Is the BMW X3M Competition better than this Macan GTS?

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So as we said, this Macan GTS now inherits the top spot in the lineup which means it gets the 2.9L TTV6 that makes 434 hp and 405 lbft. If a VAG group 2.9TTv6 sounds familiar it might be because it’s very similar, almost the same as the engine under the hood of the Audi RS5 we’ve tested

Wherever this engine came from I’m just glad that it’s here because it’s got SO much drama!

The tsunami of torque from the turbos completely engulfs you and throws you back in your seat

Then the cracks at redline from the 7 speed PDK are just incredible

And since you have AWD traction with Pirelli Pzero rubber you’re at 60 in 4 seconds!

And if you know me, I don’t really care about the numbers, but the thing I love here is that there’s just so much drama and theater from this powertrain - it feels so special!

This is our first press car from Porsche which means it’s the first time that we’ve gotten to spend an extended period of time with the car. And I’ll be honest, I went into this week excited, but generally not really understanding the Porsche cult. And let me tell you, after a few days in this GTS, it makes total sense. This is their entry level SUV and it manages to feel so sharp, so nimble, and so much more special than I could have ever thought.

And this is a Porsche and it’s a GTS model so it’s way more than just engine, power, and 0-60

The dynamics on this Macan have reset my expectations, they’ve reset what I now know a sports SUV can do

The handling characteristic that you get from this Macan are not things you’ll get from an X3M Comp - they're not things you’ll get from a GLC63, and they’re certainly not things you’ll get from the Audi

There’s so much more sense of precision and connection here.

The X3M is probably the closest, but even still

Every time i head into a corner in this thing it tells me I can come in faster and I can dial in more steering because there’s just so much front end

Of course, the dynamics is where you expect a Porsche vehicle to perform, especially one wearing green GTS letters. So how have they done it? Well, of course it all starts with the MLB chassis, there’s added bracing and rigidity built in which allows the adaptive air suspension to do its job better. The dampers will soften and stiffen in accordance to whatever mode you’re in, but they also change the rebound parameters to allow for more or less travel and since it’s an air suspension you have a greater degree of adjustability than a more traditional electronic damper. There’s a double wishbone setup in the front and and a multilink rear and with the PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) system each individual wheel is being monitored and adapted in real time

There’s also things like torque vectoring, an enhanced steering rack, 6 piston brakes on the front, and super grippy Pirelli PZeros on all 4 corners

And without sounding like a broken record, this is the best handling SUV I’ve ever driven and would certainly put to shame a lot of mid-tier sports cars and sedans

But every now and then you’re NOT on a racetrack or 10/10ths on country roads so what is this thing like to drive like a normal human being?

We’ve tested a lot of high-performance versions of regular cars and they almost always feel like they’ve gone too far and ruined the daily liveable nature of the car.But there are two very clear exceptions. One is the 2022 Audi S8 we drove the other day. Love that thing. And two is this Macan and I’m really surprised at how the Macan settles down when not in sport mode

The air suspension softens back really well.

You still get some thuds through the skinny sidewall of the tires, but it’s really not bad

The steering lightens up, but never loses the feedback characteristics

The PDK slows down and smoothes out

The engine and exhaust quiet down to the point that it just feels like a normal car

The visibility is great, the cabin is quiet, and I have loads of headroom so I don’t feel claustrophobic at all…even without a sunroof!

So by all accounts, this Macan GTS is one of, if not the most complete sports SUVs we’ve ever driven here on Downshift. One of the most adept sports cars out there while also being a comfortable and practical SUV package..and it looks pretty good too…