1. I think Porsche finally built the best car it could on a given platform even if it compromised another model in its brand lineup. I applaud them for it and they really gain so much more respect from me for it.

2. This is a probably that I would do too.

3. I think this is where we disagree a little bit. I think at 85K, the Macan is severely obese in its price. I do believe the Macan is going to a great performer but is it 30K better then an BMW X3 at the same size? Is it 15K better then a BMW X5 5.0? Although it is a different animal but is it worth 15K less then a Cayenne GTS? If I cross shopped the vehicle I would do it with a Cayenne Turbo and the price difference is really not that much. I had mine specc'd close to 130K and got it for 120ish on one of the first 2013's in the US. So there in lies the question, do I pay 35k more for Macan? Personal preference I guess but so many questions...

4. I think if the Cayenne Diesel in the refresh form can be had with air suspension, then this would be the perfect commute car for me. My 13' Cayenne Turbo bought new has 35K on the clock so I guess I am a bit more sensitive to size and wear on big items like the clutch...

 

Umm. The CD has been able to get the air suspension from day one. Its PDCC, PTV, and the rear zone climate control that you can't get. Its xfer case also can't be locked.

 

1) Porsche may have built the best SUV for each platform but notice how they have not done so with the Cayman vs 911. If a Cayman could beat a 911 it might cannabalize 911 sales . An 85K Macan Turbo can beat a lot of Cayenne models priced above it. Even a Cayenne Turbo can not lap the Nurburgring in the low 8's .
Perahps it's that the Macan is smaller and an SUV shopper might prioritize interior space .

3) BMW is slated to build an X4 which will narrow the price gap . 85K is a modestly equipped Turbo . A macan S is still very fiesty and can be bought under 70K . PDK is the big selling point of the Macan . It's shift capability and efficiency allows it to maintain boost on upshifts and rev match downshifts . Combined with the modern suspension this vehicle has both practical and race car features . Even a base 991 won't embarass it and with launch control in a straight line they are very evenly matched . A nicely equipped base 991 costs almost 100K , has less space, less doors and is subject to rock chips on that low bumper . Granted a macan Turbo is a different vehicle but it also is a huge performance bargain amongst new Porsches.

4) The Cayenne diesel is a fantastic vehicle (In fact all cayennes are fantastic vehicles). With the refresh coming and the macan priced attractive all current cayenne has some strong competition . Launched in 2011 it's beginning to show that it has aged .

 

I think Porsche are trying to shift the sales to the macan, and drawing the sporty/performance image to it. While they divert the cayenne to a luxury first, sporty second kind of SUV. And you can see that with what they did to the facelifted cayenne. They minimized the porsche signature arched fenders by extending the hood lines to the fenders. The front is squared and bloated. But the rear is improved imho.

 

While I agree entirely that the Macan (and all Porsche products) are pricey at best and over priced at worst, the $30k comment regarding an X3 is not accurate. I priced an X3 the way I would buy it on the bmwusa.com website and it was just short of $60k for a 2014 vehicle. A similarly equipted Macan S the way I would buy it is maybe $5k more. For that "Porsche Tax" of $5k, the choice is easier.

 

This is true. The X5 I speced out was only 5k less than the Cayenne I speced out. The trick is that with a Porsche you really get closer to "what you want" than with other MFGs. With BMW I had to get packages with a bunch of stuff I didn't want to get the couple of options I did want. It is true, however, that if you do want all that stuff then the gap is much wider.

Ultimately the CD was released before I made my decision and it ended up being a $15k difference between it and the X5d, but a good chunk of that was rebates BMW was offering at the time. Even with that big of a difference, it was still a no brainer for me

 

Right now I am trying to decided between a 2015 Cayenne turbo or a 2017-2018 Macan turbo. Has anyone owned both in these respective years? I am looking at a few things,
- longterm reliability
- Possible aftermarket modifications (add more power) from what I see both are pretty limited unless you go to techart route for the cayenne.

Any input is appreciated! I come from Audi's and BMW's so this is brand new to me! I know maintenance is going to be expensive but as expected. Just looking for a fun daily SUV with some power

 

I think the Cayenne and 911 are flagship vehicles that will never go out of style. I like the Macan but i think its there to fill the gap of the rising price of the Cayenne. I have a bought new 14 100% loaded (everything extra you can get) platinum white with factory black 21s (same 21s they put on the GTS), I wanted the GTS when I bought but did not want to pay the price of the GTS I totally regret that now because we are so happy with the car and the extra cost would have been worth the extra price (70k vs 100k back in 14'). So what im saying is buy what you want and dont let price make you go with a Macan but if you want the Macan gobuy it!

 

For me pricing isn’t a huge concern but obviously couldn’t afford brand new lol but the 2017 Macan turbo and 2015 Cayenne Turbo I’m looking at are relatively similar price range give or take a couple thousand depending how much I can talk them down and same miles. I’m mainly looking for what has more potential for extra power. I’m not really hauling anything around which is why I’m leaning towards a Macan but then it’s not a Cayenne and I feel it would be a lot nicer. I have not test drove either yet with this covid going on but maybe that’ll be the deciding factor

 

Porsche are generally already pretty well tweaked for performance. Thus there's not a lot of aftermarket ways to improve them, they're already great.

The interior fit and finish is markedly better on the Cayenne than the Macan. The Macan interior was much more "value engineered" and it shows. The 2019+ Cayenne, however, seems to have back-tracked on the interior. The Macan S (or better) delivers a very lively driving experience.

The Cayenne's no family truckster, it will out-handle any other SUV in it's range (and quite a few other non-SUV sedans and coupes). All the while still being able to handle towing and off-roading.

Make no mistake, these were expensive vehicles new and will remain expensive to repair/maintain. Long term reliability is only a guaranteed as your willingness to spend to maintain it. But things do break over the course of time and if they're not shared with other platforms they WILL BE more expensive to replace than other vehicles.

I don't think you'd go wrong with either selection.