The Porsche Macan’s introduction in 2013 signalled a renewed commitment from the German automaker to double down on its SUV offerings after the incredible success generated by the Cayenne. A few years later and the Macan has already established a presence of its own, one that has gotten the attention of aftermarket tuners all over the world. One aftermarket specialist that has definitely taken a liking to the Macan Turbo is Wimmer Rennsporttechik, which is now offering a tuning program for the Porsche crossover in partnership with fellow tuner Schmidt Revolution. The result is a two-prong kit defined by a new set of wheels and an engine upgrade that nets an output of 434 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque.

In truth, the this program is a simple and subtle one. There are no exterior or interior upgrades. It doesn’t even have any modifications on the chassis and suspension. It’s a straightforward engine-and-wheel upgrade that isn’t going to suspend anybody’s disbelief. But for what it’s worth, Wimmer worked on giving the Macan Turbo an added shot of power, which is what the aftermarket tuning scene is largely about anyway. And together with Schmidt Revolution’s new set of wheels, prospective customers will get some benefits out of this upgrade, provided they don’t expect anything outlandish to come out of it.

If those are the expectations, then prepare to be disappointed. But if it’s an extra layer of refinement that’s needed, Wimmer’s program for the Porsche Macan Turbo fits that bill to a tee.

Continue after the jump to read the full review.

2016 Porsche Macan Turbo By Wimmer RS

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 Porsche Macan Turbo By Wimmer RS
  • Horsepower: 434
  • Torque: 472
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Styling upgrades are limited to a new set of 22-inch Shift rims that Schmidt Revolution developed for the Macan Turbo. In addition to being offered in a variety of styling options, the wheels are also available in a handful of finishes, including Hyper Silver and a number of Black Glossy and Black Matte finishes with their own unique design differences. The wheel setup also includes a set of Conti Sport tires measuring 265/35 R22 and 295/30 R22 in the front and rear, respectively.

Drivetrain

The engine upgrade for the Porsche Macan Turbo is relatively straightforward, at least when you compare it to some of the other tuning kits we’ve seen over the past few days. Wimmer RS did it all by itself with a power kit that it specifically developed for the AMG GLA 45. The kit includes upgrades to the coupe-crossover’s engine software and a new sport exhaust system that team up to help increase the Macan Turbo’s output to 434 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque. That represents an increase of 34 ponies and 66 pound-feet of twist, enough to get a noticeable improvement in driving pleasure. It’s unclear if Wimmer's upgrade nets any significant improvements in performance, but with the standard model capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds before hitting a top speed of 164 mph, I wouldn’t be surprised if those numbers now read 4.4 seconds and 168 mph, respectively.

Pricing

The only price item that has been released is for the set of Shift wheels that Schmidt Revolution is offering as part of this tuning kit. Those cost €3,790 with the Conti Sport tires included. That equates to about $4,272 based on current exchange rates. On the other hand, the cost of the engine upgrade is unclear at this point, so if anybody’s interested in finding out, contacting Wimmer directly is the fastest and surest way to go.

Competition

Mercedes-AMG GLA 45

This program by Brabus may have some age to it, but it has lasted the test of time so it’s worth lining up against Schmidt’s new program for the Porsche Macan Turbo. The Brabus program for the GLA actually covered the entire family of the coupe-crossover, but it’s the AMG GLA 45, in particular, that draws some legitimate comparisons to the Macan. Back then, Brabus included its own PowerXtra CGI B45 performance module as the centerpiece of its GLA tuning kit and the result helped the AMG GLA 45’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine increase its output to 400 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. That represented an increase of 40 horses and 37 pound-feet of twist over the standard output, helping the coupe-crossover improve its 0-to-62-mph time from 4.8 seconds to just 4.4 seconds. The model’s top speed also increased from the standard 155 mph to an impressive 168 mph.

Read our full review on the Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 here.

Conclusion

On the surface, the upgrades are there. They're not much, but they're there. The good news for Wimmer RS is that it has a sterling reputation in the business so if anybody avails of this kit, it's not going to disappoint. The bad news is that with that sterling reputation I just mentioned, I kind of expected a little more from the tuner. Not too much, just a little more.