Stuttgart’s latest flavour of compact SUV comes to us as no surprise. The new 2020 Macan Turbo will be powered by the same mill found in the Audi RS4 and Panamera 4S, amongst others. New too are fancy stoppers. More on that later.
But first, the 3.6-litre blown V6 previously found under the bonnet is succeeded by the smaller, more powerful and fuel efficient 2.9-litre ‘hot-Vee’ block that’s mated to a 7-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Churning out some 29kW more juice with 550Nm of torque on tap from between 1800-5600 revs, it’s remarkable that this twin-turbo soft roader returns 9.8l/100km on the combined WLTP cycle. It manages the century sprint in just 4.3 seconds with an eventual top speed of 270 km/h. Not too shabby for an all-wheel drive 324kW SUV. Watch out Mercedes-AMG GLC63 and BMW X3 M!
Setting it apart from the rest of the range are a set of 20-inch alloys that cage the new Macan Turbo’s party piece. No, it isn’t the turbo-design air intakes, front apron or Mamba Green lick of paint.
First seen on the Cayenne are the Porsche Surface Coated Brakes (PSCB). Developed in collaboration with Bosch, the iron-base rotors’ intermediary layer is surface coated with tungsten carbide at ultra-high temperatures using an oxygen-fuel spraying process that shoots the material onto the discs at supersonic speeds.
Porsche says the discs are highly corrosion-resistant and lasts up to 30 percent longer. PSCB is easily identifiable by its signature white callipers, denoting a 90 percent reduction in brake dust as compared to standard cast iron units. While fitted as standard on the Turbo, it’s offered as an option to the rest of the range.
Inside it’s very much business as usual, befitting that of a Porsche. Greeting you are a pair of leather-wrapped 18-way adjustable Adaptive sports seats in addition to the brushed aluminium fixtures and switches that adorn the cabin, accompanied by BOSE’s (665-watt) 14-speaker stereo and a 10.9-inch networked infotainment screen with the latest version of Porsche Communication Management (PCM) for good measure.
The Macan Turbo is slated to hit our shores as soon as October with prices starting from $142,000 excluding on-road costs.
For more on Porsche cars, check out our Showroom.
