MUMBAI :

Porsche has always been at the top of the pecking order in the Indian automobile industry. With the brand’s fan favourite 911 and 718 already stealing the hearts of car enthusiasts in India, Porsche is now offering them the facelift of the Macan SUV. Launched at a starting price of INR 83.21 lakhs, the Macan, is a good start for anybody looking to own the Porsche badge. Along with the base Macan, Porsche, is also offering the Macan S and Macan GTS. However, the prices for the Macan S and Macan GTS have not yet been revealed.

Porsche has tweaked the Macan with cosmetic as well as mechanical changes. In terms of cosmetic changes, the Macan comes with a new redesigned front grille with an inlay in the colour of the body, ‘Sport Design’ side view mirrors, larger wheels, sportier rear diffuser and contemporary LED headlights. 

The GTS variant, features blacked-out trims that add a sporty charisma to it and a new-fangled rear diffuser. Along with these cosmetic changes, for the Macan, Porsche, is also offering 14 new paint schemes to choose from. 

The interiors of the Macan are dominated by the 10.9-inch touchscreen display that controls almost all the functions of the car. Porsche has gone all out and replaced every button on the previous centre console with a touch-sensitive panel that features backlit icons and haptic feedback. The infotainment system features the latest-gen Porsche software, Apple CarPlay and other quirky features. Sport Chrono package and air suspension is also available, but only on the GTS variant.

In terms of firepower, the Macan comes with a new turbocharged, four-cylinder engine that puts out 265 PS and has a top speed of 232 km/h. The GTS variant on the other hand comes with a 2.9-litre, V6, biturbo engine that is good for 440 PS of power. While the base variant of the Macan does the 0-100 km/h run in just 6.2 seconds, the GTS variant cuts down the time to just 4.3 seconds. The top speed of the GTS variant is claimed to be 272 km/h, which is blazing fast for an SUV. The middle of the spectrum, S variant, is fitted with a detuned version of the 2.9-litre, V6, biturbo engine and produces 380 PS only. The 0-100 km/h time of the Macan S stands at 4.6  seconds. 

In the Indian market, the Macan will rival the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, the Range Rover Velar and the BMW X4.