Porsche Makes Family Cruising Cool with Cayenne and Macan
Daily Slideshow: The Cayenne and Macan crossovers are the breadbasket of the Porsche lineup. Though it may be a far cry from the sports cars they're known for, Porsche still managed to find ways of bringing that sporting luxury into their family models.
A practical sports car
There are two ways to look at Porsche; both of them are completely valid.
On the one hand, their legacy is almost entirely forged on their sports cars. It wouldn't be unfair to say they're the best in the world at sports cars either; Porsche's sporting reputation is well-earned, and their engineering's some of the most refined in the world.
Porsche's market reality paints a different focus. In 2017, the Porsche Macan compact SUV outsold the iconic 911 by a factor of three-to-one. While we've covered this question before and what it might mean for Porsche's identity, we'll approach it today from a different perspective; namely, that those two faces aren't so exclusive as they might seem. Porsche describes their Macan crossover as "a sports car that is practical but never ordinary." It's possible Porsche never shifted away from sports cars; they've just broadened the market.
A well-considered survival strategy
Porsche's incursion on the SUV market has brought them the success that wouldn't have been possible with two doors alone. The 911 model has always been the centerpiece of the Porsche lineup. In many ways it still is. Looking back to the 1990s (shortly before they brought out the Cayenne) the success for many of their other models wasn't what it could be, leaving a lot of the burden on the 911. Of course, sports car sales are a lot less reliable than something built for families-- especially in the case of economic recession like the one in 2008. If there are any 911 purists that ever talked down Porsche embracing the SUV market, it's worth reminding that these models are a safety net the low-volume cars can rely on in times of trouble.
>>Join the conversation about the Cayenne and Macan right here in Rennlist.com.
Get a sports car to do an SUV's job
The Cayenne proved to be a major success for Porsche from the early 2000s onward. This idea of a "utilitarian sports car" applies to the Cayenne, but it's embodied even further with the more recent Macan. It's worth noting that the Macan's original name was "Cajun"-- a portmanteau combining "Cayenne" with "Junior". In context, this name would have worked well; it's got the utility of an SUV with the sort of vigor someone would associate with youth... and sports cars.
>>Join the conversation about the Cayenne and Macan right here in Rennlist.com.
Powerful heritage
Porsche aren't the only ones who have attempted to make SUVs seem cooler. The popular Lexus RX comes up as a good example, imbued with the edgy style flourishes you might expect from some sci-fi roadster. Trying too hard, in other words. By contrast, the Porsche SUVs feel genuinely sporting, because they share the effortless heritage of the 911. The 911 design was made timeless for its simplicity; likewise, because these SUV designs have used their iconic forebear as a signpost, they gain from those benefits. Translating the style wouldn't have been so smooth if they were trying to adopt a busier-looking sports car.
>>Join the conversation about the Cayenne and Macan right here in Rennlist.com.
It's all in the feel
It wouldn't mean much if Porsche gave their "practical" models the sporting flair in appearance only. The 2018 Cayenne Turbo boasts 500 horsepower and a powerful twin-turbo V8. You can sleep tight knowing that Porsche SUVs are packing harder than even some sports cars-- a finding Porsche is all-too-happy to boast. Even so, raw speed and power aren't the most impressive achievements. According to practically every review we've seen, the Macan successfully reproduces the overall feel of a 911. The experience is reportedly impressive enough that it only takes one drive to make converts out of naysayers. They've managed the sport and the utility. Talk about having a cake and eating it too.
>>Join the conversation about the Cayenne and Macan right here in Rennlist.com.
Outstanding enough to make (and break) strong opinions
On that note, if you are an owner of one of Porsche's family-oriented models (or at least have had the chance to drive one) what's your take on it? The Cayenne and Macan are undeniably outstanding by SUV standards, but do you think Porsche successfully delivered on their claim of a "practical sports car"? If so, while uninitiated haters may scorn these models for purportedly losing their "rock star" appeal, we're amazed at how much of that essence they retained in spite of everything. When buying a sports car, there's always been some struggle between the "fun factor" and the troubling limitations it entails in real life. These Porsche SUVs are an earnest attempt to bring the best of both worlds together-- the glamour and the utility. Judging from the runaway success these models have enjoyed so far, it's safe to assume many drivers agree.
>>Join the conversation about the Cayenne and Macan right here in Rennlist.com.
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