First Porsche: 2019 Macan S

[Nuclear Nick]

Yes Ferdie, I'm sure you're right, but let's not forget, the Macan is not a sports car! But what is good is that Porsche have made options available that can be used to tailor the characteristics to the user's wishes.

[Wing Commander]

^^^ Absolutely! And thinking of the pre-facelift Macan range, there’s a pretty wide choice available, from the humble 2.0 to the range-topping Turbo PP. Then you can make your Macan unique via your choices - engine, suspension, wheels, colour, interior and a million permutations of options, both inside & out. Someone posted a comment this week that there might not be a GTS version of the facelift Macan, which would be a shame, although if true, it may help to bolster the value of pre-facelift GTSs, considered by many to be the sweet spot of the range.

[Rab J]

To be more explicit Nick I think I'd be right to say there is not a single sports car that uses air suspension? Whereas all contemporary super-sport cars have a 'PASM' (computer aided damping) option, if not as standard. Certainly McLaren have a very nifty system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkwL8lBo2e0&t=649s

I think the Chiron and the Veron before it use air springs.

[PWMacan]

A little update on my hunt to fine tune the spec. I currently have a Macan S loan car from the dealer in the spec I was considering (21” wheels, PASM, no air). Some thoughts:
-the ride is plenty good enough without air even on 21s
-do I even need PASM? Body roll is so controlled even in comfort suspension mode
-the Sport Chrono is really fun - I love the dial on the steering wheel and the sharper gearbox and response in sport / sport + is great
-it’s fast but still sounds flat. Guess that’s just the way it is
-this one has the full leather pack - I do see why it’s nice but for £1k I think I can make an economy with the partial
-Apple CarPlay works great but noticed when using Google maps (as opposed to Porsche nav) the directions don’t display on the map on the dash, only on the centre screen. Just me or am I doing something wrong?

Also, we drove it back to back against a 2014 Macan Turbo. The Turbo didn’t feel that much faster but did have a pleasingly aggressive shunt in the back even on the upshift and did offer some of the sound that I was missing on the S. However they’re still expensive and the real world performance is only incremental as opposed to game changing. The big problem for me was that the tech feels old (similar to my 2008 Audi) whereas the new S feels much more contemporary.

On balance I think we’re set on the new S, but still undecided on colours. Decisions!

[ianst]

A little update on my hunt to fine tune the spec. I currently have a Macan S loan car from the dealer in the spec I was considering (21” wheels, PASM, no air). Some thoughts:
-the ride is plenty good enough without air even on 21s
-do I even need PASM? Body roll is so controlled even in comfort suspension mode
-the Sport Chrono is really fun - I love the dial on the steering wheel and the sharper gearbox and response in sport / sport + is great
-it’s fast but still sounds flat. Guess that’s just the way it is
-this one has the full leather pack - I do see why it’s nice but for £1k I think I can make an economy with the partial
-Apple CarPlay works great but noticed when using Google maps (as opposed to Porsche nav) the directions don’t display on the map on the dash, only on the centre screen. Just me or am I doing something wrong?

Also, we drove it back to back against a 2014 Macan Turbo. The Turbo didn’t feel that much faster but did have a pleasingly aggressive shunt in the back even on the upshift and did offer some of the sound that I was missing on the S. However they’re still expensive and the real world performance is only incremental as opposed to game changing. The big problem for me was that the tech feels old (similar to my 2008 Audi) whereas the new S feels much more contemporary.

On balance I think we’re set on the new S, but still undecided on colours. Decisions!

If it was the standard turbo instead of the performance pack one, then it's only 50bhp more.

The entertainment on the old shape is very dated, and the rear lights look dated now too imo.

[Ferdie]

I think the Chiron and the Veron before it use air springs.

That's interesting - you have put me right certainly means there is no technical barrier to doing it - I'm guessing that 'short movement' steel springs don't cut it on a 2000kg car!

[rosino]

A little update on my hunt to fine tune the spec. I currently have a Macan S loan car from the dealer in the spec I was considering (21” wheels, PASM, no air). Some thoughts:
-the ride is plenty good enough without air even on 21s
-do I even need PASM? Body roll is so controlled even in comfort suspension mode
-the Sport Chrono is really fun - I love the dial on the steering wheel and the sharper gearbox and response in sport / sport + is great
-it’s fast but still sounds flat. Guess that’s just the way it is
-this one has the full leather pack - I do see why it’s nice but for £1k I think I can make an economy with the partial
-Apple CarPlay works great but noticed when using Google maps (as opposed to Porsche nav) the directions don’t display on the map on the dash, only on the centre screen. Just me or am I doing something wrong?

Also, we drove it back to back against a 2014 Macan Turbo. The Turbo didn’t feel that much faster but did have a pleasingly aggressive shunt in the back even on the upshift and did offer some of the sound that I was missing on the S. However they’re still expensive and the real world performance is only incremental as opposed to game changing. The big problem for me was that the tech feels old (similar to my 2008 Audi) whereas the new S feels much more contemporary.

On balance I think we’re set on the new S, but still undecided on colours. Decisions!

Very informative thank you.

[rosino]

Did it have PSE BTW?

[PWMacan]

Did it have PSE BTW?

No it didn’t. And to be honest I don’t really want to pay £1,700 for just noise. If it was embedded in the cost of the car then I could probably handle that, but knowing how much I’d spent on some noise that I’d mostly be too modest to use would grate on me!

[PWMacan]

Update two: the loan car persuaded me that a new Macan S is right for me. I’ve paid a deposit for a September build (apparently this OPC’s last) in the thinking that getting the car in the UK before end of October will alleviate some of the tariff risk.

I’ve gone full circle on the colour scheme having seen a very smart Night Blue go out on handover while I was there.

Provisional spec: http://www.porsche-code.com/PKSXN9W3

I love the Pebble interior and without kids (yet) I think I can handle keeping it clean. The Agate upper parts I’ll just have to be at peace with. I wear brown shoes, so why not have a brown dash?

Rest of the spec very similar (21s, PASM, Chrono, reverse cam and surround view, sport seats, pano roof). I’m slightly peeved to pay a further £1500 for the full leather package but that is required for the interior colour scheme and as others have said it does feel nice to have full leather.

Economies I have made: no Porsche crest on headrests, no comfort lighting, no tinted tail lights, no coloured seatbelts.

All of the opinions so far have been invaluable for a Porsche novice like me, so thank you and please keep them coming!