Is the Porsche Macan a bit of a porker..?

According to Porsche, the all-new Macan is more than a compact SUV – it’s a sports car – featuring lightweight construction, low fuel consumption and excellent driving dynamics.

We had also assumed it would be lighter than the SUV norm, but after looking at the specs leaked on Chinese website autohome.com.cn we’re not so sure.

As you can see from the figures below, the Macan is lower (-27mm), wider (+25mm) and slightly longer (+26mm) than the Audi Q5, otherwise they’re very similar in size – sharing the same 2,807mm wheelbase.

And now we know how much Porsche’s compact SUV will weigh; 1,898 kg (4,184 lbs) for the Macan S Diesel, 1,928 kg (4,250 lbs) for the petrol-engine Macan S and 1,947 kg (4,292 lbs) for the 3.6-litre Macan Turbo.

That’s not exactly ‘lightweight’, although compared with the equivalently powered Cayenne, the Macan is indeed 182kg lighter.

These are DIN weights, so exclude the nominal weight of driver + luggage factored into the EC standard figures quoted by BMW, and as you’d expect, Audi follow the same practice as sister-company Porsche.

Much of the limelight will shine on the range-topping Macan Turbo, powered by a 3.6-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine delivering 394bhp (294 kW) and 550 Nm (405 lb-ft) of torque, while the Macan S is powered by a smaller 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol with 335bhp (250 kW) and 460 Nm (339 lb-ft) of torque.

We’ve yet to confirm the fuel efficiency of the Macan S, but we already know the Turbo will average 30.7 mpg with CO2 emissions of 216 g/km.

The Macan Turbo sprints from 0 to 62mph in 4.8 seconds with a top speed of 167mph, while the Macan S covers the same increment in 5.5 seconds and peaks at 158mph.

Most of the European sales will come from the Macan S Diesel, which essentially uses the same six-cylinder diesel as the Audi Q5 3.0 TDI. Both engines produce 580Nm (428 lb-ft) of torque, however the version in the Macan S Diesel produces 254bhp while the Q5 makes do with 242bhp (as in the Cayenne Diesel).

The Macan uses Porsche’s 7-speed PDK transmission, while the Q5 is fitted with Audi’s 7-speed S tronic box, but it’s the Q5 which weighs nearly 40kg less (at 1,860kg).

Nevertheless the Macan S Diesel sprints from 0 to 62mph in 6.2 seconds while the Q5 3.0 TDI covers the same increment in 6.5 seconds, while the top speed of both is quoted as 140mph (226 km/h).

To add further perspective, the Porsche Panamera Diesel weighs 18kg less than the Macan S Diesel (at 1,880kg), reaches 62mph in 6.8 seconds and emits 167 g/km of CO2, so buyers can take solace in the Macan being quicker and more fuel efficient than the (slightly) lighter Panamera.

Porsche Macan versus BMW X4

While the Q5 is mechanically similar to the Macan, its closest competitor is likely to be BMW’s new X4, which will use the same powertrains as the X3 when its launched early next year.

Rumours have already emerged of an M3/M4 powered version of the X4 (matching the Macan Turbo), but BMW M division boss Albert Biermann has already denied this – although an M Performance model (powered by a version of the M50d’s 376bhp / 740Nm engine) might see the light of day.

Size-wise they’re remarkably similar – the X4 sits 6mm lower than the Macan, while spanning a width just 7mm narrower. Although 34mm wider than an X3, we’d expect the X4 to end up weighing the same as its SUV sibling.

Compared with today’s X3 xDrive30d M Sport, the Macan S Diesel matches it for power (254bhp) while offering 20Nm more torque (580Nm vs 560Nm). However the X3 weighs 78kg ‘less’ than the Macan (at 1,820kg) and matches it for acceleration – covering the 0 to 62mph increment in 6.2 seconds.

They’re even closer for fuel efficiency; with the X3’s 47.1 mpg bettering the Macan’s 46.3, and with both delivering CO2 emissions of 159 g/km.

The competition couldn’t be closer, but compared to both Audi’s Q5 and BMW’s X3 the new Macan does indeed carry a few extra pounds. That’s a little disconcerting (given Porsche’s usual lightweight credentials) even if the Macan ends up being the better sports car.