The Porsche Macan Turbo Is Back With More Power

This is the new Porsche Macan Turbo and here are the headlines: a new light bar in full width behind. Just kidding. There is a little more behind it than just LED nonsense. Porsche has indeed found a replacement for the shift: German wisdom.

The Macan Turbo has lost its 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 engine and traded a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6. It is the same hot-V engine with turbochargers in the cylinder blocks for better throttle response as in the Panamera, Cayenne and the Audi RS4.

So same engine layout and over half a liter less displacement. And yet the performance has increased from just under 400 hp to 434 hp. With some help from the launch control and the optional Sport Chrono package, 0-62 mph in 4.3 seconds will be done and dusted off 0.3 seconds earlier. Of course it's an optional extra. That's a Porsche, people.

What is standard, are better, more beautiful brakes. "Better," because they are tungsten carbide coated steel rotors that reduce wear, improve stopping distance, and apparently significantly reduce brake dust, so your precious alloys always look elegant. And "prettier"? Yes, thanks to the coating, which gives the windows an eerie shine.

Macanspotters, if there are such people, can also spot the new ultimate version by looking for the redesigned front air intakes and a double roof spoiler that is a bit tamer than the name Pimp My Ride suggests. Boo. Inside are multiple adjustable electric seats, a better touchscreen (like the rest of the updated Macan family) and as usual space for five people.

As a entry-level Porsche SUV, the Macan Turbo is the cheapest way to get into a Porsche with the highest range. It's £ 68,530, which makes it a bit cheaper than TG's most popular Fast'n'Mall SUV, the Merc-AMG GLC 63 S. On the other hand, the AMG is whopping 60 horsepower and makes a noise like a thunderstorm barefoot on some Lego. Can you set a price for it?

So, which one would you have?