Spied - Porsche Macan S diesel surfaces in India shortly before the launch

With only a few weeks left for its launch, the Porsche Macan SUV has emerged on Indian roads. The Macan S diesel (the circular quad exhaust tips being the give away) has been spotted by Carwale's reader in Navi Mumbai.

The Porsche Macan which made its world premiere at last year's Tokyo Motor Show is the Stuttgart-based sportscar maker's entry level SUV. The Macan is a niche product which would be positioned as a sportier and more luxurious alternative to the Audi Q5 (on which it's based), BMW X3 and the Mercedes ML Class.

In India, Porsche's baby SUV would be available in both petrol and diesel variants. The range topping Macan Turbo gets a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine putting out a healthy 400 PS of power and 550 Nm of torque. The petrol Macan does the 0-100 km/h sprint in under 5 seconds with a top whack standing at 266 km/h.

The 3.0-litre V6 that runs on the cheaper fuel is good for 258 PS and 580 Nm of torque. The diesel variant achieves a top speed of 230 km/h and can accelerate from naught to 100 kph in 6.3 seconds.

Both fuel types are equipped with a 7-speed Porsche PDK dual clutch automatic transmission.

The Macan will be imported as a CBU from the company's Leipzig plant in Germany so expect the price to be above all main rivals.

Competitors (as it is a CBU) - Audi Q7, Mercedes GL Class, BMW X5, Range Rover Evoque

Estimated price - INR 70-80 lakh ex-showroom

[Source: Carwale.com]