Updated Porsche Macan breaks cover

Porsche’s facelifted Macan has been unveiled overseas sporting an all-new V6 turbo motor for the S version and a step up in on-road refinement.

After making its debut at the Paris motor show in September, the upgraded Macan sees the axing of the diesel version as the headline news.

Porsche has pulled the Macan Diesel, leaving it with just the four-cylinder petrol Macan and the V6-powered Macan S.

The entry-level Macan will be aiming straight into the heart of the battle between semi-exotic SUVs and crossovers, like the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the BMW X4 and Mercedes-Benz’s GLC Coupe.

Both models adopt much of the interior equipment and technology from big brother Cayenne, including a 10.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with a big upgrade in its voice-recognition system.

Along with Apple CarPlay, there is also an on-board 4G SIM card to enable the Porsche Connect system with a wifi hotspot and redesigned air vents.

There’s a Sport Chrono package, too, which adds the 911’s steering wheel with its range of buttons, and there is an ionized air system as an option.

The exterior seems wider at the front, with new LED headlights and vertical brake-air intakes, while the wheels are all new, along with automatically dimming interior and exterior mirrors, parking assist and 14-way electric seats.

It retains the existing Macan’s 4696mm overall length and 500-litre luggage capacity, though that can grow to 1500 litres with the rear seats folded.

The Macan S will be the flagship (at least until the Turbo arrives in a year), toting a 260kW and 480Nm version of the 2.9-litre V6 twin-scroll turbocharger engine. This is up from the 250kW and 460Nm of the existing 3.0-litre single-turbo engine.

Despite weighing 1865kg, the Macan S is strong enough to reach 100km/h in 5.1 seconds and reach 254km/h.

The entry-level Macan uses a four-cylinder, turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with  185kW and 370Nm. Claimed performance figures are a 225km/h top speed and 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds, or 6.5 with the Sport Plus mode engaged.

Both engines are managed by variations of the same seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission and both run fully variable all-wheel drive.

While the LED headlights make headlines, the rear end has had just as much light work, with a 3D LED light panel running across the width of the tailgate.

There’s even an optional Offroad Precision app, which can record off-road adventures, storing data including the driver, the GPS data, the route and the elevation and it can all be shared on social media.

The updated Macan range will go on sale locally in the first quarter of 2019 at prices still to be announced.