How tremendous to learn that Aston Martin appears to have nailed it with the new DBX. There's no overstating the importance of its latest model. Five years in development and an all-new platform simply had to produce a class-leading SUV - Aston’s survival probably depended on it. So to discover that the DBX is both good to drive and true to the brand’s ethos is some accolade. It also shows just how far SUVs have come in the past two decades.
A good part of their advancement must be attributed to Porsche. The launch and subsequent success of the Cayenne’s is too well documented for us to revisit at length here, but it's the Macan has done just as much for the art of tying car-like handling to a jacked-up platform. Especially in the most sporting variants, where straight-line urgency has been accompanied by ability across the board. It’s a cliché to compare a Macan’s handling to a car.
Remember when the Macan Turbo arrived seven years ago with 400hp from a turbocharged 3.6-litre V6? With a 4.8-second 0-62mph time and punchy mid-range performance coupled to a chassis capable of managing all of its 1.9 tonnes, it cemented the model's reputation. Thanks to Porsche Active Suspension Management hardware, the Turbo offered the broadest range of talents; riding smoothly in town and tensing up when requested at speed. This was an SUV that could be made to rotate off throttle in the days before Alfa’s Stelvio QF and Jag’s F-Pace SVR.
Of course, the V6 engine and Porsche’s PDK transmission sealed the deal, giving the Macan a sense of effortlessness and speed, as well as the ability to entertain when the taps were opened. These days, in a segment now stocked with plus-400hp alternatives (not to mention the latest 440hp Macan) the first Turbo is not a standout contender. But it remains brilliantly cohesive, even by 2020 standards.
Probably for that reason, along with the predictable added value of the badge on its nose, Macan prices haven’t tumbled as quick as you might expect. A 2014 Turbo can be had for £35k, which is about half the price of what cars with a few ticked boxes would have gone for six years back. But while there are (much) cheaper fast SUVs out there – the Cupra Ateca included – a half price Macan Turbo still feels like a rather good deal.
Today’s Spotted admittedly is up for £37,950, but it gets a load of optional kit including the all-important Sport Chrono pack and PASM, along with full Porsche history and 45,000 miles on the clock. The beige-ness of that cabin might split opinions, but let’s assume the summer sunshine is making it a little brighter in the photos thanks to the panoramic sunroof also fitted. The exterior is a much safer Agate Grey, and we like that the car runs without the Turbo boot badge. A smart, relatively affordable way into the world of genuinely good handling performance SUVs. While you save up for a DBX.
SPECIFICATION | PORSCHE MACAN TURBO
Engine: 3,605cc V6, turbocharged
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 400@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 406@1,350-4,500rpm
MPG: 31.7
CO2: 208g/km
First registered: 2014
Recorded mileage: 45,000
Price new: £62,540 (before options)
Yours for: £37,950
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