My new Gen 2 2020 Macan Turbo

[Brian_Innes]

Got out and about today on the Highland roads that I love. Headed north west on the A9 to Alness, took the A862 Struie short cut to Conon Bridge and Falls of Shin. This location is an ideal picnic spot, and the falls were in good form with the recent heavy rain. Ullapool via the A837 was next. I was keen to get some practice with the Macan on single track roads with passing places. I'm still acquainting myself with where the corner extremities are on the car, and also the footprint of the wheelbase and track.

My default setting is Sport mode on the steering wheel dial. The firmer suspension setting deletes the floaty feeling in Normal mode without being uncomfortably jarring. I also love the direct steering, and the body roll through corners in Sport is very well controlled. I'm enjoying the higher view from the Macan after 12 years of Caymans, an advantage on winding single track roads. The 18-way sports seats are excellent now that I have them adjusted to my liking. They hold you securely in all the right places and help to make you feel part of the car rather than just sitting in it. I have the seats set near their lowest position on the floor, and this combined with the small diameter Alcantara steering wheel suitably adjusted, really gives a very sporting feel to the Macan. More like a sports saloon than an SUV.

This was my first opportunity to test the Power Steering Plus on winding roads at speed on the Macan. My initial impressions following my first drive was that it was more attuned to low speed manoeuvring. I would now say there is also a benefit for the keen driver in a degree of extra weighting at the helm as the cornering speeds increase. The PSP is nowhere as good as on my 718 Cayman GTS, but that is understandable given the heavier body weight and four wheel drive configuration. Of its type, the Macan steers pretty well for a near two tonne car.

Setting the gear stick in Auto, and with Sport mode selected, the Macan makes good progress on undulating, winding roads, with the ECU chosen gears pretty much spot-on. Previously I preferred to use manual gear-shifting, but today I found the auto box made a decent fist of the gear choice for the terrain. On a very smooth, recently resurfaced section of the A835 from Ullapool to Garve, I selected Sports Plus mode on the dial. The suspension thus set at its firmest setting is more akin to a track day mode, and if the gear selector happens to be in auto, Sport Plus will drop down at least two gears with an accompanying snarl from the 2.9 V6. My choice is to select manual gear-shifting prior to selecting Sport Plus on the public road. That way the lower gears don't automatically engage and add unnecessary drama with the sudden change in engine note. I drove for about 5 miles in Sport Plus and shifted the gears manually using the paddles. This configuration dramatically changes the character of the Macan, and I have to say I am tempted to have a few exploratory laps at Knockhill just to see how the Macan behaves at track speeds. However, that is for the future. I have now completed 540 miles and so far the car is doing everything it says on the tin.

A few photos follow from my trip today.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

Anticipation, looking well ahead for traffic, are the watch words on single track roads. Cyclists are also a feature on these roads during the tourist season.

 

[Brian_Innes]

The views are majestic on the A835 to Ullapool. This is near Knockan Crag.

 

[AndrewCS]

Hi Brian,

Hope that the Scottish Tourist Board is covering your expenses well []

Superb pictures, especially the Ullapool route, well recall that from a few years back … early Sunday morning run in the CR, no words can describe it

Look forward to following you around Knockhill next month []

Thank you …

 

[AndrewT]

Haven’t you got any dirty pictures to post? l thought you would have following the recent rain, but your Macan still looks immaculate ??.

 

[Brian_Innes]

Andrew T,

The roads are washed clean in the north Highlands. I choose my routes carefully to avoid the mud.
As a result, the first wash, post paint treatment, has yet to be done.

Brian

 

[Motorhead]

Brian,

With all the detailing treatment you've had done I wouldn't expect dirt to have the slightest chance of attaching itself to any part of the car.!

Some great photos as usual. Makes me yearn to get up to the Highlands once again, maybe later this year or next.

Jeff

 

[Brian_Innes]

Jeff,

I understand that you already know the Highlands from past experience visiting friends in the region. The secret is down to two aspects. Timing, and local knowledge.

This Macan is taking some getting used to after so many years driving Caymans. Its getting used to the footprint size on narrow roads that's proving the biggest challenge. Also, other road users in my experience were always very respectful of the Cayman, or indeed any other low, sports car. The Macan is an SUV, and the considered respect among other drivers is noticeably lacking in some cases.

I'm still on the learning curve.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

As seems to be the norm these days with new build UK Porsches, the Driver's Manual and Service booklets wallet is still awaited to follow in the post.

In the meantime I have been referring to the excellent Good to Know phone app for instructions on the operation of the various electronic features on the Macan. The PCM configuration is quite different to that of my previous 718 Caymans. I also have no previous experience of the 18 - way sports seats memory settings, nor the multi-function steering wheel buttons. The same Good to Know digital info is also preloaded into the PCM, but I prefer to use the phone app version as it frees up the PCM menu for experimenting with the myriad of vehicle settings available. I'm finding it quite a steep learning curve to take in all the information and apply it before I forget and get lost in the sea of dialogue boxes to tick or untick.

Two weeks in and I'm still learning about this new Macan.......and not only the driving.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

The Good to Know index list is very comprehensive and easily navigated. Could this be signalling the end of hard paper copy driver's manuals?

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

Another thing I'm learning is the disparity in mpg between Normal and Sport modes. On the trips I've completed so far, selecting Sport mode gives an average fuel economy of 24mpg according to the PCM. Using Normal mode, or as I call it "wafting mode", fuel economy improves to an average of 27mpg. This is in line with the Good to Know driving recommendations.

So, in keeping with my sporting nature I have configured the Individual setting on the steering wheel mode switch to include the following;

Low Level suspension setting
Sport Chassis
Stop/Start deactivated

As noted previously, I am finding out new things about the Macan Turbo every day. One feature I am very impressed with is the 18 - way sports seats with memory function. Having never experienced these seats before, I would unreservedly recommend them from now on. With me not having a bulky frame, the side bolster and torso cushions can be adjusted to fit my body perfectly, in much the same manner as with the fixed sports bucket seats on my Cayman R which I found extremely comfortable for my trim frame.

Continuing with my first impressions thus far, I am of the opinion that the Macan Turbo is really A Very Nice Car to drive and own. The more dynamic aspects of the car will be appraised at later date following completion of the running-in period.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

I am continuing with the running-in miles and seeking out the less busy locations in the Highlands around my local area. Being August, the main tourist routes are chockablock with traffic, but armed with local knowledge I enjoyed a delightful day trip on a circular route from my home town via the A96 east to Elgin, then south on the A941 to Rothes and Craigellachie. This is the heart of the Speyside Malt Whisky industry, but with many of the distillery visitor centres closed, the tourist traffic was thankfully light. The Macan is a delight to drive on routes such as this. The roads following the natural undulating contours of the land. The hills are also resplendent in a sea of purple heather which is in full bloom during August.

My first stop was the privately owned Ballindalloch Castle and grounds, westwards on the A95. The castle itself is currently closed due to social distancing Covid restrictions being impossible to observe within the narrow confines of the castle corridors and stairways. However, the walks along the River Avon to its confluence with the River Spey was pure joy to behold on such a beautiful day. I only met another two people on my walk, and I was the only customer in the castle coffee shop at the time I visited. It was so quiet and peaceful, it was almost like being on your own private estate. It's the first time I have experienced the castle so quiet.

Following on from Ballindalloch I continued west on the A95 via Bridge of Avon, and Cromdale, before reaching Grantown on Spey, which was much busier with tourist traffic. Heading north from Grantown on the A939 across Dava Moor is always an enjoyable experience in any Porsche. The Macan Turbo excels on this route with the Sport chassis selected. The stiffer body control provides the keen driver with a more secure connection with the road surface through the many twists and turns this route has to offer. I took a detour off the A939 on the unclassified Lochindorb route joining the B9007 before rejoining the A939 at Ferness junction. There were a few campers and motorhomes enjoying the moorland scenery and loch-side parking spots on the Lochindorb route. Even so, for August it was far from crowded.

I'm working towards the first 1000 miles up, which will be reached very shortly. The following 800 miles thereafter will see a gradual increase in the revs threshold and the completion of the running-in period. Then, at last, I shall be able to fully assess the Macan Turbo as the sporting tourer it proclaims to be, on the roads that I love.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

On the A95 near the Bridge of Avon.

The Macan is still awaiting its first wash since the paint treatment was applied. The warm dry weather on the Moray coast has helped keep my car clean.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

On the Lochindorb unclassified road looking north over the loch.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

Before I embark any further upon Macan Turbo topics, a little background information on myself may be helpful for the reader. My association with the Porsche brand began in 2008 and has continued uninterrupted to the present day. I’ve owned 5 Cayman models in succession over the past 12 year period and have been a member of the Porsche Club GB for the past 8 years. My previous contributions to the PCGB forum have been centred on the Cayman section, where I related my experiences of owning and driving the 718 Cayman models on both road and track. For the benefit of PCGB forum readers who are unaware of my previous posts, a brief summary of my car driving history may be helpful in providing a background to a few of the opinions I may express regarding future comments related to my Macan Turbo ownership experience.

Now aged in my 70’s, I am a former motorsport competitor spanning an active period of competitive driving for more than 50 years. I have competed in a wide variety of motorsports including road rallies, autotests, hill-climbs and sprints. During that time I accumulated 18 speed event podium trophy awards including 9 first places and 9 second and third places. My competitive motorsport experience also included many hours of professional track driving tuition from the Porsche Sport Driving School as previously operated by PEC at Silverstone. I also benefited from many hours of independent professional motorsport track driving tutors based at various motorsport venues throughout the UK. I am technically astute, having in my earlier life successfully rebuilt several engines and gearboxes from the former BMC, Lotus Ford, and racing Imp generations. Resulting from my competitive nature to extract advantage when competing against the clock, I have also acquired a keen appreciation of chassis suspension systems and wheel geometry set-ups for both road and track. Tyres, their construction, tread compound, and profile, are also a critical area of my attention. On that topic I am undisputedly a Michelin man, having preferred this tyre brand since I was 17 years old competing with my Downton tuned Mini.

It comes as no surprise therefore, that my previous motorsport background understandably influences my approach to this significant change of vehicle type compared to that which I have been used to in the past. You may well ask why have I taken the radical step to buy a new Macan Turbo?

The reason is primarily attributed to my being currently inflicted with an on-going debilitating muscle wasting condition called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, (ALS). This condition is of the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) family of neurological illnesses which at the present time has no cure or effective treatment. The illness was first diagnosed in 2015 and began to affect the dexterity and grip of the fingers in my right hand. Fortunately, this remains the only manifestation in my particular case. All other neurological motor functions being perfectly normal. As the condition in my right hand worsened, albeit gradually, I reached the difficult decision at the end of last year to bring down the curtain on my sports car ownership and track driving exploits. Because of my motorsport background and intuitive driving and technical skills accumulated over many decades on both the road and track, sports car ownership for me meant using my car on the track as Porsche designed it to be driven. When this aspect drew to a close, my thoughts turned to moving to a Macan, and the sporty versions particularly. The advantage being it retained my happy association with the Porsche community, while offering the practicality and driving enjoyment that is such a big part of my life. Despite my now ageing body, I have lost none of the enthusiasm for driving and automotive pursuits that I enjoyed in my youth. Old boy-racers never die, they only fade away.

Returning to the Macan Turbo purchase, I decided this could successfully replace both my previous cars and fulfil the role of both a daily driver and touring car. The Gen 2 Macan GTS was my first choice, but as new build delivery times for the GTS model extended to Q4 in 2020, I decided to accept the offer from Porsche Centre Chester, who had supplied my 718 Cayman GTS, for a new build Macan Turbo for delivery in May/June of 2020. The order was subsequently placed and deposit paid on March 5th 2020. Due to delays resulting from Covid-19, delivery eventually took place on August 5th 2020.

For reasons that may now be made more clear to readers, when speccing my Macan I focused on the sporty chassis options. I like to feel the car beneath me and to enhance its connection with the road. Living as I do in the Highlands of Scotland, I have an abundance of wonderful, relatively traffic-free roads to enjoy right here in my back yard. There are no motorways in my part of Scotland, and precious few miles of dual carriageways, so most of my driving miles are spent on winding, undulating roads following the contours of the land. Unlike owners living in more densely populated parts of the UK, my cars do not spend most of their time being driven in straight lines.

That brings this belated "foreword” to my Macan Turbo thread to a close. I hope this has helped to illuminate the somewhat unusual circumstances and reasoning for my dramatic change of vehicle. My Macan ownership will gain from all of my enthusiasm for driving and car care. Post running-in, I shall also look forward to bringing all my current driving skills set and technical knowledge to the Macan party. Hopefully, other owners of the petrol engined Macan models will share their own experiences with the car, and together we will strive to enhance the ownership experience of this extremely capable and driver focused sporting SUV.

Brian

 

[AndrewT]

That’s a very informative post Brian, perhaps the Macan Register Secretary could arrange to have it published in Porsche Post where it might encourage more Macan owners to read and post in the forums.

 

[Lancerlot]

Brian,
This is most interesting thread and thanks for taking the time to log your experiences in such well written and dynamic prose. It enriches our Register no end and helps keep the forum lively and interesting.
Please keep up the good work. []
Andrew,
Unfortunately, Register space in Porsche Post is being greatly restricted nowadays (another story) so the only hope would be to develop it as a full feature so Mike could persuade the "powers that be" to print it.
Regards,

Clive

 

[spook]

Brian,
Thanks indeed for all the time and trouble you've taken over writing this excellent in depth article outlining your first hand experience of Macan ownership, which for those who aren't fully aware of Porsche's top selling vehicle, will I'm sure find your post most beneficial. As Clive says, space in Porsche Post for regions and registers alike, is more restricted than ever but I think your content is certainly worthy of a proper feature , so your endeavours are brought into the main area of our club magazine, where it's potential can be appreciated by all members , rather than just those who seek out the forum.
I will certainly contact the editorial staff and see if they will reproduce your forum copy in a forthcoming edition of Porsche Post.
Kind regards
Mike Allen
Macan RS

 

[Brian_Innes]

Andrew, Clive, and Mike,

I very much appreciate your generous comments on my Macan forum scribblings. I am not a trained journalist, nor indeed a professional publisher of any sort. I speak from the heart and try to convey an honest opinion based upon my life-long experience with driving cars in general and the Porsche brand in particular.

I have previously had an article published in Porsche Post magazine in January 2018 entitled "Reality Check", when I related my experiences with the then controversial 718 Cayman S PDK 2.5t, so I am very aware of restrictions on publishing space and the emphasis on brevity.

Meantime I shall continue with my posts on the forum regarding my Macan Turbo experiences. Following the running-in, hopefully I may have the opportunity to sample the full dynamic performance potential on a private track session in the not-too-distant future.

Brian

 

[Peter_Bull]

Great write up Brian - keep posting as they are great to read,