It might not look much different from current Macans, but the GTS is the bestdriving version of the company’s bestselling model line.
Family Function Heightened reflexes make the 2017 Macan GTS drive like a proper Porsche. _by Mike Sutton
It happened at Devil’s Playground. It was there, among the tightest hairpins of the 156-turn Pikes Peak International Hill Climb course near Colorado Springs, Colorado, that the 2017 Porsche Macan GTS revealed itself to be the sharpest SUV in the fourstrong Macan family. And yes, that includes the Turbo. Slotting between the midrange S and the 400-hp Turbo, the $68,250 GTS draws on more of Porsche’s spirit but at a base price slightly less than a similarly equipped S model, which starts at $55,450. The GTS transformation begins with the S model’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, which gets stronger internals and revised tuning good for 360 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque—increases of 20 and 30, respectively. A standard sport exhaust gives a throaty warble when the butterflies in its quad exhaust pipes open, lending some character to the otherwise flat-sounding six. Using the optional Sport Chrono package to enable the seven-speed PDK transmission’s launch-control capability, we expect the Increased GTS to trail the Turbo’s 4.2-second dash to steering feel, 60 mph by a couple tenths. vice-free Despite little action at lower revs, the handling, GTS pulls more strongly than the Macan S responsive in the meat of its powerband, tapering off transmission, near the 6000-rpm power peak. The dual- excellent clutch gearbox, however, covers for the seats. engine’s shortness of breath by rapid-firing A big price its ratios with near-telepathic acuity. for a small SUV.
First Drive
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GTS boot camp also nets the previously numb Macan helm an updated powersteering system with a new electric-assist motor and revised tuning. While the changes don’t replicate the delicate haptics and on-center feel of a 911, cornering loads and pavement imperfections now more succinctly inform the driver’s fingertips. The GTS’s standard air suspension is adjustable for different ride heights and three levels of stiffness, with the default setup about 0.4 inch lower and 10 percent firmer than the S model’s. Yet ride quality on the standard 20-inch wheels felt better than we remember from previous Macans (19s are a no-cost option but stepping up to 21s costs extra). Additional dynamic upgrades specific to the GTS include a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, greater rear bias within the active all-wheel-drive system, and retuned brake-based torque vectoring that lets the GTS rotate more readily than other Macans. The GTS gets a brake upgrade, too. Larger 14.2-inch front brake rotors with six-piston calipers (single-piston 13.0inchers remain out back) are borrowed from the Turbo. They provided reassuring
2017 Porsche Macan GTS
VEHICLE TYPE: frontengine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback BASE PRICE: $68,250 ENGINE TYPE: twinturbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection DISPLACEMENT: 183 cu in, 2997 cc POWER: 360 hp @ 6000 rpm TORQUE: 369 lb-ft @ 1650 rpm TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE: 110.5 in LENGTH: 184.7 in WIDTH: 76.1 in HEIGHT: 63.6 in CARGO VOLUME: 18 cu ft CURB WEIGHT: 4400 lb PERFORMANCE (C/D EST) ZERO TO 60 MPH: 4.4–4.5 sec ZERO TO 100 MPH: 12.2–12.4 sec 1/4-MILE: 13.1–13.3 sec TOP SPEED: 159 mph FUEL ECONOMY EPA COMBINED/CITY/ HWY: 19/17/23 mpg