2015 Porsche Macan S
05-27-14, 05:49 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
2015 Porsche Macan S
Well last Friday 5/16 I picked up a new Macan! and I wanted to share some of my thoughts and excitement here with you! I’ll try to keep this short, but no promises 
I have less than 300 miles thus far and most of those where over this long weekend. Recommended break in for the Macan is staying below 4K RPMs until the 2K mile mark, so that’s what I’m doing.
Initial thoughts: Many of us have anticipated a car and dreamed of what it might or should be when it’s released. I’ve been tracking the Macan development on and off since it was originally known as the Cajun. There was also quite a bit of presale press before it was launched and much of it was favorable so I will admit that my expectations were very high for it. I can tell you that after 10+ days of ownership the car has far exceed my high expectations. I am a fan.
Walking up to it I immediately notice the lines, shape and stance that says ‘I’m a Porsche’. Like many vehicles I think it looks better in person than in pictures but YMMV. That huge front hood gives clean appearance, and the rear shoulders give a nice aggressive look aided by the steeply raked rear hatch and contrast colored spoiler. I went with White and after detailing the exterior for 14+ hours the first weekend I had her home I can tell you the paint quality is flawless from imperfections although I will say there is some orange peel in some places that aren’t too bad on my white but that might be quite annoying on darker colors if it were present. Speaking of colors in 2005 when I saw Matador Red Mica as a choice I knew that was the color I would get on my IS and it’s fantastic. After owning it for over 8 years it is such an amazingly good color it's hard to pick a color for another car.
Stepping inside the Macan all I can think is SPORT CAR and LUXURY. Leather abounds and you sit in the car not up high. For those coming from a CUV/SUV this will be a different feeling, for those coming from a sport sedan it’s very familiar in the best way. Oh and the steering wheel from the 918 that everyone is talking about,,,, sit in the Macan, grab ahold of it, and it’s nearly impossible not to make Vroom Vroom noises… it’s that good.
As interior for space, everything up front is close at hand and intimate yet there is plenty of leg, elbow and shoulder room. I had a friend who is 6’1” in the passenger seat Saturday and he commented he could drive for hours in that seat as it was so comfortable and supportive but sadly our dinner reservations where only 40 mins away
In the backseat there is ample room with tons of head, hip and shoulder room for 2. The hump in the middle makes that seat only inhabitable for kids. Otherwise rear leg room is good unless someone very tall is in front.
Starting up the Macan is a thrill as it has an intoxicating growl on a cold start up that fills the cabin and continues for about 20 to 30 seconds after which it quiets down for pretty much the remainder of the ride.
On the road the Macan definitely has a duel personality, some would say like me , in as much as it gives a wonderfully smooth, super quiet and compliant ride around the city and on the highway. However, just lean on the gas pedal a little bit when, for example, entering a favorite S curve exit ramp and the PDK downshifts amazingly fast while the car hunkers down on its suspension as if gluing itself to the road as it surges forward with authority and awaits your steering input to direct it next. No doubt you are driving a Porsche and it’s an amazing rush with the steering being razor sharp. The biggest WOW surprise for me though was the PDK (dual clutch transmission). Smooth, refined and fairly quick in D comfort but hit the sport button and this thing shifts lighting fast and you really get the sensation of no loss of forward motion on shifts when accelerating hard. Of course hitting that sport button also tightens up the steering response, quickens the throttle, puts the suspension in Sport Mode. So yeah it transforms the car and includes a smile for you too.
Other niceties: Burmester Stereo is worth every penny to me as no matter the volume the highs and mids are so crisp and the bass hits hard. The air suspension is a nice to have as it can be lowered for sporty driving (lower center of gravity) or on the highway. Blind spot monitoring is nice as are the parking sensors with rear camera.
Bottom line: Porsche will tell you it’s a 911 on stilts. I guess if you’ve never driven a 911 one might think that after driving this, but I think, out of respect for the 911, that’s too bold of a statement although I will say that based on what I’ve read and people I know who have driven it on the track that this claim has some merit as it does have some well-respected handling abilities and times etc.
I instead think of it as a Super Sport Sedan disguised as a CUV. When looking at other CUVs currently offered from a handling, comfort and sportiness perspective there is no immediate competition in my opinion. So for me it was going to be Macan or a sport sedan, the 4GS to be exact. Love that car, best car in its class to me. Come decision time I decided that the Macan offered me a unique combination of a top notch interior, a fantastic ride, sportier handling, speed and the utility I needed for the family and especially me! Hence my Super Sport Sedan description.
Pictures! First one is right off the delivery truck, the second is after PDI and the third is at home that night!
I have less than 300 miles thus far and most of those where over this long weekend. Recommended break in for the Macan is staying below 4K RPMs until the 2K mile mark, so that’s what I’m doing.
Initial thoughts: Many of us have anticipated a car and dreamed of what it might or should be when it’s released. I’ve been tracking the Macan development on and off since it was originally known as the Cajun. There was also quite a bit of presale press before it was launched and much of it was favorable so I will admit that my expectations were very high for it. I can tell you that after 10+ days of ownership the car has far exceed my high expectations. I am a fan.
Walking up to it I immediately notice the lines, shape and stance that says ‘I’m a Porsche’. Like many vehicles I think it looks better in person than in pictures but YMMV. That huge front hood gives clean appearance, and the rear shoulders give a nice aggressive look aided by the steeply raked rear hatch and contrast colored spoiler. I went with White and after detailing the exterior for 14+ hours the first weekend I had her home I can tell you the paint quality is flawless from imperfections although I will say there is some orange peel in some places that aren’t too bad on my white but that might be quite annoying on darker colors if it were present. Speaking of colors in 2005 when I saw Matador Red Mica as a choice I knew that was the color I would get on my IS and it’s fantastic. After owning it for over 8 years it is such an amazingly good color it's hard to pick a color for another car.
Stepping inside the Macan all I can think is SPORT CAR and LUXURY. Leather abounds and you sit in the car not up high. For those coming from a CUV/SUV this will be a different feeling, for those coming from a sport sedan it’s very familiar in the best way. Oh and the steering wheel from the 918 that everyone is talking about,,,, sit in the Macan, grab ahold of it, and it’s nearly impossible not to make Vroom Vroom noises… it’s that good.
As interior for space, everything up front is close at hand and intimate yet there is plenty of leg, elbow and shoulder room. I had a friend who is 6’1” in the passenger seat Saturday and he commented he could drive for hours in that seat as it was so comfortable and supportive but sadly our dinner reservations where only 40 mins away
In the backseat there is ample room with tons of head, hip and shoulder room for 2. The hump in the middle makes that seat only inhabitable for kids. Otherwise rear leg room is good unless someone very tall is in front.
Starting up the Macan is a thrill as it has an intoxicating growl on a cold start up that fills the cabin and continues for about 20 to 30 seconds after which it quiets down for pretty much the remainder of the ride.
On the road the Macan definitely has a duel personality, some would say like me , in as much as it gives a wonderfully smooth, super quiet and compliant ride around the city and on the highway. However, just lean on the gas pedal a little bit when, for example, entering a favorite S curve exit ramp and the PDK downshifts amazingly fast while the car hunkers down on its suspension as if gluing itself to the road as it surges forward with authority and awaits your steering input to direct it next. No doubt you are driving a Porsche and it’s an amazing rush with the steering being razor sharp. The biggest WOW surprise for me though was the PDK (dual clutch transmission). Smooth, refined and fairly quick in D comfort but hit the sport button and this thing shifts lighting fast and you really get the sensation of no loss of forward motion on shifts when accelerating hard. Of course hitting that sport button also tightens up the steering response, quickens the throttle, puts the suspension in Sport Mode. So yeah it transforms the car and includes a smile for you too.
Other niceties: Burmester Stereo is worth every penny to me as no matter the volume the highs and mids are so crisp and the bass hits hard. The air suspension is a nice to have as it can be lowered for sporty driving (lower center of gravity) or on the highway. Blind spot monitoring is nice as are the parking sensors with rear camera.
Bottom line: Porsche will tell you it’s a 911 on stilts. I guess if you’ve never driven a 911 one might think that after driving this, but I think, out of respect for the 911, that’s too bold of a statement although I will say that based on what I’ve read and people I know who have driven it on the track that this claim has some merit as it does have some well-respected handling abilities and times etc.
I instead think of it as a Super Sport Sedan disguised as a CUV. When looking at other CUVs currently offered from a handling, comfort and sportiness perspective there is no immediate competition in my opinion. So for me it was going to be Macan or a sport sedan, the 4GS to be exact. Love that car, best car in its class to me. Come decision time I decided that the Macan offered me a unique combination of a top notch interior, a fantastic ride, sportier handling, speed and the utility I needed for the family and especially me! Hence my Super Sport Sedan description.
Pictures! First one is right off the delivery truck, the second is after PDI and the third is at home that night!
05-27-14, 07:19 PM
#7
No Substitute
Thread Starter
Thanks JP 
Thanks and You're welcome!
Appreciate it, thank you!
Appreciate it, thank you!
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05-27-14, 07:33 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
awesome write up and pics... thank you.questions:
is the back lift gate motorized open/close?
do you notice the turbo (lag, sudden boost)?
is there any feature you wish you'd got that you didn't?
is there any feature you have which you're not sure you would get again?
how was the dealer?
that's all for now
05-28-14, 05:04 AM
#13
No Substitute
Thread Starter
awesome write up and pics... thank you.questions:
is the back lift gate motorized open/close?
do you notice the turbo (lag, sudden boost)?
is there any feature you wish you'd got that you didn't?
is there any feature you have which you're not sure you would get again?
how was the dealer?
that's all for now
Yes , they didn't want to interrupt the clean look of the hatch so they powered it with a motorized hatch. It can be opened/closed from the hatch, the key fob or a button on the drivers door.
I haven't noticed any turbo lag yet. In fact quite the opposite as power is very linear with lots of low end grunt.
Too soon to tell if there is anything I wish I got but didn't. I did vasilate a lot on whether to get Launch control which comes with a bunch of other stuff. I ended up not getting it although it would have been a nice thing to have, of course I'd probably use it once or twice and be done with it.
So far no regrets with anything I added on. But like I said its early in the game
Dealer was perfection. Constant emails, updates throughout the whole ordering and waiting process. Even during PDI they called to confirm a bunch of stuff around front license plates and clear bra application to ensure the car would be exactly as I wanted it. Very happy although like I've said many times, my IS was the best ownership experience I've ever had with any car I've owned to date so Porsche has their work cut out for them, although they are off to a good start.
Thanks for asking!
05-28-14, 05:09 AM
#14
No Substitute
Thread Starter
Thank you!
lol and I will agree you the interior is a nice and functional place to be.
As for a Diesel; based on what I've read I believe that will be the next model the US gets. I also feel (FWIW) that we'll probably also get a base model (contrary to some reports ) a GTS and Turbo S model and maybe even a Diesel S but it's all speculation.
Thank you sir!
Much appreciated, Thanks!
As for a Diesel; based on what I've read I believe that will be the next model the US gets. I also feel (FWIW) that we'll probably also get a base model (contrary to some reports
) a GTS and Turbo S model and maybe even a Diesel S but it's all speculation. Thank you sir!
Much appreciated, Thanks!
