Porsche's mini-Cayenne to be called 'Macan'

Porsche’s long-awaited competitor to BMW’s X3 and the Range Rover Evoque will be called ‘Macan’. The name Macan is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger and combines suppleness, power, fascination and dynamics according to Porsche – which will be core characteristics of its new compact all-terrain car.

“The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of an SUV and is a genuine Porsche”, said Bernhard Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG.

“The name of a new Porsche has to fit with the brand, sound good in very many languages and dialects and evoke positive associations.”

As a new addition to the Porsche model range, the Macan is a key pillar of the company’s Strategy 2018, by which the sports car manufacturer wishes to expand its model portfolio. Based upon the underpinnings of Audi’s Q5, the Macan will be considerably more dynamic and be priced to minimise overlap between both models.

The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of an SUV and is a genuine Porsche.

Porsche intends the Macan to emulate the success of the Cayenne, but appeal to those buyers who prefer a smaller for urban-friendly SUV, whilst enjoying the added benefits of a lower centre of gravity, less weight and greater agility.

The new car will begin production at the Porsche factory in Leipzig, Saxony, in 2013. The site is currently being expanded into a fully-fledged production plant including body assembly line and paint shop; with 500 million euro of investment and is one of the biggest building projects in the corporate history of Porsche. In the medium-term, the sports car manufacturer will be creating more than 1,000 new jobs.

“Porsche names have an indelible connection with the corresponding model and its characteristics: the name Boxster describes the combination of ‘boxer’ engine and ‘roadster’, Cayenne stands for sharpness, the Cayman is snappy and agile and a Panamera is more than a Gran Turismo, capable also of winning the Carrera Panamericana long-distance race”, said a Porsche spokesperson.