When the German sportscar maker’s medium-sized SUV, the 2014 Porsche Macan crossover debuted at the 2013 LA Motor Show it was offering only two variants- the S and the Turbo, both mid-to upper end trims. According to a report in Autocar, there are entry-level offerings for the SUV on the way. News is that Porsche engineers have confirmed that a pair of turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder - one diesel and one petrol will be soon found at the Macan’s engine site and will also make its way to India some time in 2014.
In an interview in AutoExpress, Dr Thomas Casper, Porsche’s powertrain and transmission executive has been quoted as saying, “The crossover (entry-level Macan) will gain a four-cylinder petrol engine sometime in 2014, perhaps at the end.” Casper did not go into specifics, but said the model will be a “proper Porsche” and having a sporty exhaust note is a “top priority.”
This introduction will make the new model the first Porsche car to have a four-cylinder engine, since the 968 ended production in 1995. The new car will slot in below the launch models, which include a 335bhp 3.0-litre V6 bi-turbo in the Macan S, a 254bhp 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel in the Macan S Diesel and a 394bhp 3.6-litre V6 bi-turbo in the range-topping Macan Turbo. In time this four-cylinder engine is expected to be fitted to the Boxster and Cayman, too, offering a new more affordable entry-point to Porsche ownership.
The report, mentioned earlier, does not specify which markets might get the four-cylinder engines. Speculations are that the diesel might stay in Europe and the petrol version to the US markets. So, assumptions are that the European and Asian markets, including India, will get the 254bhp 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine.
