2019 Porsche Macan

More details are emerging on the refreshed 2019 Porsche Macan, an SUV for which updates were first announced in the summer. Porsche shared details Monday on the Macan S, a variant that slots between the base Macan and all but certainly a few high-performance editions to follow. Not that the Macan S is low-performance, with a new turbocharged V-6 that increases power for 2019.

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Output is now 348 horsepower and 354 pounds-feet of torque, up 8 hp and 15 pounds-feet versus the outgoing turbo V-6 (340 hp, 339 pounds-feet). Displacement remains the same 3.0 liters, but Porsche fitted a new single, centrally mounted twin-scroll turbocharger rather than the prior twin-turbo setup — underlining why effectiveness, not sheer quantity, matters most for turbochargers. Porsche says the SUV hits 60 mph in as little as 4.9 seconds with the Sport Chrono Package, a tenth of a second quicker than the previous Macan S. It’s considerably quicker than the base Macan, but the latter is no slouch, with a turbo four-cylinder (248 hp, 273 pounds-feet) that scoots you to 60 mph in the low-6-second range.

Other changes for the Macan S include more aluminum instead of steel in the front suspension to reduce unsprung mass. Porsche also claims larger front disc brakes and improved brake-pedal feel, as well as retuned stabilizer bars. Carbon-ceramic brakes, air springs and adaptive shock absorbers remain optional.

The smaller of two Porsche SUVs, the Macan is the brand’s best-selling model in America. It enters the current generation’s fifth model year for 2019 with freshened styling that includes an LED light strip to bridge the taillights, similar to what you see on most other Porsche models. Low-speed semi-autonomous driving is now capable thanks to Traffic Jam Assist, while the cabin gets a higher-tech dashboard touchscreen that’s 10.9 inches versus the prior 7 inches. An optional GT Sport steering wheel borrowed from the 911 includes an integrated drive-mode switch.

The 2019 Macan S starts at $59,650, including a $1,050 destination charge. That’s $8,700 more than the base Macan ($50,950). Both variants increase a bit over their 2018 model-year equivalents, $2,100 for the 2019 Macan and $3,200 for the 2019 Macan S. Orders for the Macan S are open now, with deliveries beginning in summer 2019.

Expect higher-performance editions to show up in the coming months. The 2018 Macan included a GTS and two Turbo editions, with performance topping out at 440 hp and zero-to-60 times in the low-4-second range. We’d expect to see the return of both variants given how Porsche is rarely one to dial it back. Stay tuned for more.

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