their beloved automaker expanding its lineup, it is clear that this expansion is to allow the super-exclusive automaker to hit its goal of 200,000 new vehicle sales by 2018. That is a rather lofty goal, but with controlled lineup expansion and no reduction in quality, this is attainable. Click past the jump to read a more detailed summary on all of Porsche’s upcoming plans. Full story Spy Shots: Porsche Macan caught testing for the first time Previous spy shots of the Porsche Macan were a little deceiving because the luxury SUV was well-hidden under the Audi Q5 body, but now we’re getting the real deal! Our spy photographers were able to catch the future baby SUV testing for the first time wearing its full body. Porsche tried to hide it under the usual array of camouflage, but it is clear that the future Macan will share design elements with its bigger brother, the Cayenne. The Porsche Macan is based on the Audi Q5 platform, but it will come with an improved chassis, better brakes, and other wheels. Under the hood, Porsche will also be using engines borrowed from Audi in both petrol and diesel variants, but tuned to deliver better performance. A hybrid version is also expected and will combine a 210 HP 2.0 TFSI with a 44 HP electric motor. This system will help the Macan deliver a Co2 emissions of only 130 g/km - a target that needs to be hit by all manufacturers by 2015 according to the new European regulations. Porsche has already confirmed that the new Macan will be produced in Leipzig starting 2013. The model will initially be offered in a four-door configuration, but a sportier looking two door version is also expected. 2014 Porsche MacanRemember when Porsche released the Cayenne? Remember all the people in their Porsche owners club shirts sitting around and telling you about how this new SUV was a disgrace to the Porsche logo and that all the company should design and produce are 911 variants? While they might have had a point, the Cayenne sold like bottled water and like this water in plastic, it’s completely pointless. People don’t need this much power from something that will be used to haul around families. Yet, it became the automaker’s best selling model, despite its looks. Now, to put the owners club folks in the mental home, Porsche is created a smaller SUV, the Cajun. No, it’s not intended for people in New Orleans, but it is intended for people who found the Cayenne to be a bit too large and fancied something a bit more crossover like. Porsche officially confirmed the small SUV in an official statement detailing their hopes for the vehicle: "Under the working name "Cajun," this efficient and sporty model will further expand the world’s most successful Porsche segment in the SUV sector. In addition to the new Cayenne, which has clearly consolidated its market position as the most successful sporty SUV in the premium segment, the "Cajun" will also have a very positive impact with its typical Porsche features such as light weight, ease of handling and agility. As an attractive entry model in the Porsche world, the "Cajun" will attract new and even younger customers to the premium brand along with the Boxster, the market leader in the segment of two-seater, mid-size sports cars." UPDATE 02/16/2012: Porsche has confirmed that its new SUV - known until now as the Cajun - will in fact be called the Macan, a name derived from the Indonesian word for tiger. The name "combines suppleness, power, fascination and dynamics." The new Macan will be the fifth model in Porsche’s line-up and will be produced in Leipzig starting 2013.Next to the official name, Porsche has also unveiled a teaser video and a rendering of the next SUV. UPDATE 04/16/2012: According to Autocar, Porsche will fit the Macan Turbo with a new 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that produces 370 horsepower and 400 lb/ft of torque. Likewise, the Macan will also be mated to a standard seven-speed manual transmission or an optional seven-speed, dual-clutch PDK automatic transmission. In addition to the top-of-the-line Macan Turbo, Porsche will also offer less powerful engines for other variants of the Macan. Look for a four-cylinder engine to be offered, one that produces around 220 horsepower. Similarly, Porsche will likely offer a Macan S variant that comes with a 3.6-liter V6 engine that develops 295 horsepower. A diesel engine is also in the pipeline in the form of a 2.0-liter turbo diesel with 190 horsepower and last but certainly not least, a hybrid model that could carry a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, producing an output of 241 horsepower. More details on the Porsche Cajun after the jump. Full story Spy Shots: Porsche Cajun Caught Winter Testing in Sweden News on the future Porsche Cajun has quieted down as of late, but a few spy shots have catapulted the baby Cayenne back to the headlines. Our spy photographers have caught the Cajun doing a bit of winter testing somewhere in Northern Sweden. The Porsche Cajun will be built on the same platform as the Audi Q5, which is why this mule looks identical to Audi’s SUV. However, somewhere under that wider track lies Porsche’s future baby crossover, packed with better brakes and wheels. The engine line-up will also be borrowed from the Q5, meaning both both petrol and diesel variants, fine-tuned to Porsche specifications for higher power figures. A hybrid powertrain may also be in the works and may combine a 2.0 TFSI engine that produces 210 HP with a 44 HP electric motor. This will help Porsche get closer to the average CO2 emissions goal of 130 g/km that all car manufacturers need to reach by 2015. At the initial launch, the Porsche Cajun will be available with four doors, but a sportier two-door model will follow shortly thereafter. | Find us on Facebook | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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