The GTS is the secret top Macan

Sometimes it’s not about numbers, but about the best package. Paper is patient, but the feeling immediately says: It doesn’t have to be more Macan than in the GTS. Yes, it lacks 60 hp for the top model. Yes, you can see that in his measured values. But: No, that doesn’t matter. And it saves a ton of money.

Because technically, the two most powerful engines of Porsche’s mid-range SUV are very similar. The Macan Turbo feels like a little more riot, the Macan GTS looks a little more like a riot. In general, it is astonishing how well Porsche combines the topics of SUV and sport. And how modern the Macan moves, even though it’s actually not that fresh anymore. After all, it has been on the market since 2014 – with a platform from 2008.

Porsche Macan GTS with a semi-modern interior

You can tell its age from the interior. Two Porsche worlds meet here: the old one, in which each function has its own button, which is draped in a battery on the center console. And the new one, who prefers to work with touch. A large touchscreen will be installed in the car for the facelift, but the buttons remain. Porsche has been rolling out the revision since the end of 2018. Initially in the basic Macan and Macan S models, recently in the Macan Turbo, now in the GTS. Diesel engines are no longer in the range.

For the most part, Porsche designed the interior in a classic style. There are three round instruments behind the steering wheel. The tachometer dominates in the center, only the right clock works digitally. That is not the current status, but still consistent. Everything around it feels like a Porsche: fine leather, tight seats, ignition key on the left. Only when getting in you don’t have to go down so deep, but climb a little.

Porsche is clearly focusing on the first row in the Macan. Behind it, it gets tighter than one would assume based on the dimensions of the SUV. Its trunk loads as much as a mid-range station wagon. It is big enough for couples and works with children too. Four adults prefer to drive a Cayenne. The price is not far away. But it does not keep up with driving dynamics.

Jagged driving characteristics in the Porsche Macan GTS

Porsche brings a lot of momentum to the small SUV. Of course you can tell that it has a high focus. But the Macan GTS does a lot to hide this flaw. It hardly leans outward in curves. You don’t feel any swaying, just the centrifugal forces pulling on the heavy body. It can be positioned comfortably and precisely. The typical SUV sponginess when turning is only rudimentary.

He can even be persuaded to twitch his rear end gently. If you change the load at the right moment and step on the gas, you provoke the rear axle to slip. Not enough to lose control – the sensitive ESP would prevent anything else anyway. But enough to consolidate the sporty impression. He doesn’t push forward stubbornly, but goes agile around the corner. A remarkable skill in terms of height and weight.

Porsche realizes all of this without undue harshness. Some competitors put the suspension in this class deliberately hard to make the car feel fast. The Macan GTS doesn’t need that, although Porsche has lowered it one and a half centimeters as standard. Optionally, an air suspension with an additional centimeter lowering comes into the car. The Macan GTS creates a connection with the road without jolting the intervertebral discs. He prefers to show his sportiness with brisk cornering speeds.

2.9-liter V6 petrol engine with a lot of power

The Macan GTS shares its drive with the Macan Turbo. A V6 petrol engine with a displacement of 2.9 liters and two turbochargers works in both. The turbo drives with 440 hp in advance, in the GTS the unit has 380 hp. The maximum force of 520 Newton meters of torque is constant between 1,750 and 5,000 revolutions.

The power is enough for the SUV despite its curb weight of almost two tons. The engine can thrash the Macan GTS forward with force or move it smoothly and with a pleasant hum. The dual clutch transmission adapts. It shifts late and quickly – or barely noticeable on low tours. It behaves even at slow speeds and uncomfortable load changes.

All-wheel drive is standard in the Macan. Porsche developed it itself in order to stand out Platform brother Audi Q5 take off. It is designed to emphasize the rear so as to be reminiscent of the brand’s sports cars. Large brake discs (36 or 33 cm diameter) and six-piston calipers on the front axle safely capture the power. The discs can optionally be coated with a tungsten carbide coating. This gives them a better grip and generates less dust.

The better Porsche Macan

Ultimately, Porsche does find a line that separates the GTS from the Macan top. Whoever buys the Turbo wants to have the fastest car available. And despite the strength, he does not want to forego comfort. In the GTS, things can be more jagged. Not that fast straight ahead, but tighter and more pointed. Porsche allows him one or the other edge – visually and in driving behavior. That strengthens his character and feels consistent.

Anyone who can deal with a little more excitement in terms of looks and can do without a few horsepower will find the best Macan in the GTS. It costs 77,880 euros. At Porsche, it’s a good offer, the top model costs a good 14,000 euros more. On the other hand, the competition is much cheaper: the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic with 390 hp starts at 68,335.75 euros. A BMW X4 M40i with 360 hp costs 70,800 euros.

However, Porsche does not want to continue this competition for long. The next Macan is coming soon: the successor will start in 2022. As a purely electric car, it will initially run parallel to the classic Macan, but will replace it in the long term.

Porsche Macan GTS: Technical data