NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Porsche Macan four-cylinder

The company that made only six- and eight-cylinder engines a year ago now has not one, but two four-cylinder engines.

In a sign of the changing times, Porsche’s all-new turbocharged '718' Boxster/Cayman four-cylinder has been joined by another new engine in the Macan junior SUV.

Announced earlier this month, the new entry-level Macan is a direct rival for Mercedes-Benz’s GLC Coupe, which debuted about 60 metres away in the same New York motor show hall overnight.

The 'Macan' will become the brand’s entry-level SUV and help pull down its CO2 emissions as well.

Contrary to reports from other sources, the Macan uses the Volkswagen Group’s in-line EA888 four-cylinder engine, sited longitudinally in an engine bay that usually accommodates a V6.

The 1984cc engine is turbocharged and has both direct and indirect fuel injection, plus variable valve timing and valve lift, and will push the Macan to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds. While that sounds reasonably brisk (from certain angles), it’s a full 1.3 seconds slower than the V6-powered Macan S.

It delivers its 185kW of power from 5000 to 6800rpm, while it has 370Nm of torque on a plane from 1600 to 4500rpm, so its figures closely equate to those of the new Audi A4’s version of this engine.

The car uses permanent all-wheel drive, eschewing trends towards offering two- and four-wheel drive versions of crossover SUVs, and transmits its power through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

While the car weighs 1770kg dry (its 'wet' EC weight is 1845kg), that’s a 95kg saving over the 3.0-litre V6 version of the same car.

That weight saving helps it to deliver an NEDC combined fuel-consumption figure of 7.4L/100km, which equates to a CO2 emissions figure of 6.7g/km.

The four-cylinder Macan tops out at 229km/h, some 25km/h down on the V6, and also has 65 fewer kiloWatts to play with and 90 fewer Newton-metres at its disposal than the V6.

While it made its North American debut in New York, it must be remembered that the four-cylinder Macan isn’t entirely new. It’s been on sale in China for at least a year and will go on sale in Australia some time next year, positioned beneath the current Macan (and Porsche) range-opener, the $91,900 Macan Diesel.