Porsche’s mid-sized sport utility vehicle (SUV) receives the GTS treatment with much more power and lots of sporting touches

SINGAPORE
Porsche just debuted the range-topping Macan Turbo, and now it’s unveiled something almost as tasty to drivers, the Macan GTS. 

‘GTS’, in Porsche parlance stands for ‘Grand Touring Sport’, and it denotes models that are the sportiest you can get without heading into GT and Turbo territory. We’ve plenty of examples on CarBuyer.com.sg, from our review of the Panamera GTS, to our coverage of the 718 GTS models. 

READ MORE:  What does GTS stand for? We find out on track with the Panamera GTS!

Hence it’s priced above the Macan S (S$288,788) and below the Macan Turbo (S$389,88), the GTS goes for S$336,488 – all prices quoted here are without COE or options. Porsche Singapore hasn’t stated when the GTS will be delivered, we estimate mid or late 2020. 

The Macan is Porsche’s mid-sized SUV that’s the least expensive car the German carmaker sells, it’s been a huge success just its big brother the Cayenne. The Macan debuted in Singapore in 2014 to great success, and the facelifted model took its bow at the 2019 Singapore Motorshow.

The new Macan is available in base 252hp Macan and sportier 354hp Macan S versions, but the GTS model adds a little more spice on top of the latter. 

It has the same 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine as before, but the power output is now a significant 380hp, up from 360hp in the previous model, and it has a specially-tuned sports exhaust system as standard. The official fuel consumption figure is 10.0L/100km, up from 9.6L/100km on the Macan S.

All-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox allow a 0.1 second quicker 0-100km/h time of 4.9-seconds.

That’s slashed to 4.7-seconds if you plump for the Sport Chrono Package (S$4,161) that adds the chronograph on the dashboard and mode button on the steering wheel, as well as Sport Plus mode, launch control, and overboost. Top speed is slightly higher than before, at 261km/h. 

The car boasts specially-tuned adaptive suspension (PASM, in Porsche acronyms), which is lowered by 15mm, and which suspend dark 20-inch RS Spyder design wheels, and the same braking system as the Macan S (360mm discs in front, 330mm rear) with red calipers. 

Visually you’ll be able to identify the GTS model by its blacked-out headlights and taillights – a GTS signature – that are set off by dark trim elements and a distinct lack of chrome.

The interior also has the usual GTS touches, that includes plenty of Alcantara fabric – the seat centres, armrests, door trim panels, there’s also contrast red stitching and a red instrument backdrop with ‘GTS” lettering. 

Of course the quoted price of S$336,488 is much less than a Macan Turbo, but as usual that’s only the start of the fun for a Porsche buyer. Try building your own Macan GTS with the Porsche Configurator on Porsche Singapore website. 

Judging from our Smurf-tastic drive of the Macan S in Singapore, the GTS model should be pretty much anything a driver can possibly expect from an SUV that still has space for five adults and 500-litres of cargo room.

But if you want even more we recommend the following: Add the higher-performance Porsche Surface Coated Brake (S$10,896) system, the rear electronic differential Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus ($S5,448) for even stronger in-corner acceleration, and adaptive air suspension PASM Air (S$5,403) for a all-conditions ride quality.