Porsche Macan starts at $72,300 in USA

[goneskiian]

I don't see how the Macan is a competitor to the Model X. The Q7 is what Elon kept comparing the Model X to, which is what the Cayenne is based off of. The VW Tiguan/Audi Q5/Porsche Macan platform is rather small. There is no room in the back for anything that would resemble a third row of seats (much less cargo room).

The real competition (IMHO) stacks up like this:

Audi Q7
Porsche Cayenne
Volvo XC90
MB ML-Class
BMW X5 (maybe X6)
Lincoln MkT
Infiniti QX60 (2014)
Lexus GX (hideous, IMHO)
Range Rover LR4

I'm looking at seats, cargo space, amenities, etc doing the comparison. A fully blown out X85+ would come close to the top end of all of those in pricing, but you get what you pay for with Tesla

What he said. There's just no way those smaller crossovers are X competition.

 

[Discoducky]

I imagine this will be a rival for the Model X.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/20/2014-porsche-macan-official-specs-pictures/

Thanks for the link! The press release is a good read for what they say and don't say about this car (MPG?, CoG?, weight distribution?, curb weight?, sale date?...etc)

My very quick executive summary: This car is aimed at other crossovers and not the Model X as it will be much slower and much smaller. The Cayenne is still the competitor to the X in the SUV luxury market. Should still sell well though as it is pretty and a Porsche with a good starting price (I'm sure the options will be extraordinary though )

Here's where the Macan falls short of being an X competitor:

These features, combined with a length of 184.29 inches (Macan Turbo: 185 inches), mean that the Macan has sportyproportions. Another distinctive feature of the Macan is the com- paratively short overhangs of 36.38 inches at the front (Macan Turbo: 37.09 inches) and 37.40 inches at the rear, which also emphasize its sports car character. The luggage com- partment volume is 17.7 cubic feet, which expands to 53 cubic feet when the back seats are fully folded down.

The S model will be fitted with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine that makes 340 horsepower and will push the vehicle from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 5.2 seconds, then on to a top speed of 156 miles per hour. The Macan Turbo has even more impressive figures on all fronts: an all-new, 400-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 engine; 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds

 

[mikevbf]

I don't see how the Macan is a competitor to the Model X. The Q7 is what Elon kept comparing the Model X to, which is what the Cayenne is based off of. The VW Tiguan/Audi Q5/Porsche Macan platform is rather small. There is no room in the back for anything that would resemble a third row of seats (much less cargo room).

The real competition (IMHO) stacks up like this:

Audi Q7
Porsche Cayenne
Volvo XC90
MB ML-Class
BMW X5 (maybe X6)
Lincoln MkT
Infiniti QX60 (2014)
Lexus GX (hideous, IMHO)
Range Rover LR4

I'm looking at seats, cargo space, amenities, etc doing the comparison. A fully blown out X85+ would come close to the top end of all of those in pricing, but you get what you pay for with Tesla

How about a plug-in hybrid volvo xc90 that gets close to 100 mpg (via european cycle)? It's even the same timing as the Model X.

Volvo will replace diesel-powered V60 PHEV with gas-loving XC90

Also BMW's 328d is the first that I know of to bring a diesel AWD with good gas mileage to the US. But because it's sport wagon, I will admit it is more competition for the Model S and it's possible future twin motor variant.

 

[wallet.dat]

That thing is hideous. IMHO it doesn't deserve to wear the Porsche badge.

 

[PeterK]

What he said. There's just no way those smaller crossovers are X competition.

Agree. The key criterion is "seats 7". Heck, the Model S has as much cargo capacity as the Q5, IIRC.

 

[EdA]

Agree. The key criterion is "seats 7". Heck, the Model S has as much cargo capacity as the Q5, IIRC.

It has more, we have a Q5 and Model S. Moved my daughter into college using the Model S because her stuff wouldn't fit into the Q5.

 

[BasilKarlo]

That Macan is very unattractive for a Porsche. It looks more like a Kia. And huge center consoles with tons of buttons are just so unattractive after being spoiled by the Model S' brilliant console. I had thought about getting an ICE luxury crossover while I wait for the Model X, but other luxury vehicles just feel so dated and unimpressive. 17 leather options and 9 seat color options don't make up for outdated interiors and lackluster efficiency.

 

[MartinAustin]

Thanks for the link! The press release is a good read for what they say and don't say about this car (MPG?, CoG?, weight distribution?, curb weight?, sale date?...etc)

My very quick executive summary: This car is aimed at other crossovers and not the Model X as it will be much slower and much smaller. The Cayenne is still the competitor to the X in the SUV luxury market. Should still sell well though as it is pretty and a Porsche with a good starting price (I'm sure the options will be extraordinary though )

Here's where the Macan falls short of being an X competitor:

I'm glad you quoted Porsche's interior volume figures, since IMO that is why we buy a utility vehicle and not a car!
"The interior boasts a luggage compartment volume of 17.7 cu.ft. With the flexible three-way rear bench seat folded down, this can even be increased to 53.0 cu.ft."

If the car were a Tesla Model S, that sentence would read:
"The interior boasts a luggage compartment volume of 26.3 cu.ft. With the flexible 60/40 rear bench seat folded down, this can even be increased to 63.4 cu.ft.."

Let's assume the Model X has even more storage! The Macan might be easier to park, assuming it is smaller. (assuming wheel turning angle is good) I suppose there is a market for "utility" vehicles that don't actually carry that much.

The car is not a direct rival for the Model X, sure. But if any car has the possibility of taking sales away from any other car, or even simply to be considered by the same car-buyer, even for an instant, then they are rivals to some degree. I think that since the Macan is based on the Q5, it's the right size to be a rival of the Model X and some people will consider both when shopping.

Based on what the Model S is doing up there in the luxury sedan segment, there is no doubt in my mind that sales of the Macan are going to be hurt bad by the Model X.

 

[vfx]

Seems more like a RAV 4 competitor.

 

[v12 to 12v]

What is a Macan? Most of the other Porsche names refer to something so I had to look it up.

In Serbo-Croatian it means tomcat. In Scottish Gaelic it means sonny, laddie or little boy. In Malaysia and Indonesia it means tiger.
I'm not sure what to make of that.

 

[flyinggonzo]

The Macan will be very popular. Someone told me that in the Greater Toronto Area, if you were to place a deposit today, you would not receive your car until late fall / early winter because a large number of vehicles have already pre-sold.