What's the news?
Porsche has shown off the updated Macan in Shanghai. Although the mid-size SUV continues to use the same basic platform as before (which means it's closely related to a series one Audi Q5) it has been heavily updated, most notably in the areas of in-cabin tech.
On the outside, the styling has been given a very mild update. Porsche speaks much of bringing in styling cues from the 911 and the 918 Spyder, but basically it means new headlights (which now get LED tech as standard, with dynamic lighting as an option), new grille and bumpers, and the distinctive 'four-point' Porsche light signature in the rear lights.
There are also some new paint options, inclduing "Miami Blue", "Mamba Green Metallic", "Dolomite Silver Metallic" and "Crayon."
On the inside, there's the option of a new 'GT' spec sports steering wheel, while if you go for the optional Sports Chrono package, you get the same rotary sports mode button set into the steering wheel. That includes the 'push-to-pass' function which temporarily activates Sport mode for sharp overtaking moves, if you need it.
There's also adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping steering, and a traffic jam assist which keeps the car rolling at speeds of up to 60km/h in heavy traffic.
There's a new 11-inch touchscreen set into the dashboard, that uses the same 'tile' based menu layout that we've already seen in the Panamera and Cayenne. All Macans will now come with the 'Connect Plus' module that means the cars are internet-connected, and so can keep you updated on the move with news, weather, local fuel prices, and parking availability. There's also a new wrinkle in the form of live, 'swarm' based traffic data that feeds from the HERE network, the once-Nokia owned (and now owned by a consortium including BMW, Mercedes, and the Volkswagen Group) which can feed instantly updated traffic and jam data to the Macan's infotainment system.
There are no major changes underneath, although Porsche says that the chassis setting have been tweaked a little, there's an updated traction control system, and for those precious few owners that actually take their cars off-road, there's a new Off-Road Precision app, which records your driving and analyses your mud-plugging technique.
You'll have noticed that there's something missing from all of this and that's news about the Macan's engine range. That's because Porsche has hit major delays in its testing process for the new WLTP fuel economy regulations, so we're being kept in the dark for a while yet. You can expect the existing base-model 2.0-litre turbo engine to carry over, while the V6 petrol models will be replaced by new versions, probably including a Turbo version that will see a significant power increase to allow it to challenge the likes of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63. Diesels? not a whisper as yet, and it's likely that those will be back-burnered for at least a while. A plugin hybrid version is a dead-cert, though.