2023 Macan base model - first impressions

[Skyway]

Don’t agree, but as you say each to their own. I have almost all of the things in your list and it still cost less than a base GTS and a couple of the items I definitely wouldn’t want.

[AndyC160]

On my commute to work I get 25mpg in my GTS. Got 27mpg in my previous base. When it comes to the driving experience, the gap between the two is alot more substantial

[Skyway]

On my commute to work I get 25mpg in my GTS. Got 27mpg in my previous base. When it comes to the driving experience, the gap between the two is alot more substantial

A base and GTS - Yes. But not an S to GTS which have the same engine and in my opinion better suspension on the S. Also, in real world terms that extra 60bhp makes squiddly difference in most side by side road tests.

[DJMCUK]

Not really, depends on what spec you want

I want black trim, better wheels, sports chrono, better brakes, sports exhaust, the small bit of extra power, sports suspension - by the time I pay for those extras I’m at the GTS price point.

So for me, the difference is more than marginal.

If you’re just looking at speed and 0-60 time alone then yeah the difference is marginal.

But if you’re looking at all the above as a whole the difference is more.

Of course if you pay for a bunch of extras on a S you can get close but at that point you’d just get a GTS anyway.

Apart from the cosmetics that is still all marginal. There are a number of side by side tests/reviews that never highlight enough differences, apart from price

‘Apart from cosmetics’ - isn’t that the point, folk literally spend thousands and thousands on these extra cosmetics - so they obviously matter to everyone, otherwise no one would ever pay for them.

I guess what your saying is in your opinion you think all of these standard options on a GTS that don’t come with the S model are marginal and don’t make a difference to the actual car:

- sports Chrono
- sports exhaust
- air suspension (sports)
- tinted rear lights
- black trim
- PSCB brakes
- GTS seats
- Better interior trim
- 60 extra horses
- painted front, sides and back

The reviews are if you want comfort then go with a base level S with very few extras, if you want all the bells and whistles and a sportier look and feel go for GTS. No right/wrong answer but the differences are there to see in plain sight and don’t feel marginal.

Having owned a gen 3 GTS and driven the gen 3 S loaner I got for 3 days the difference coming down from the GTS was very apparent to me, both appearance wise and feel, sitting in a muted S model with no sports exhaust, standard wheels and trim had a more than marginal feeling I must admit.

Each to there own though.

Our S has none of those yet has everything we wanted. They are all superfluous to the actual car in my opinion.

But you are of course entitled to like what you like.

We're all different. The S hits the sweet spot for us, but not the base Macan, so I do get your stance.

[AndyC160]

On my commute to work I get 25mpg in my GTS. Got 27mpg in my previous base. When it comes to the driving experience, the gap between the two is alot more substantial

A base and GTS - Yes. But not an S to GTS which have the same engine and in my opinion better suspension on the S. Also, in real world terms that extra 60bhp makes squiddly difference in most side by side road tests.

I was just replying to OPs original post re base and GTS...I think a few posts (including yours) must have been posted before mine which changed the subject a little!

I can't comment on the S as I've never driven one

[Tracky]

My mate has just ditched his PSCBs off this turbo, didn’t rate them at all

[sd1985]

Apart from the cosmetics that is still all marginal. There are a number of side by side tests/reviews that never highlight enough differences, apart from price

‘Apart from cosmetics’ - isn’t that the point, folk literally spend thousands and thousands on these extra cosmetics - so they obviously matter to everyone, otherwise no one would ever pay for them.

I guess what your saying is in your opinion you think all of these standard options on a GTS that don’t come with the S model are marginal and don’t make a difference to the actual car:

- sports Chrono
- sports exhaust
- air suspension (sports)
- tinted rear lights
- black trim
- PSCB brakes
- GTS seats
- Better interior trim
- 60 extra horses
- painted front, sides and back

The reviews are if you want comfort then go with a base level S with very few extras, if you want all the bells and whistles and a sportier look and feel go for GTS. No right/wrong answer but the differences are there to see in plain sight and don’t feel marginal.

Having owned a gen 3 GTS and driven the gen 3 S loaner I got for 3 days the difference coming down from the GTS was very apparent to me, both appearance wise and feel, sitting in a muted S model with no sports exhaust, standard wheels and trim had a more than marginal feeling I must admit.

Each to there own though.

Our S has none of those yet has everything we wanted. They are all superfluous to the actual car in my opinion.

But you are of course entitled to like what you like.

We're all different. The S hits the sweet spot for us, but not the base Macan, so I do get your stance.

Agreed

[Skyway]

I don’t think any version can be knocked. Every version has its place and in a different era of my car evolution I’d have been very happy with a 2L Macan

[DJMCUK]

I don’t think any version can be knocked. Every version has its place and in a difference era of my car evolution I’d have been very happy with a 2L Macan

That's what I was trying to say in my opening post. If there were no other engine, the base would be fine. But... it's a Porsche so there were bound to be more powerful versions. Actually, coming from a diesel X1 my wife would have been happy had the OPC's demonstrator been a 2L base, but it was a Gen 3 S.

She was smitten and I wasn't going to argue as I could quickly see I'd want the bigger engine to give me Porsche pleasure. I do still prefer my 981 as a driver's car but now going out in the Macan, which is driven far more often, gives me that pleasure and she gets to have a performance car rather than a utility to carry the dogs, kids (gone), shopping, etc.

It's worth going from 45mpg to 25mpg just for the thrill and sense of occasion driving a Porsche gives.

The only other car I had which offered that "I want to drive it for no reason" feeling was a DB7. But that was British and an absolute pile of s**t, apart from the way it looked (mostly on the back of a low loader). The novelty quickly wore off!

You live and learn...

[DJMCUK]

Where are the pics !?