AMS Catches Macan In The Buff

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

You would have to travel far to shoot (bad boy as you are) a Bali tiger. Germany’s Auto, Motor und Sport Magazin did not have to travel further than the Golfanlage Schloss Nippenburg to shoot themselves a Macan. Macan is Indonesian for tiger, better known as the name for Porsche’s upcoming SUVlet.

What AMS found here, only superficially camouflaged, will be available in 2013. The Porsche Macan, built in Leipzig, will use the platform of the Audi Q5/Q4. To keep price and exhilaration down, Porsche will use Audi mills in the Macan. To provide some rationale for the higher price, the Macan motors are said to be beefier than those of its Audi alter ego.

Starting price of the Macan in Germany is expected to be around €40,000 ($51,0000). According to AMS, the Macan „looks like a baby-Cayenne.“


Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Darkhorse Darkhorse on May 15, 2012

    Porsche is headed for an epic failure, probably by 2016. When will we see their version of a kei car?

  • Kyree Kyree on May 16, 2012

    This is just far too much money to pay for a compact luxury SUV. Moreover, while it is understandable that these sport brands need volume sellers to survive, Porsche's bloodline is so diluted that it seems to me as plebeian as anything else on the road. The 911 represents only a small segment of its sales when suburban mothers are buying up Cayennes like there's no tomorrow. That said, I'm sure the Stuttguardians will have no trouble finding a large group of dunderheaded, well-to-do individuals willing to part with that much money for a relatively-underwhelming and overpriced vehicle...

  • Bd2 Mark my words : Lexus Deathwatch Part 1, the T24 From Hell!
  • Michael S6 Cadillac is beyond fixing because of lack of investment and uncompetitive products. The division and GM are essentially held afloat by mega size SUV (and pick up truck GM) that only domestic brainwashed population buys. Cadillac only hope was to leapfrog the competition in the luxury EV market but that turned out disastrously with the botches role out of the Lyriq which is now dead on arrival.
  • BlackEldo I'm not sure the entire brand can be fixed, but maybe they should start with the C pillar on the CT5...
  • Bd2 To sum up my comments and follow-up comments here backed by some data, perhaps Cadillac should look to the Genesis formula in order to secure a more competitive position in the market. Indeed, by using bespoke Rwd chassis, powertrains and interiors Genesis is selling neck and neck with Lexus while ATPs are 15 to 35% higher depending on the segment you are looking at. While Lexus can't sell Rwd sedans, Genesis is outpacing them 2.2 to 1. Genesis is an industry world changing success story, frankly Cadillac would be insane to not replicate it for themselves.
  • Bd2 Even Lexus is feeling the burn of not being able to compete in the e-ATP arena.
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