Porsche Macan specs leaked

A leaked official Porsche document from China has confirmed our earlier report that the German brand’s all-new Macan mid-size SUV will be available only with three turbocharged six-cylinder engines from launch.

In a move clearly designed to distance the Cayenne’s smaller crossover sibling from sister company Audi’s top-selling Q5, the initial Macan line-up will comprise diesel and petrol S models, plus the flagship Turbo.

Fitted with a higher-performance (192kW/580Nm) version of the Cayenne Diesel’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, the Macan S Diesel weighs 1898kg, has a top speed of 226km/h and can hit 100km/h in 6.2 seconds.

That makes it less powerful than the Panamera’s upcoming 221kW/650Nm 3.0-litre TDI V6 (which is expected to be fitted to the facelifted Cayenne next year) or the Audi SQ5’s 230kW/650Nm twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6.

The S Diesel will open the Macan range at less than $100,000 when it arrives Down Under in mid-2014, superseding the V6 petrol-powered Cayenne ($100,200) as Porsche’s cheapest model.

Next up will be the mid-range Macan S, powered by a 254kW/460Nm twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine also from the Panamera. According to Porsche it weighs 1928kg and can hit 100km/h in 5.5 seconds on its way to a 254km/h top speed.

Topping the Macan range – for now – will be the Macan Turbo, powered by a 298kW/550Nm 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 that pushes it to 100km/h in just 4.8 seconds, despite a hefty kerb weight of 1947kg. Top speed is listed at 269km/h.

Although no four-cylinder petrol variant of the Macan is expected, Porsche is likely to fit a version of the Volkswagen Group’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel, which if sold in Australia could see base Macan pricing start from around $80,000.

All Macans are likely to be fitted as standard with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission and the document reveals all models will ride on a 2807mm wheelbase and measure 4675mm long, 1923mm wide and 1628mm high.

That makes the Macan, which has been seen several times in testing – both unofficially and officially – almost identical in wheelbase but 45mm longer, 25mm wider and 25mm lower than the Q5, which is priced from $62,200.

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