2023 Porsche Macan T: 261 HP and a Stiffer Suspension

Porsche’s best-selling SUV is the first four-door to get the T badge.

byVictoria Scott|
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The Porsche Macan has become the automaker's volume leader, selling almost 25,000 examples in America alone in 2021. It's currently sold in three different trim levels—base, S, and the 434-horsepower GTS—but now a fourth will join the mix: the T, as in the 2023 Porsche Macan T.

The letter "T," in Porsche nomenclature, stands for Touring and traditionally represents the most handling-focused models. The original T model, the 911 T, was introduced in 1968 as a lower-powered, stripped-out version of the 911, and since then the badge has only been applied to Porsche's halo (911 GT3 Touring) and the 718 Cayman. The Macan, therefore, is the first Porsche with four doors to ever get the nameplate.

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The Macan T will share the base model's 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, good for 261 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. While this isn't the largest or most potent drivetrain offered in the Macan—the most powerful engine, the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 is still reserved for the S and GTS trims—Porsche says the T-spec Macan weighs 129 pounds less than its V6 counterparts, and the lower weight will foster better handling dynamics. 

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The Macan T gets special dark-titanium 20" wheels standard., Porsche

It will be offered solely with the seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission already on offer in the rest of the Macan lineup, while gaining active suspension, 20-inch Macan S wheels, stiffer anti-roll bars, and an exclusive interior package as standard equipment.

The main differences over the base Macan, however, are likely to be noticeable in the refined traction management software and optional torque-vectoring package that is set up for more aggressive corner exits and a more performance-oriented experience. Buyers hoping to flex their T-trim exclusivity will have to point to the Agate Gray Metallic accent colors on the trim and mirrors, as that shade and the titanium 20-inch wheels will be the only T-specific stylistic cues (outside of the twentieth letter of the alphabet appended to the trunk badge). 

Pricing for the Macan T is still unannounced, but expect the T trim to slot somewhere between the base model Macan and the higher-trim S. Porsche states it will go on sale early this spring as a 2023 model, and we can hope for further details then. 

Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach her here: victoria.scott@thedrive.com.

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