NICE, France — We expect evolutionary changes when a new Porsche comes out; the new Panamera is more of an update of its predecessor than a fresh start, for example. Unveiled earlier this year, the second-generation, 2024 Porsche Macan defies this trend. It all starts under the hood: There’s a frunk there instead of an engine.
Back to the platform: “Developed jointly” isn’t synonymous with “borrowed from.” Porsche and Audi worked together on the PPE architecture, and there are several Macan-specific parts. Power on the Macan, flick the shifter out of park, and you’re off in complete silence. You can enable a UFO-like acceleration noise via the main touchscreen, but without it, the cabin is remarkably quiet. That’s easier said than done in an EV, because the engine’s symphony isn’t there to cover up the various squeaks and rattles. Acceleration is smooth and linear, and the 4 has plenty of power.
My first impression of the Macan Turbo is that it’s overkill. Not in a bad way; it’s the exact opposite. It’s overkill in the same way that a 911 Turbo is overkill compared to, say, a 911 GTS. There’s no need to have this much power under your right foot, but, damn, it’s a lot of fun and you’re glad it’s there. The power gap that separates the Turbo from the 4 comes from a bigger motor on the rear axle.
You don’t feel the regen while driving; the Macan coasts when you lift your foot off the accelerator. You can dial in a little bit of regen resistance by flicking a digital switch found in one of the touchscreen’s “settings” menus, but one-pedal driving, where you almost never need to step on the brake pedal, isn’t possible. Want to slow down? That’s what the brake pedal is for, Porsche argues.