Earlier this month, we brought you the renderings of the CUV we wish Porsche would make. We called it the Katana although one of our readers pointed out that – in Porsche-speak – it should be called “Catana.” Regardless, we loved the idea of the pint-sized Porsche crossover.
In that story from our imagination, we brought up the Porsche Macan mid-size SUV that would be based upon the next-gen Audi Q5 MLB platform. At the time didn’t know when or if the Macan would ever see the light of day.
Now we’ve learned that Porsche will in fact be making the Macan and that it will be making its world debut this November at the 2013 LA Auto Show. Cleverly, Porsche should offer the Macan around $54,000, according to Auto Express.
Don’t just assume Porsche has repackaged the Q5 with a new front end and higher asking price; it’s actually changed it quite a bit. The Macan will weigh nearly 300 pounds less than the Q5 while also feature Porsche engine options, upgraded suspension, and a distinctive interior architecture. What might that special interior look like? Imagine the new 911 interior inside a mid-size SUV. Great, right?
The Macan is expected to be built in the Leipzig assembly plant and to hit showrooms in the spring of 2014. We don’t know about you, but we’d much rather have the Macan over the Range Rover Evoque or BMW X3 any day.
We suspect that more info will leak out before the official November unveil so check back soon.
Photo credit: Christian Schulte via Auto Express
