Porsche Spices Up The Four-Cylinder Macan With New T Variant

Image: Porsche

Since its introduction, Porsche’s Macan CUV has been the brand’s best seller all over the world. Sharing a platform with Volkswagen’s Tiguan and Audi’s Q5, the Macan manages to be sportier and more composed than either of its stablemates, and stands head and shoulders above anything else in the segment. If you want to buy a Porsche right now, the Macan is your least expensive entry into the market. Obviously it’s not a sports car, but it still has some of that brand cachet.

The standard model Macan delivers all-wheel drive and a 261-horsepower two-liter turbocharged four cylinder. Normally this is seen as a detriment, as it’s 114 horsepower down on the V6-powered Macan S. In the Macan T, which shares the same 2.0T as the standard model, Porsche is spinning that option as the lighter and more agile option. It gets 129 pounds off the front axle, don’t you know? So is this the modern-day equivalent of a 912, then?

With 261 horses and 295 lb-ft of torque on hand, the Macan T is hardly slow with a 5.8-second 0-60 run. That’s two tenths of a second quicker than the base model, as the standard Sport Chrono Package with an overboost “Sport Response Button” is added to the T as standard. As per usual, the all-wheel drive system, dubbed Porsche Traction Management, helps the Macan rocket out of the hole.

Image: Porsche

The biggest change between the base and the T is found in the chassis. Porsche wanted to make this one the sportier option, and added Porsche Active Suspension Management (which incorporates 15mm lower steel springs) and Porsche Traction Management as standard. The tuning of the car’s drive system has been biased toward the rear wheels to help the Macan T accelerate out of corners. If you order the optional adaptive air suspension, the Macan T gets special stiffer anti-roll bars to sharpen the chassis and reduce body roll. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus is also optional if you want an even sportier drive.

Exterior trim pieces of the Macan T are painted in Agate Grey Metallic to differentiate it from other Macan models. This includes the mirrors, the front grille, side trim “blades”, roof spoiler, and rear badging. Other trim, like the window surrounds and tailpipes, are painted in gloss black. It’s a nice effect, honestly. 20-inch wheels are standard.

Image: Porsche

Inside the standard heated sport seats are trimmed in a unique way for the T. The centers of the front seats and the outer rear seats are trimmed in ‘Sport-Tex Stripe’ like a pin-striped suit, and the front headrests each have an embossed Porsche crest. Stitching on the seats and steering wheel is contrasted in silver for a fun effect.

Image: Porsche

U.S. customers will have to wait until spring to order their Macan T, and pricing has not yet been announced. Meanwhile, the order books are already open in Germany with a delivery date of April, and the T is priced at € 69,462 including VAT and country-specific equipment. Here in the U.S. the Macan starts at $54,900 and the Macan S will run you $65,400, so expect the Macan T to sorta split the difference.