Dave Moore.

The least expensive Porsche is going to be a huge money-spinner for the brand, says

Porsche has a habit of producing ostensibly unlikely models with which to make money to finance its stock-intrade sports cars, and business in general. Twice in the past decade, socalled purists have poo-poohed new Porsche models, with the fullsized Cayenne SUV first gaining their ire, followed by the Panamera sedan, with both cars seen as demeaning to the sports car maker.

Those models came about because Porsche had twice asked itself the same question: ‘‘Seeing as many 911 and Boxster owners also have an expensive, luxury SUV and a posh sedan in their personal fleets, why don’t we supply them?’’

History tells us that the Cay- enne and Panamera cash cows did the job they were designed to do: help finance future projects for the brand, while introducing a new school of owners to the marque, as well as filling established fans’ driveways. Job done.

There’s no doubt a school of Porschefile will also disapprove of the new Macan, a sub-Cayennesized SUV its makers call ‘‘the first sports car in the compact SUV segment.’’ It has to be said that ‘‘compact’’ doesn’t mean small as such, as the new Macan is longer over all than an Audi Q5, and it’s not even dominated by Porsche’s largest car, the Cayenne.

There’ll be fewer disapprovers, now Porsche’s strategies have proven so effective, and previous naysayers will see that as the least expensive Porsche on the current manifest, the Macan – named after an Indonesian tiger – will work more effectively than the Cayenne and Panamera at bringing nonPorsche buyers into the fold.

The Macan becomes a sports car not merely on the strengths of the three-model range’s compelling power-to-weight ratios, which makes the Turbo model as quick as a 911, but also because its chassis provides the kind of handling grace and precision even the Cayenne can’t get near.

From launch there will be a choice of three engines: a 250kW 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol, a 190kW 3.0-litre single-turbo diesel and a 294kW 3.6-litre twin-turbo petrol, all in V6 format and all mated to seven-speed semi-automatic PDK transmission. The 3.6 is naturally the quickest, with a 0-100kmh time of 4.6 seconds (when fitted with the optional sport chrono package – it takes a whisker longer without it), the diesel is by definition the most economical with an official combined figure of 6.1-litres per 100km and a CO2 rating of 159g/km.

The Macan’s suspension is either by conventional springs and dampers or by air-suspension – standard in the twin-turbo model, and a $3300 option for the others. With air suspension, ride height is adjustable, giving ground clearance of up to 230mm compared with the standard 190mm. Owners can make the model ‘kneel’ for easier loading and getting dogs aboard.

The good news is the option still makes the entry-point diesel Macan S the least expensive Porsche. Without options, and the list is as long as your arm, the range starts at $118,000 for the Macan S Diesel, with the Macan S Petrol asking $121,000 and the performance leading Macan Turbo stickered from $156,000.

While the S models are shown a clean pair of mudflaps by the Turbo, as you’d expect, the diesel and petrol S models’ zero to 100kmh times are 6.3 and 5.4 seconds respectively, nothing at all to be sneezed at.

Despite the arm-long options list, every Macan is well equipped, though Porsche tells me it will be surprised if any sold without a few ticks among the often expensive ‘must-have’ listings.

As you’d expect, every Macan has front and rear parking sensors as well as a camera when reversing. The standard package also includes cruise control, dual-zone climate air-conditioning, automatic xenon lights, and windscreen wipers. Connectivity is driven by a 40-gig hard drive and a seven-inch touchscreen, while bluetooth for phone and streaming is part of the package. There are also eight airbags (dual front, front side, rear side and side curtain) and stability control. The

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