The Porsche Macan SUV has been spied undergoing winter testing. The Macan - seen here disguised as a Porsche Cayenne - is expected to make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year, before arriving in the UK in early 2014.
According to Bernhard Maier, Member of the Executive Board Sales and Marketing, "The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of a SUV and is a genuine Porsche."
And that's despite the fact that the new Macan will be built on the same MQB platform as the next Audi Q5, and is set to share its electrical architecture, some suspension components and its steering system. However, Porsche insiders have said that the Macan will be radically different to the Audi in terms of the way it performs.
The engines are likely to be re-engineered versions of those to be fitted to the Q5 too, with 2.0-litre petrol and diesel units heralding a return to four-cylinder powerplants for Porsche. 3.0-litre petrol and diesels will also be available. A twin-turbo version of the former will be used in the Macan Turbo, while a hybrid model will also be offered.
The design is expected to reflect that of the Cayenne. However, while the Macan is set to look like a smaller Cayenne from the front, the rear light treatment will mirror the light bar of the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo.
The Macan will be built at the firm's Leipzig plant, alongside the Cayenne and Panamera, thanks to a €500million investment in expanding the production facilities there. The Macan gets its name from the Indonesian word for tiger.
We expect prices to start from around £35,000, which is £3,500 more than the anticipated price of the next-generation Audi Q5 but less than the current cheapest Boxster, which starts at £37,589.
