By Roshan Cherian/Staff Reporter

Porsche’s latest introduction to its expanding SUV portfolio is the Macan. Honestly, with the Porsche front end you’re already sold but there’s so much more.

The interior is compact rather than cavernous but there’s no doubt it’s as Porsche as they come inside and out.

It’s classified as a crossover but at QR250,000 with a motor that puts out 340HP is like no other you’ve ever driven. The figures are a little hard to believe looking at the dimensions but a test drive of the Macan S does put a lot of meat on those bones.

For starters there’s the suspension raising that can be done on the fly and will get the children yelling in excitement as the adults do their best to maintain their composure. You can never get enough of this function which is activated by depressing the off-road button on the centre control pad laid out around the gear stick. The car appears to raise its hackles and get all wound up as if it’s getting set to launch itself.

There’s also the counterpart of this function that allows you to reduce the ride height when you hit the highway for a long stretch of high speed cruising.

Porsche made the Macan smaller than the hulking Cayenne but the massive performance that is at the heart of everything this brand represents is very much a part of this package. With an output of 340HP from its 3-litre six, it’s putting out more horses than the entry level Cayenne.

The compact size places a big question mark over traditional thinking while buying SUVs - which puts length of the chassis and the number of rows over all other considerations.

The boot is impossibly large and there are buttons to increase and reduce loading height so you don’t have to wrestle with your groceries when the time comes to finally cut the showboating and do something useful with your expensive ride.

The doors carry an impressive and comforting heft that tell a story about the build quality.

There are three models in the range. The pack is led by the Macan Turbo equipped with a 3.6-litre V6 biturbo engine delivering an output of 400HP.

The Macan S is equipped with a 3-litre V6 biturbo delivering 340HP.

Also available is the high-torque powerhouse of the trio, the Macan S Diesel thanks to its 258HP turbo diesel engine, which provides a torque of 580NM across a broad engine speed range.

All of the Macan’s three six-cylinder engines work in conjunction with the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) and Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system.

Consumption figures range between 6.1 litres per 100km for diesel and 9.2 litres per 100km for premium-grade fuel, all three Macan models meet Euro 6 emissions standard.

“The engines also feature integrated dry-sump lubrication, a typical feature among Porsche vehicles. This feature enables optimum engine lubrication – even in extreme driving situations. It also contributes to achieving a particularly low centre of gravity while allowing the ground clearance to be increased.”

“The range of equipment fitted on the Macan as standard is extensive, and includes all wheel drive, PDK, multi-function sport steering wheel with shift paddles, large wheels, high performance audio system and an electrically operated tailgate and the air suspension system: The Macan is the only vehicle in its segment to feature such a system.”

“There is also the Porsche TorqueVectoring Plus (PTV Plus) system, which has been specially tailored to the Macan. This system distributes varying levels of drive torque to the rear wheels and works in conjunction with an electronically controlled rear-axle differential lock.”

The list of Porsche options includes the dynamic high beam forming part of the Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS Plus), which continuously adjusts the headlight level in keeping with the traffic ahead and any oncoming traffic.

The Macan is “Made in Germany”, at the Leipzig plant.