It was 1988 and Porsche decided to launch a special version of the 924S in the Iberian Peninsula. Known in other markets as 924 SE, 924 Club Sport in Japan and 924S Le Mans, both in Portugal and in Spain, this would become eternalized as 924S Spirit, and it is exactly from him that the Macan Spirit takes its name.
The name Spirit appeared as a tribute to the spirit of the brand, which at the beginning was famous for producing light sports cars with small engines capable of high performance. Limited to just 30 units (15 black and 15 white), the 924S Spirit bet not only on equipment but also on improving performance, offering a total of 170 hp (compared to the usual 160 hp).
Now, thirty years later, Porsche has returned to applying the “Spirit formula”. Like the 924S Spirit, the Macan Spirit is only intended for the Spanish and Portuguese markets. The difference is that this time the brand will not limit production to just 30 units, with Porsche offering 100 units in white and another 100 in black of the Macan Spirit.
Macan Spirit, times change, but the spirit doesn't
Although it has been nearly thirty years since the launch of the first Porsche to use the Spirit designation and the brand has long since started to offer a wide range of powertrains, Porsche still bets today on the idea that keeping weight low is possible to achieve the best dynamic qualities, something that stands out in Macan Spirit.
Interestingly, like the 924S Spirit, the Macan Spirit uses a four-cylinder engine. The difference is that while the 924S engine had 2.5 l from which it drew only 160 hp, the 2.0 l turbo of the Macan Spirit offers 245 hp and 370 Nm of torque and is associated with the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox.
Of course, the Macan Spirit keeps Porsche's performance tradition alive, reaching 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.7s and reaching 225 km/h of top speed. With regard to consumption, the Macan Spirit proves that performance and economy do not have to be enemies, with values in the region of 10.3 l/100 km.
To ensure that the dynamic handling lives up to the brand's standards, Porsche has equipped the Macan Spirit with the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) variable damping system and Assisted Steering Plus.
Special series with matching equipment
Compared to the entry-level version of the Macan with a four-cylinder engine (with which the Macan Spirit shares the engine), the special series destined for the Iberian Peninsula stands out for its panoramic roof, side skirts and SportDesign anti-glare exterior mirrors.
Also in the aesthetics chapter, the unique look of the Macan is reinforced with the adoption of the 20” Macan Turbo alloy wheels painted in black, the black accents on the roof bars, rear bumpers, sporty tailpipes and optics and the identification of the special version through a logo on the rear.
As for the interior, in addition to the discreet and elegant identification on the right side of the dashboard reminding us that this Macan is special, there are details such as the new carpets, Comfort lighting package, manual curtains for the rear windows and use in Bordeaux Red color both on the bottom of the instrument panel and on the seat belts.
But the Macan Spirit is not just about exclusivity, equipment and performance. If we compare the cost associated with equipping the access version with all the optional elements that Spirit offers as standard, we see that the economic advantage is greater than 6500 euros. Now available for order, the Macan Spirit has a price in Portugal of 89,911 euros.
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