By Otsile Kadiege

Porsche revealed a new derivative to their Macan range – the all-new Macan T. It bears the ‘Touring’ nameplate of the legendary Porsche 911 T from 1968. Porsche says the ‘Touring’ identifies models that offer an especially authentic driving experience thanks to precise tuning, exclusive equipment and efficient engines. Fun fact: previously ‘Touring’ models were reserved for 911 and 718 models, this marks the first time a four-door sports car bears the special designation. The new Macan T features a new 2-litre turbocharged engine, model-specific tuning, a sport exterior styling and a range of standard equipment.

Performance

As mentioned above, the new Macan T employs a 2-litre turbo-petrol engine making 195kW and 400Nm. The engine is coupled with a fast-switching seven-speed dual clutch transmission (PDK) and the Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive system. It accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 232 km/h. Porsche claims a combined fuel consumption of 10.7 – 10.1 l/100 km (WLTP).

The Macan T is the only Porsche model to feature steel suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard. Its body is lowered by 15 mm. According to Porsche, the anti-roll bars on the front axle are more rigid and the car’s chassis tuning has been optimised to create the perfect suspension for the vehicle and powertrain, resulting in very responsive steering behaviour and agile handling. With the introduction of the Macan T, Porsche offers a new option exclusively available for 4-cylinder Macan models – an adaptive air suspension with PASM and a 10-mm lower body.

Exterior and interior

The Macan T is differentiates itself from the rest of the Macan line-up with design elements painted in Agate Grey Metallic on the front, flank and rear. An exclusive contrast colour can be seen on the painted front trim, exterior mirrors, side blades, roof spoiler and logos on the rear. Sports tailpipes and side window trims in high-gloss Black are included as standard with the side blades featuring the ‘Macan T’ logo in Black. Exclusive 20-inch Macan S wheels in dark titanium, come as standard. Customers can choose from a range of 13 exterior colours.

Inside, the Macan T comes standard with eight-way electrically adjustable sports seats feature exclusive upholstery based on the Black leather package. The centres of the front seats and the outer rear seats are delivered with the Sport-Tex Stripe pattern, while the front headrests feature an embossed Porsche crest. Standard equipment also includes a multifunction GT sports steering wheel and the Sport Chrono stopwatch in the upper part of the dashboard.

The Macan T benefits from all new elements of the latest model generation, such as the new centre console with its sophisticated glass-look and touch-sensitive surface, as well as the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system with a 10.9-inch touch screen as standard.

Pricing

Pricing for the new Macan T starts at R1,190,000 and comes standard with a 3 year/100,000 km Driveplan. First customer deliveries are expected from June 2022.