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How do you like your car colours? Business suit navies and greys? Personally, I like mine like posh jelly beans – which is lucky since the Stuttgart marque have added four fruity colour options to their range.
With groovy names like Mamba Green, Miami Blue and such. Sadly I wasn’t at my luckiest when being handed out test units and so had to settle on a white Macan. Not Appliance White mind you, an empirically shiny gloss wrapped around a body shell with nothing resembling a flat surface in sight. But let’s rewind a bit with a short history lesson.
In its mere five years since inception, over 400 000 Macans have been sold. It has been racking up accolades left, right and centre including here in South Africa as 2015 Car of the Year.
This then is the second coming, sort of ‘Macan Again?’ It now comes with new headlamps similar to what you’d find on the larger Cayenne – and ditto the rear black treatment on its rump.
There are also five types of personalizable side blades (finished in body colour, gloss black etc) plus a revitalised front end. Then there’s the plethora of new wheels options, yours up to 21" in diameter.
Image: Calvin Fisher
The cabin, still absolutely laden with buttons, has gone digital quite heavily when it comes to the 10.9 inch infotainment screen and multimedia options, including connectivity with Apple Car Play making its debut. The multi-function GT helm is further littered with switches and dials, and if you’ve opted for the Sport Chrono Pack will also summon Sport modes.
And it’s all been lathered with Alcantara and leather trimmings so consider the cabin with all its reams and reams of features and tech; both safety, entertainment and communication a wonderful place from which to summon the reserves of power under that sleek white bonnet.
The base car was all we had access to but at 180kW and 370Nm from its turbocharged 2.0 litre engine it was hardly a slouch. In fact, it will crush the zero to hundred sprint in just 6.5 seconds.
The considerably hotter S model will however do it 5.1 seconds thanks to its blown 3.0 V6 (good for 260kW and 480Nm) – but while that car will cost you R1 114 900 for the privilege, the one I’m driving comes in at R849,000. And for the price of admission you get a very competent sports car with utility to boot.
Both derivatives shares the brilliant 7 speed PDK transmission and thanks to a wealth of features (most standard, some optional) such as mixed tire widths, torque vectoring (with ‘Plus’ an a further option), traction management, ceramic composite brakes and air suspension - the chassis components all conspire to create a driving experience pure Zuffenhausen. A point and squirt master class that won’t shy away from more urbane duties.
PORSCHE MACAN SPEC
Price: R849 000
Drivetrain: 2.0 turbocharged petrol, 180kW/370Nm, 7-speed PDK
Performance: 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds
