Porsche Macan will be the smaller SUV

New Porsche sports car in the sports utility segment has been given the name Macan

The Macan will be built at the Porsche factory in Leipzig, Germany

Porsche has confirmed the name for its forthcoming new SUV is Macan. The name Macan is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger and combines suppleness, power, fascination and dynamics – core characteristics of this new all-terrain car. The Macan was code named Cajun will share its plat form with the Audi Q5.

The Macan will help Porsche increase its presence in the growing SUV segment and is a very important model for the German carmaker. The Macan SUV will be made at the Porsche factory in Leipzig, Saxony, in 2013 where the company is investing 500 million euro.

‘The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of a SUV and is a genuine Porsche,’ said Porsche sales and marketing boss Bernhard Maier. ‘The name of a new Porsche has to fit with the brand, sound good in very many languages and dialects and evoke positive associations.’

The Macan will get four-wheel drive as standard, double-clutch gearboxes with sport seven speeds, and the expected engine options are:

• 2.0 TFSI 4-cyl, 237bhp/258lb ft

• 3.0 TFSI V6, 288bhp/295lb ft

• 2.0 TDI 4-cyl, 187bhp/258lb ft

• 3.0 TDI V6, 261bhp/369lb ft