When you need both a family and sports car

ANTIBES (Engine): It has been just over ten years since Porsche came up with its second SUV model, Macan. Now it is in a generational change, at least in some markets.

For the next generation Macan is electric, while the fossil version will still be sold in places where electric cars have no interest.

It is easy to recognize the features from the previous model in the new one, but the car has grown a bit. The wheelbase has been increased by 8.6 centimeters, while it is five centimeters longer, slightly wider, but at the same height.

Family car

That means the Macan remains a mid-size SUV, the most popular segment for people with families.

Because it is a practical car, with plenty of space in the back seat, thanks to the increased wheelbase, good luggage space in the back, a trunk and the ability to tow a two-tonne trailer.

In other words, a perfect car for most people.

The problem is that most people do not have one million kroner set aside for car purchases. Because not surprisingly, the Macan is an expensive affair.

It comes in two versions, Macan 4 and Macan Turbo. In this case, the turbo must not lead anyone to believe that the car actually has a turbo. This is an electric car, and what the function of a turbo would be in a car without an exhaust system is hard to say.

Instead, it can be translated as “a really sporty and ridiculously nimble family car”. Zero to hundred in 3.3 seconds is one of many proofs of this.

Good range

During the test days, we started with a Macan 4, and thought after a few hours that this holds up a lot in terms of power and driving characteristics.

The Macan 4 has 387 horsepower, 408 with the boost function, which gives a zero to hundred time of 5.2 seconds.

The starting price is NOK 876,839, but quickly becomes quite a bit higher when you have added “necessary” extra equipment.

Both versions have a range of approximately 60 miles on paper. The trips we had were not suitable for consumption testing, so that will come at a later date.

The charging speed is one of the very best, 270 kilowatts, and it should be at 200 kilowatts when the charge passes 50 percent.

Very fit

Inside, there is a completely new cockpit. Here, there is a screen surface covering practically the entire width of the car, which means that the vast majority of functions are located in the screens. But Porsche has been smart and separated the climate control, which has its own row of buttons. In addition, of course, there is a switch on the steering wheel where the car’s various driving modes can be adjusted.

RYDDIG: Interiøret foran preges av en en stor, digital flate. Klimaanlegget har en egen knapperad, og den opplevde kvaliteten er høy. Men seteventilasjonen, som er ekstrautstyr, lager mye lyd." alt="" />

AKSELAVSTAND: Den nye Macan har lengre akselavstand enn modellen den erstatter, noe som gir bedre beinplass i baksetet." alt="" />

FRUNK: Foran er det en frunk, et klassisk sted å legge ladekablene." alt="" />

The driving environment is tidy, and the perceived quality is very good. The seating position itself is somewhat lower than in the previous edition, but not so low that the SUV enthusiasts are shocked.

The Macan Turbo has 639 horsepower, with boost, and a torque of 1,130 newton metres. Fit, in other words, very fit. Where many other electric cars are greedily nimble straight ahead, but quite miserable when it comes to corners, the Macan Turbo is like a sports car.

Delivers

On the crooked roads a few miles away from the southern coast of France, the car once again showed that Porsche is almost uniquely good at conjuring up driving characteristics.

Although this is not a lightweight, it grips the corners, and as a driver you completely forget that you have 2.4 tons in your hands.

There is of course no big point if you only think of a family car, but if you are there, then you are not in the market for a Porsche. For those who, on the other hand, know what Porsche tends to achieve with their cars, it is enough to say that the Macan delivers.

Towards the end of the year

There are no other electric cars on the market that manage to combine sportiness and practicality with such great precision as this car. That it is expensive actually makes sense, it costs money to put something together at this level. As with so much else, you get what you pay for.

A trick, to justify the outlay, is to argue that there are two cars in one. A family car and a sports car. Then maybe the price isn’t so bad?

In any case, you have some time to think about it, the first cars will arrive in the last quarter of 2024, and production will be quite limited at the start.

LED-MATRIX: Macan kan leveres med LED-matrix-lys, og designen med to lysrader kjenner man igjen fra Taycan." alt="" />

MIDT-PÅ-TREET: Bagasjeplassen er helt grei, det finnes SUV-er i samme størrelse som har plass til mer og mindre, men det bør holde til familiebruk." alt="" />