Freshly minted Porsche Macan range lands in Mzansi in January

PORSCHE has given its popular Macan premium, sports SUV a refresh and the new model is heading to South Africa early next year. According to local sources, the freshly facelifted Porsche Macan will start arriving at local Porsche centres from January with prices starting at R1 050 000.

The Macan, which has achieved 600000 deliveries worldwide since its market launch in 2014, has a special role at Porsche: around 80% of all Macan buyers are first-time Porsche customers. In addition, the proportion of women buying the Macan has risen consistently in recent years and is the highest across all Porsche product lines. In China, the largest market for the Macan, just under 60% of buyers are women. In South Africa, the Macan remains one of Porsche’s best-selling vehicles month-on-month.

According to Porsche, exterior design is one of the most frequent reasons given for purchase by Macan owners. The 2022 model continues to answer this calling, they say, with a subtle new look to its front end featuring integrated cooling air intakes and front trim in body colour.

The rear of the car, which features a black diffuser that has been stretched upwards, stands out compared to the previous version. The side blades now feature a 3D, textured structure element. LED headlights and standard Sport Design exterior mirrors complete the updated appearance.

Seven new wheel designs are available, and the standard wheel size has increased to between 19-inch and 21-inch, depending on the model you go for.

In line with its new position as the range-topping model for the 2022 line-up, the updated Macan GTS boasts a number of striking design elements that distinguish it from the lesser models in the line-up: 21-inch RS Spyder Design wheels in satin black, Sport Design side skirts, clear LED tail lights and a Sport Exhaust system with black tailpipes complete the look.

Porsche says that another core attribute of the Macan’s appeal is its emphasis on performance. To this end, all 2022 models feature a standard seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission, all-wheel drive and powertrains that are more powerful than those of their predecessors.

The Macan range begins with a 2.0litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that now delivers 195kW and 400Nm of torque – an increase of 10kW and 30Nm compared to the 2021 model that it replaces. The result, they claim, is 0 to 100km/h in just 5.8 seconds when equipped with the optional Sport Chrono Package (0.3 seconds quicker than previously) and a top speed of 231km/h.

The 2022 Macan S offers 280kW and 520Nm of torque thanks to a 2.9-litre twin-turbo-petrol V6 from the outgoing Macan GTS that now sits under the hood. With 100km/h reached from standstill in 4.4 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono Package,

it’s half a second quicker to the ton than the 2021 Macan S. Top speed in the Macan S according to Porsche is limited to 257km/h. The new Macan S also comes with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard.

At the very top of the 2022 Macan range sits the new GTS variant. Fitted with a 324kW version of the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 (generating 550Nm torque and used in the previous Macan Turbo model) it sprints from 0 to 100km/h with optional Sport Chrono Package in just 4.1 seconds and continues on to a top speed of 272km/h – 3km/h faster than the 2021 Macan Turbo.

Befitting its status as the top performer in the range, the Macan GTS is fitted with Porsche surface-coated brakes with red calipers and adaptive air suspension with 10mm lower ride height as standard. The suspension tuning of the Macan GTS is 15% stiffer than before, further reducing body roll, and it also features updated bump stops and strut mounts. Newly calibrated dampers also offer a greater breadth of comfort and performance.

As a new option, the dynamic capabilities and appearance of the new Macan GTS can be further enhanced with the new GTS Sport Package. This includes the Sport Chrono Package, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, 18-way Adaptive Sport Seats, Sport Design mirrors with caps painted in high-gloss black, front and rear fascia as well as side skirts in satin black and 21-inch GT Design wheels shod with special high-performance tyres. The interior of the GTS equipped with Sport Package is characterised by carbon fibre elements, deviated stitching and greater number of Race-Tex interior features.

The enhancements to the 2022 Macan models continue inside the car. The analogue clock on the dashboard is standard, as is a redesigned centre console that offers haptic touch elements to lend it a clean, simple look that also allows for improved practical elements, such as a larger storage compartment.

A new – and shorter – gear lever also integrates seamlessly into the new console. New GT Sport steering wheels adopted from the 911 are also available and offer the perfect interface between driver and car, Porsche says. The 28cm full-HD touchscreen in the Macan also offers standard navigation and Apple Car Play and can be optionally upgraded with enhanced audio systems. As a new option, interior packages with deviated stitching in Papaya, Gentian Blue and Chalk are also available.

The 2022 Macan models come standard with Lane Departure Warning as well as front and rear Park Assist with a rear-view camera. Beyond this, it can be optioned with a number of driver assistance systems. These include self-steering Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist and the Blind Spot Monitoring Lane Change Assist function.

The 2022 Porsche Macan is expected to arrive early next year with a starting price of R1050000 for the standard model. The Macan S will set you back R1271000. The Macan GTS will cost R1551000. All models will come with a three-year Porsche Driveplan Maintenance contract.