Porsche Macan Turbo: the first car in the new electric SUV

The pressure on the second generation is just as great. Especially since the new Macan will be electric only. The platform no longer exists to configure combustion engines. In this regard, Zuffenhausen is following its own guidelines to have more than 80 percent of its vehicles electrified by 2030.

It remains to be seen if this will be well received by customers. Especially since the end of the combustion engine is now also being questioned by politicians. But regardless of how the electric poker turns out, what Porsche has put on wheels with the new Macan is impressive and, above all, worth driving. Macan 4 and Macan Turbo will be the first to reach customers. Both models each have a synchronous motor with permanent excitation on the front and rear axles, which drive all four wheels.

The Macan 4 has a system output of 387 hp. In overboost and launch control there is even 408 hp and 650 Newton meters of torque. The Turbo we drove is more impressive in terms of performance data. It has a standard output of 584 hp and can even be given up to 639 hp and a maximum torque of 1130 Nm in overboost. If launch control is used, it takes 3.3 seconds to reach 100 km/h. At the same time, the pilot is squeezed into the sports seats so hard that he briefly takes his breath away.

If you don’t leave it at this point and keep at it, you can watch the digital numbers climb until you reach 260 on the 12.9-inch driver display or the optional head-up display. This is a Porsche. Like the steering, which is precise to the tip, and the chassis which is closely connected to the road, the unsprung mass can be controlled by the new adjustable chassis fluids with two-valve technology. waste.

To make cornering in the Macan Turbo even safer and even more fun for the driver, electronically controlled traction management, as Porsche calls it, ensures control is five times faster than a standard all-wheel drive system. And to round off the package, the Macan has, for the first time, rear axle steering, torque vectoring and an electronically controlled differential lock for maximum comfort and safety.

However, the bypass lock has one disadvantage, but it is not of driving mode. Since it is connected to an electric motor on the rear axle, it steals a good 60 liters of trunk space from the turbo compared to the Macan 4.

Infotainment has also been improved. The driver looks at a 12.9-inch monitor as standard, the central display is 10.6 inches, and if you want, you can also get a second touchscreen of the same size for the front passenger. The technical basis of the multimedia system is Android OS, which means more software freedom and also more applications. Porsche is very proud of the optional head-up display mentioned above.

If you want, you can also get a screen for the front passenger as well as a driver’s display and a central monitor. The headline display is even appealing to device-loving Chinese.

Photo: Porsche AG

The image is visible to the driver at a distance of ten meters and therefore the size of the display is 87 inches. A situation that caused even Chinese journalists, who are now difficult to motivate in this matter, to admit that “they have not seen a better representation.” It is not clear whether the range, which Porsche claims is around 600 km for both cars according to WLTP, caused any interest.

In the first cycle, consumption in mountain road congestion in the central part of the Côte d’Azur was within the limit of less than 20 kWh. In addition, there is a regenerative power of up to 240 kW, which ensures that the battery of 95 kWh ( net) is not very fast, especially when going downhill. In addition, since it can be charged up to 270 kW, it can be filled from 10 to 80 percent again in 21 minutes in the right socket.

A nice charging feature is that the AC charging ports are located on either side of the rear fenders. 11 kW is currently possible. An increase of 22 kW will follow soon.

Otherwise, the Macan shines with its design, its good materials and its now well-learned handling. For Porsche drivers, stepping into the new E-Macan should be like coming home. And that applies to handling as well as driving characteristics. However, getting started with the joy of driving an electric car is more expensive than the old combustion engine. Macan 4 prices start at 84,100 euros for the regular model, the powerful Turbo is available from 114,600 euros.