Porsche has revealed that its new SUV, smaller than the Cayenne, will be called Macan.
According to the company, the name Macan is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger and combines suppleness, power, fascination and dynamics – all core characteristics of this new vehicle.
"The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of an SUV and is a genuine Porsche", said Bernhard Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG.
"The name of a new Porsche has to fit with the brand, sound good in very many languages and dialects and evoke positive associations," he added.
Porsche names are said to have an indelible connection with the corresponding model and its characteristics: the name Boxster describes the combination of ‘boxer’ engine and ‘roadster’, Cayenne stands for sharpness, the Cayman is snappy and agile and a Panamera is more than a Gran Turismo, capable also of winning the Carrera Panamericana long-distance race.
As a new addition to the Porsche model range, the Macan is a key pillar of the company’s Strategy 2018 for expanding its model portfolio and the company hopes it will emulate the success of the Cayenne.
The new car will start production at the Porsche factory in Leipzig, Saxony, in 2013. The site is currently being expanded into a fully-fledged production plant including body assembly line and paint shop
With an investment of 500 million Euros, it is one of the biggest building projects in the corporate history of Porsche and will account for a significant portion of the 1,000 new jobs the sports car manufacturer will be creating in the medium-term.