Revealed: the new Porsche Macan 12

Porsche’s ‘baby Cayenne’ is here. And if you call it an Audi Q5 in a dress, it’ll kick you in the satchels

This is the Macan, little brother to the Cayenne and the Porsche’s newest mass-market attack vehicle. Launched in Los Angeles today, it’s a five-seat SUV to rival the Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 (with which it shares a basic skeleton), BMW X3 and Merc’s GLK

Except, claims Porsche, the Macan will be a much sportier proposition than that raft of SUVs. It boasts, in fact, that the Macan will handle like a proper sports-thing. A bold claim, but if any firm can deliver, it’s Porsche. There’ll be three Macans at launch, all which come with a seven-speed PDK ‘box as standard. All are four-wheel drive, a rear-biased system that varies torque across the back axle, and if that doesn’t work, can shunt up to 100 per cent of grunt to the front wheels. Three usual suspension set-ups are also available, ranging from the basic standard steel springs to full four-corner air suspension. The smallest wheels available are not-so-modest 18-inchers The engines aren’t too shy either. Things kick off with the 3.0 V6 turbodiesel in the Macan S Diesel, which gets a 3.0-litre V6 making the 258bhp and 428lb ft motor. That’s good for a 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds and 142mph. Then there’s the Macan S, equipped with a new 3.6-litre V6 biturbo petrol engine producing 340bhp and 340lb ft and hitting 158mph and 62mph in 5.4.