S or GTS

[pmg]

The discussion so far seems a bit GTS biased so here’s something to balance it.

I own an S. Didn’t test drive a GTS as a lightly optioned S was plenty enough for me and I’m very happy with the choice.

Buy a GTS if….
….you value handling above comfort (Not me speaking, one of the weekly mags)
….the options that you would choose on the S are standard on the GTS as this gives better long term resale value (bigger wheels, leather vs plastic in parts of the interior, black exterior trim). 20 inch wheels are at least £2500 extra on an S.
….you want the sporty look that comes with the lowered suspension. (From my point of view I can’t see the point of buying a car with high driving position with all the compromises that entails and then lowering it)

Buy an S if….
….comfort is important while still having great grip and handling
….you want a lower up front price. Comparing base prices the GTS is almost £10k more
….a 0-62mph time of 5.3 secs is good enough for you (GTS 4.9 secs)

Enjoy your decision making.

Well said sir.

All 4 levels of Macan are great cars and each suit different precise use patterns above one of the others, eg 2 litre in shorter journey town use, turbo autobahn cruising high speed, S long distance comfortably cruising at UK speeds and GTS spirited sporty driving on A and B roads.

Another point is the lower rpm start of the torque curve in the S cf GTS and turbo and most of the extra performance of the latter two really come in to their own high revs. I will try and refind a US website that gave the sort of detailed acceleration figures both from stationary and in the gears, Autocar used to give regularly in full road tests. When I was looking at such about 3 months ago it showed until above legal speeds all the gain of either generation GTS or Turbo over S was less than in most categories and often less than a half a sec

Some of the comments in this thread are based on just driving a Gen1 GTS without having driven a gen 2 S or the only S actually been driven an SD. It would be interesting to drive round PEC a Gen 1 GTS in Sport pasm and a Gen2 S with Air set in Sport Plus and low. I suspect there would be little difference.

Another issue is what priority is given to engine noise, some want loud and backfires and others want the least possible for long journey refinement

In the second-hand market at present one-year-old Gen 2 2019 10 k mileage S's are about the same price as 20 to 30 K 2017/2018 GTS's. An individual's priorities could justify the purchase of either.

[jaffacake]

Another point is the lower rpm start of the torque curve in the S cf GTS and turbo and most of the extra performance of the latter two really come in to their own high revs. I will try and refind a US website that gave the sort of detailed acceleration figures both from stationary and in the gears, Autocar used to give regularly in full road tests. When I was looking at such about 3 months ago it showed until above legal speeds all the gain of either generation GTS or Turbo over S was less than in most categories and often less than a half a sec

Not sure I understand this, for both Gen1 and Gen2 the S has lower torque than the GTS all the way up the curve. Acceleration is better across the board

https://zeperfs.com/duel7856-8600.htm

[jaffacake]

And the Gen 2 Turbo wallops it:

https://zeperfs.com/duel7856-8489.htm

[jaffacake]

Perhaps you read that the S hits its peak torque at lower RPM, which it does, but that's because its peak torque is somewhat lower.

[pmg]

Perhaps you read that the S hits its peak torque at lower RPM, which it does, but that's because its peak torque is somewhat lower.

The graphs I based my comments on are those for the individuals on https://www.automobile-catalog.com/ I will try and find the copies I saved but from memory they showed the Gen2 S greater torque a than Gen1 GTS from about 1200 to 1500 rpm

I do admit a bought an S in 2019 having just missed the last delivery slots for 2018 GTS's which was my first enquiry. As it turns out the Gen 2 cars of all types did have suspension improvements and of course the better tech so I do not regret missing out on a new Gen1 GTS. At present, I am favouring keeping my s past its 3rd birthday rather than buy a 2022 GTS especially if they have the harpic button centre consul rather than the existing buttons. I am glad I had one year pre Covid use out of my car than did not wait twelve months for a Gen 2 GTS. If matrix lights appear as an option on 2022 model Macans that might reopen the issue, but the point is the margins are small in day to day use and all 4 main Macan options are great cars

[SAC1]

The Macan is indeed a great all purpose car.

Over the past 4 years I have driven all variants, except the Turbo PP. Mostly on the road, including test drives, but also on 3 separate occasions at the PEC Silverstone, with several of their fleet derivatives.

For me the SD's combination of torque, up to UK legal speed limits, and fuel economy takes a lot of beating.

When I looked to replace it, I considered leaving Porsche for another make. I took a test drive of the new 2020 model Turbo, I was sold though and gambled the new GTS would fit my needs.

Yes the GTS' ride is a bit firm in Sport, but in Comfort (no PASM ref light) it's similar to the SD in Sport (1 × red bar light on).

The new 2.9 engine has great torque and rapid acceleration. It just feels more nimble and sporty too. Dare I say it....similar performance to the Turbo here in top speed restricted UK.

Continue enjoying your choice of model for your needs, as all Macans are great.

[PaulR]

Buy a GTS if….
….you value handling above comfort (Not me speaking, one of the weekly mags)

Not entirely convinced by this. My GTS with 20" wheels and air suspension rides like an absolute dream in comfort setting.

I test drove an S with 21" wheels and steel suspension and it was noticeably less comfortable. Of course an S with 20" wheels and air would be a different story.

My point is that, for comfort, your wheel size and choice of steel or air suspension is more important than your choice of S over GTS. The articles in the latest Autocar and AutoExpress magazines give the GTS a very good write-up for comfort. (Press cars used have 20" wheels and air.)

[pmg]

Buy a GTS if….
….you value handling above comfort (Not me speaking, one of the weekly mags)

Not entirely convinced by this. My GTS with 20" wheels and air suspension rides like an absolute dream in comfort setting.

I test drove an S with 21" wheels and steel suspension and it was noticeably less comfortable. Of course an S with 20" wheels and air would be a different story.

My point is that, for comfort, your wheel size and choice of steel or air suspension is more important than your choice of S over GTS. The articles in the latest Autocar and AutoExpress magazines give the GTS a very good write-up for comfort. (Press cars used have 20" wheels and air.)

Agreed, but given same wheel size, and suspension (i.e air or not and s at least PASM) the GTS as less "spring" travel than S, hence compartivley stiffer and less "comfort" in the same setting. Unlike the recent GB press cars, the cars the mags drove at GTS launch some did not have air and comments were made about lack of travel inhibiting best ride quality. But then some on the forum do not like any air ride describing it has floaty. I suspect hey might have hard BMW with no tire wall previously.

[Kleynie]

I had my first Macan a MY18 S for only one month before rejecting it due to an oil leak.
I ended up with a GTS same MY, the difference is unbelievable. From the quality of the interior finish

The quality is surely the same in the S or GTS. My SD has full leather with 18 way ventilated seats and is far better quality than the standard GTS interior IMO.
It depends on the options ticked when new.

[Tracky]

The GTS wasn't available when we ordered our Gen 2 S (much like the 981S she had before)

Spec for spec the prices are not dissimilar given the options I loaded on ours so I'm really not fussed and given it is not on finance, that part of the residual calculation makes no odds to me

Did I have any issues selling her Boxster? None at all and still got just under 50% of the original optioned price for it 7 years later so I think the residual point is a non point

Do I miss 0.4 of second to 60 (as quoted above), nope!

For the colour she wanted, I also prefer the non colour coded look so all in all we are happy with our mundane S!