Porsche’s Fifth: Macan SUV Joins the Model Line

Porsche AG, which revealed its fifth model, the compact Macan SUV, at the Los Angeles auto show this week. The vehicle, which shares its platform with the Audi Q5, goes on sale worldwide in April.

The company expects the five-seat Macan to be its best-selling model and help it reach an annual sales target of 200,000 units by 2018. The new SUV will be built at the company's factory in Leipzig, which also produces the larger Cayenne SUV.

Three versions of the Macan will be offered, the range-topping Turbo, the S and, for markets outside North America, the S Diesel. The Turbo is fitted with a twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter V-6 that makes 400 hp and propels the Macan from zero 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. The S, powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 producing 340 hp, pushes the vehicle to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. The diesel option is a 3.0-liter V-6 rated at 258 hp with a zero to 60 mph time of about 6.2 seconds.

All Macans are fitted with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. Porsche's optional torque vectoring system varies power to the rear wheels with the help of an electronically controlled locking rear differential.

Standard tires are 235/55 R-19 in front and wider 255/50 R-19 in the rear; 21-inch wheels and tires are optional. Porsche notes the staggered tire widths allow for increased rear traction while allowing for sporty and precise steering. Electromechanical power steering is standard.

U.S. EPA fuel economy figures have not been released. But Porsche predicts good numbers because of several fuel-saving technologies incorporated into the Macan. They include advanced fuel injection, internal combustion chamber cooling, responsive turbos, stop-start at speeds below 1.2 mph, and a coasting function that decouples the engine at speed whenever the driver releases the accelerator.