2016 Porsche Macan GTS

BEIRUT: Let’s face it, if you’re buying a Porsche the simple practicalities of life are not at the top of your list of priorities. You can always find other cars that are roomier, more comfortable, with more cargo space and better fuel economy. But they won’t be a Porsche, they won’t plaster a permanent smile on your face, they won’t survive till long after cars half their age have been reduced to a heap of rust and they won’t make you suspect that the marque’s founder was fathered by Zeus.

Apparently that allure applies not only to every model and variant of the 911 ever conceived, but it also extends to the SUVs, if you insist on calling them that.

In recent years I’ve driven countless SUVs and crossovers from various brands, and while I’ve found most to be excellent cars, each in its own way, offering great rides as well as remarkable comfort and practicality, they never really made me want to immediately run out and buy one. But that’s just me – I’m just not an SUV person. I prefer cars that symbolize individuality, that are all about the close-to-the-ground motoring experience rather than the DVD players strapped to the seat backs. Cup-holders don’t talk to me, but leather-wrapped sports steering wheels with brushed aluminum accents do. I think you catch my drift.

But before I tackle the 2016 Macan GTS, a bit of background. When Porsche first introduced the Cayenne, I was very confused. I couldn’t understand why the manufacturer of the world’s most iconic sports car – yes, the 911 – would build an SUV; I believed it flew in the face of everything the marque stood for. But eventually I realized that Porsche, like every other carmaker, needed to cater to its clients’ other automotive needs, so I accepted the move as pragmatic. Later, when Porsche launched the Panamera, it also came as no surprise, especially as we had known it was coming for decades, ever since we saw pictures of what looked like a concept four-door 911 back in the ‘80s.

But when I first came across the crossover concept back in 2011, referred to at the time as the Cajun (Cayenne Junior), I threw up my hands. What was Porsche thinking building a baby SUV? What about image? What about thrills and adrenalin? They’re supposed to build sports cars for us to dream about and put posters on our walls, not bumper cars devoid of all sexuality.

Yet I still harassed Lebanon’s Porsche distributor for a test-drive of the Macan, its official name – On a side note, whatever happened to numerical designations? – until they finally shut me up by handing me a Macan GTS for a weekend. And that’s how my rapid descent into total agony started.

Seeing as the Macan is supposedly loosely based on the Audi Q5 infrastructure, I had expected this crossover to be just a rebadged Audi. That assumption lasted only until I came face to face (or grille) with the GTS – It wasn’t parked, it was poised, like a supermodel! Gleaming Volcano Gray metallic paint, massive 20-inch black satin rims, twin tailpipes in black for the exhaust, Bi-Xenon headlights in black, and black trim all around, including the sideblades that evoke the design of the extraordinary 918 – all these elements conspired to send my blood pressure into dangerous territory, and I hadn’t even looked inside or sat in the car yet.

At some point I recovered my composure and actually opened the door, only to encounter more Porsche excellence. Black leather and Alcantara adorned the seats as well as the rest of the interior, along with brushed aluminum inserts and accents. The multifunction steering wheel, wrapped in leather and forged in brushed aluminum, was derived from the one in the 918. A pair of aluminum paddle shifters with a hefty feel to them resided behind the wheel, a further indication of this car’s sporty inclinations.

French stitching in a contrasting red ran the length of the dashboard, as well as around the seats, with the GTS designation embroidered on the head rests and along the aluminum door sill guards. The car also featured a panoramic roof, which, with the curtain rolled back, lent the interior a decidedly cheerful yet suave demeanor. And as if all that wasn’t already enough to make me want to cry, they just had to make the seat belts red. Suffice to say, the styling of the Macan GTS was an exercise in sumptuous precision.

So, feeling as if I was intruding on a sacred temple, I carefully climbed inside, inserted the car shaped key fob into the slot to the left of the steering wheel – yay! – and started the Macan. But started isn’t the right word, because the engine erupted to life in a glorious explosion. The sound coming from the exhaust was a raspy rumble, thunderous, impressing upon me that this was no ordinary crossover. After all, what SUV of this size boasts a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that produces 360 horsepower and 500 Newton-meters of torque?

Of course, being the inquisitive type – and because it was there – I pressed the sports button on the console, just to the left of the gear shift. The sound of the exhaust transformed into something more primal, and before I even shifted the transmission out of Park, I knew I was going to get very, very depressed after returning the car on Monday. But for the time being it was mine, so I put the car in Drive and took to the road.

The Macan GTS has been bestowed with one of the most exhilarating exhaust sounds I’ve ever heard on a crossover. It’s actually beyond primal; it’s feral, hinting at the car’s capabilities, and enticing me to push the car. The GTS is lightning quick, launching itself like a predator that just sighted its first meal, and can hit 100 kilometers an hour from a standstill in 5 seconds with the Chrono package.

The power builds smoothly as you climb up the revs, hitting its peak at 6,000 rpm. It’s also good for a top speed of 256 kph, definitely not ordinary for a crossover. And thanks to its ceramic brakes, the GTS decelerates just as quickly and efficiently. Moreover, as you decelerate, the downshifts prompt exquisite audible revs, with the accompanying staccato from the exhaust, that endear this car to you.

But I was still cautious because cars of this type usually fall short in the handling department, and so I attempted to find the limits of the GTS.

It shrugged off everything I threw at it. Twisty roads? It was made for them, the suspension keeping the Macan flat and firmly planted, determined to pry the tarmac off the road before it allowed itself to lose grip. It devoured every corner I threw at it, and with all four wheels active, you can be pretty sure there’s no way this car is ever going to lose its composure. And though I’d read in some reviews of a decided lack of road feel to the steering, ‘m not sure what they were talking ab out because I could feel every nuance of the road. And with power also delivered to the front wheels, I felt more in touch with the road than I had in any other crossover. The GTS is nothing short of breathtaking.

And yes, the rear seating area is tight, and more suitable for only two, but I actually managed to fit two adults and two adolescents in the back simultaneously.

There’s one other thing: My Mom has been a longtime Mercedes-Benz driver, but the Macan GTS is the first car I have ever test-driven that she gets excited about! Yeah, my Mom wants not just a Porsche Macan, but specifically the GTS. Apparently, it has to do something with the Alcantara and the red French stitching. Who knew? Maybe I should tell her it costs $129,000 without registration and before any options are added – at Porsche you get what you pay for! She did, however, instruct me to “Say nice things about the car!” Like I needed to be prompted!

A version of this article appeared in the September 9, 2016 edition of The Daily Star.