Macan diesels are go

Porsche's upcoming Macan will have a higher focus on diesel than any of the maker's models to date. 

Due to debut at this September's Frankfurt Motor Show and on sale Down Under in 2014, Porsche's second SUV will be based on a modified version of the platform that underpins Audi's Q5. It is set to add up to 50,000 units a year to the brand's total volume – many of which will be diesel.

Although Porsche's Cayenne large SUV had to wait until halfway through its first generation to get a turbo-diesel drivetrain, the new medium SUV Macan will launch with a choice of diesel engines.

"Diesel is very important for us with Macan," a senior Porsche R&D exec told motoring.com.au at this week's launch of the new Cayman.

"For sure four-cylinder diesels will be part of the equation," he said.

Porsche currently uses re-calibrated Audi V6 diesels in both Cayenne and Panamera. These engines too could find a home in versions of the Macan.

According to our R&D insider Porsche is still to finalise calibrations for the Audi-sourced four-cylinder turbo-diesels that will power lower-spec versions of the Macan.

"We will deliver true Porsche characteristics to the four-cylinder turbo-diesels before the car is released," he said.

Porsche's confidence in the Macan is such that the company is investing more than 300 million Euros in a Macan-specific plant in Leipzig. Currently Porsche assembles Cayenne in an existing plant there using bodies-in-white assembled by Volkswagen in Slovakia. 

Macan will use pressings sourced from Audi, but will otherwise be fully manufactured and assembled in the new Porsche-only plant.

In Australia Macan could add over 500 units to Porsche overall annual volume – a percentage increase approaching 30 per cent. Porsche Australia has signalled the need for significant investment in facilities for many of its dealers to cope with the Macan 'effect'. 

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