| James Kon |
LOCAL media personnel were recently given an opportunity to test drive the Porsche Macan, a sporty, compact luxury Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that is a great fit to the lifestyle in Brunei Darussalam.
As I drove the Porsche Macan on the Rimba highway, I noticed the smooth driving, acceleration and comfort the SUV had to offer.
The Macan brings together the most powerful engine range in its class with the sporty seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) and the Porsche Traction Management (PTM), one of the finest drive systems in the world, in conjunction with a sporty mix of tyres, fitted as standard.
‘Made in Germany’ at the Leipzig plant, Porsche has invested around EUR500 million into the plant, expanding it into a fully fledged plant with its own bodyshell construction facility and paint shop.
The new production line is set up to produce around 50,000 vehicles per year – all manufactured with the utmost precision and to the highest level of quality. With the introduction of the Macan, Porsche is writing another chapter in its on-going success story in Leipzig.
The Porsche Macan is a sporty, compact luxury Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that is a great fit to the lifestyle in Brunei
With design elements from Porsche sports cars taken and enhanced for the Macan, the vehicle heralds the first sports car in the compact SUV segment
The design of the Macan is reminiscent of the iconic 911 sports car and the technological benchmark 918 model, and the SUV is unrivalled in its flat and broad profile on the road.
The design elements have been taken from Porsche sports cars and enhanced for the Macan, making it clear to see from the very first glance that the vehicle heralds the first sports car in the compact SUV segment.
In giving its best perfor-mance and efficiency delivering maximum driving pleasure, the Macan comes with the normal spec of two-litre displacement four-cylinder engine producing 237 horsepower and accelerating from 0-100km in 6.9 seconds. The added technologies of seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) and Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system provide the perfect fit for improved performance.
For the first time in a new Porsche model range, all variants of the Macan feature the high performance seven-speed PDK as standard.
The advantages of this transmission design include excellent start-up performance, extremely fast gear changes without any interruption in tractive force, highly spon-taneous and targeted responses to changes to the accelerator pedal, swift adaptation to a more economical or sporty driving style, low fuel consumption and outstanding shift comfort.
The advantages offered by the PDK are particularly evident in off-road mode, in gear changes without any interruption in tractive force, as well as when driving up steep inclines or during descents.
The PTM meanwhile enables the all-wheel drive concept of the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 to find its way into the compact SUV segment. This results to outstanding traction and vehicle stability for the pleasure of driving with a predominantly rear-wheel drive typically delivered by Porsche.
The production line is set to produce around 50,000 vehicles per year, all manufactured with the utmost precision and to the highest level of quality. PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM
All variants of the Macan feature the high performance seven-speed PDK as standard
At the heart of the system lies the active all-wheel amount of propulsion force transferred to the front wheels on corners to achieve optimum lateral support.
The interior of the Macan has an exceptionally sporty feel with its comfortable seat position and a more steeply inclined steering column.
The extensive range of equipment fitted as standard allows for a high degree of indivi-dualisation. From the low front seats, the sloping centre console and the display and operation concept through to the extensive range of customisation options, the interior offers both a sense of familiarity and striking new features.
The exterior design is deeply rooted with sport car deigns where the Porsche Macan’s proportions and lines highlight what the vehicle has to offer in terms of performance.
The side window graphics, the roof line reminiscent of a Coupé and the rear wings all take their cue from the 911. The Macan also adopts the current Porsche design DNA, which propelled the 918 Spyder forward. The result can be summarised in two words typical of a sports car: broad and low.
The front of the Macan is a distinctive component of the design. The large air intakes are typical of Porsche and highlight the performance class to which the brand’s vehicles typically belong.
Those interested can catch a glimpse of the Porsche Macan at the Porsche Centre Brunei located in Beribi industrial area.
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