[sciencegeek]

:surprise:

Nono, it's not what you think. I'm not jumping ship even though the I-Pace has been in the shop for six weeks. [Battery arrived today BTW]

A buddy of mine is in the market for a new car and he loves the Macan. Because he had knee surgery three weeks ago he can't yet drive, but he found a reeeeeaaaaallllllly nice pre-owned one (2018 GTS, loaded), certified, at the dealer and he wanted to check it out. So I drove him there and then drove the Macan 'for him'. Super nice car. Air suspension, amazing leather seats, fully loaded.

So ok, it's not a Turbo but a GTS, with a 3L engine. Aaaanyway, the car is amazing, but ... driving it was a total letdown.

I want my I-Pace back!!!! I can't stand driving an ICE car, even the ones that cost as much as the I-Pace. Whaaaaa :crying:

 

[jsimon7777]

I hear your pain. I just sold my truck. I think I may sell the FRS eventually, since I don't go to the track anymore. EV is simply superior. I suppose on the autobahn I might feel differently.

 

[dtgsrq]

:surprise:

Nono, it's not what you think. I'm not jumping ship even though the I-Pace has been in the shop for six weeks. [Battery arrived today BTW]

A buddy of mine is in the market for a new car and he loves the Macan. Because he had knee surgery three weeks ago he can't yet drive, but he found a reeeeeaaaaallllllly nice pre-owned one (2018 GTS, loaded), certified, at the dealer and he wanted to check it out. So I drove him there and then drove the Macan 'for him'. Super nice car. Air suspension, amazing leather seats, fully loaded.

So ok, it's not a Turbo but a GTS, with a 3L engine. Aaaanyway, the car is amazing, but ... driving it was a total letdown.

I want my I-Pace back!!!! I can't stand driving an ICE car, even the ones that cost as much as the I-Pace. Whaaaaa :crying:

Aside from the propulsion system, how would you compare the Macan to the I-Pace? Performance and handling-wise?

 

[sciencegeek]

Aside from the propulsion system, how would you compare the Macan to the I-Pace? Performance and handling-wise?

This one, as I mentioned, was loaded. It had Air suspension and Sport-plus (or whatever they call it) option for lower gearing / higher rpms.

Steering feels pretty good, but it has a noticeably higher center of gravity and more body roll in cornering.

Annoyingly high rpms when in sport mode; like 2nd gear at 40mph, with corresponding engine noise.

Even in sport mode, comparatively poor throttle response and some weird downshifting when slowing down / braking.

Other observations: great-looking car, very nice interior. But way too many buttons in the center console and only a single 6in screen (the new model has an 8in screen).

Aside from the superior drive quality of the I-Pace, I also appreciate the ergonomics of the screen layout and the well-thought-out middle ground of a few important buttons in the center console and most auxiliary functions in the screens.

 

[GratedWasabi]

I just traded in my Macan Turbo, with all performance options, for an iPace.

Honestly, there is no comparison drive-wise. The iPace is simply in a different category. The Macan doesn't have a lot of body roll nor a high center of gravity compared to other SUVs.. but then you get in an iPace and it's night & day better. It's not just a win for the iPace, it's 100% an entire category better IMO.

Also have to 100% agree with the rev holding in Sport & especially Sport Plus in the Macan. It's incredibly annoying to drive around with Sport or Sport Plus on as it holds higher than necessary RPMS and the turbo is pretty whiney. Yet driving in normal mode is underwhelming performance wise.

As far as the interior, the Macan & iPace are both spectacular. I probably prefer the iPace more, mainly because it has a bit more character to it, but the Macan interior is absolutely fantastic with superb fit & finish.

Ironically the Macan is many, many times better than an F-Pace & E-Pace, which really shows how out of left field the iPace was/is.

 

[StormRune]

As to this observation: "Annoyingly high rpms when in sport mode; like 2nd gear at 40mph, with corresponding engine noise." Sport Plus in a Porsche is only intended for track use and keeps the revs at maximum track-ready RPMs for max acceleration. It isn't intended for street driving, and if used you should take over and use manual shifting. For normal sporty driving you wanted Sport Mode (I've had a few 911s and this is a common mistake people not familiar with Porsches run into).

The GTS you drove had a PDK (dual clutch) transmission and the shifting behavior is a it different that most are familiar with. Similar to Sport Plus, the downshifts in Sport Mode are trying to keep you in the powerband (but less agressively than Sport Plus) and trying to keep the turbos spinning. Most Porsche drivers will use manual mode and shift with the toggle shifters on the steering wheel when in Sport or Sport Plus. Automatic mode is best kept to the Normal performance settings... IMHO. Normal mode is really there just to allow the car to get good EPA ratings since that is the default mode used for EPA testing. Driving around in it is a bit of a bore except when slogging around in heavy traffic.

Until the 2020 models, Porsche has also favored real pushbuttons for commonly accessed functions, so there's no surprise there. Apparently that is changing some in the 2020 models.

 

[jsimon7777]

I wanna test drive the GLE 450 with the E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL. See how it compares.

 

[dtgsrq]

Thanks to sciencegeek and GratedWasabi for the Macan/I-Pace comparisons. I've only driven the Cayenne, and while it was impressive compared to most SUVs, the I-Pace *crushed* it in the handling department. So I had always assumed the Macan was also inferior there, too, just never test drove it. Macan was a consideration for wife's next car... now leaning toward the Taycan 4S, hoping it comes out with a Targa/Convertible option at some point... maybe a bit more range, price cut, too, after market launch.

 

[sciencegeek]

I would still encourage her to test drive a Macan. It's a mighty nice car and she may really like it. My friend sure does. For people who have not been bitten by the awesome EV bug it's a contender!

 

[jsimon7777]

Thanks to sciencegeek and GratedWasabi for the Macan/I-Pace comparisons. I've only driven the Cayenne, and while it was impressive compared to most SUVs, the I-Pace *crushed* it in the handling department. So I had always assumed the Macan was also inferior there, too, just never test drove it. Macan was a consideration for wife's next car... now leaning toward the Taycan 4S, hoping it comes out with a Targa/Convertible option at some point... maybe a bit more range, price cut, too, after market launch.

Because of being a 4-door, I seriously doubt there will ever be a targa or convertible Taycan. The roof has got to be a structural part of the car. To design it otherwise would have made it heavier and slower.

 

[dtgsrq]

Well, other than Tesla, can anyone explain why no EV manufacturer has released a convertible EV? Given how quiet EVs are, its a **** shame there are no convertibles to challenge the Roadster... let alone the $250k Roadster 2.0. I'd gladly spot the Taycan 0.5sec added to the 0-60 time (currently 3.5sec?) for the weight required to host a convertible top! Need a 4-seater since we're replacing M235 convertible and need to haul the kids on occasion.

 

[jsimon7777]

1. Convertibles have a ton of drag. That's bad for cars that have poor range to being with.
2. Convertibles weight more. That's bad for cars that have poor range to being with.
3. Convertibles cost more.
4. Convertibles have a smaller market, and EVs already have a small market. A lot of people, myself included, would say no to an EV convertible because it's a convertible.
5. Convertibles are more flexible. That means creaks, which is annoying in a quiet car.

I'm sure there are more reasons, but that's what I've got right now.

 

[StormRune]

1. Convertibles have a ton of drag. That's bad for cars that have poor range to being with.
2. Convertibles weight more. That's bad for cars that have poor range to being with.
3. Convertibles cost more.
4. Convertibles have a smaller market, and EVs already have a small market. A lot of people, myself included, would say no to an EV convertible because it's a convertible.
5. Convertibles are more flexible. That means creaks, which is annoying in a quiet car.

I'm sure there are more reasons, but that's what I've got right now.

Adding to that excellent post, one more thought to the weigh-more/flex-more idea. The extra weight of the convertible is in addition to the considerably extra weight of an EV's battery system. A I-Pace weighs 800 pounds more than the larger F-Pace (and 1400 pounds more than my latest Porsche!).

This flexing becomes an even bigger problem to fight in an EV. The support that the roof's "box" structure introduces becomes even more critical, without it flexing leads to all kinds of creaks and rattles which I sure would be a major complaint here.

And with all that extra weight, rooftop and windshield crushing in a rollover becomes even more difficult to solve. Most recent cars have been getting substantially bigger A pillars just to handle increased rollover safety standards in the US and probably Europe as well. Engineering a free-standing windshield to handle this 4700+ pounds of rollover is likely a significant issue without the B and C pillar and their crossmembers to the A pillar to carry a lot of that structural load.

 

[dtgsrq]

Too many engineers in this crowd! The first company that pulls if off is going to sell a LOT more of them than they planned. Range is ONLY an issue today because the charging infrastructure lags demand and charging speeds don't quite match gas pumping speeds. In 24 months, with hundreds of thousands more EVs on U.S. roads, demand will force far greater supply of DCFC stations, and sub 15-min charging will happen. If they can build EV semis and garbage trucks, convertibles would seem (can I say it?).... a breeze.

 

[jsimon7777]

Too many engineers in this crowd! The first company that pulls if off is going to sell a LOT more of them than they planned. Range is ONLY an issue today because the charging infrastructure lags demand and charging speeds don't quite match gas pumping speeds. In 24 months, with hundreds of thousands more EVs on U.S. roads, demand will force far greater supply of DCFC stations, and sub 15-min charging will happen. If they can build EV semis and garbage trucks, convertibles would seem (can I say it?).... a breeze.

Nice pun.

I'm a teacher, not a doctor. I mean, not an engineer.

There's certainly a market for an EV convertible, but it'll probably be a small one. Convertibles are out of style right now, though. I once rented a Mustang convertible. My family hated me for it.

 

[sciencegeek]

It's fun to rent a convertible and drive around as a tourist, taking in the sights and sounds (and the weather) of the destination. For daily use, not so much.

 

[sciencegeek]

P.s.: My friend, for whom I test drove that Macan, pulled the trigger and bought it. It's the right car for him, I'm excited for him. I now get to say "I drove your car before you did" >

 

[GratedWasabi]

P.s.: My friend, for whom I test drove that Macan, pulled the trigger and bought it. It's the right car for him, I'm excited for him. I now get to say "I drove your car before you did" >

I will say that absolutely, without question if you want a compact, sporty, luxury SUV and DON'T want to deal with electric or in a way "beta testing" for Jag.. the Macan is the way to go. Brilliant car. Also really excellent bargain for a CPO if you can live with it not being brand new.

 

[tpberding]

I have a 2019 I-Pace and a 2017 Macan Turbo. As the posts above say, they are in two different categories. Very difficult to compare them. The Macan is actually sportier--less body roll, more precise steering, and handling. The 2017 Turbo has the 3.6 litre engine and it has great torque, but the turbos take a few ticks to wind up and deliver it. I would say that the Porsche has a slight edge in top speed, but the Jag has the edge in acceleration, especially at speeds less than 60MPH. The fit and finish of both cars is terrific. The I-Pace rear seat is roomier so when we take others with us, that's the car we use. The Porsche and the I-Pace each have very well laid out controls with enough buttons to make some adjustments easy and quick. The interiors are comparable. The I-Pace styling is definitely a step ahead of the Porsche--edgier and more dynamic. The I-Pace delivers power silently which is a totally different experience than the Macan which has a fantastic exhaust note when accelerating. They both cost about the same. The choice of one or the other would depend almost entirely on personal preference. I love them both.