mdkrp

I am close to getting nailing down my build and would like to hear your thoughts on this.

I am getting an S and will not be doing any off-roading.

Trying to keep things reasonable, I am debating if one or both of these options are worth it. My main goal would be to maintain the driving experience that I have come to love with my 911S (which will soon be turned in at lease end).

By the way my 911 has neither the PASM nor PTV.
Thanks for any insight.

Rubik

I ordered PASM w/o AS and PTV Plus.

PASM for the nasty roads here in Los Angeles where the pavement is literally falling apart but I have the option to stiffen up the suspension if the roads are good. AS allows people to lower the car a bit more. The additional clearance from AS is useless as I would never take the car off toad. Everyone that has PASM over the regular suspension swears by it. I don't have any personal experience.

Now PTV Plus is a driving dynamics technology and I like having a very responsive steering so I'm sure I'll like it. <$1400 for a completely different differential with electronic difflock? Yes please!

The only thing that worries me about both systems is that the more electronics you have, the more opportunity there are for things to go wrong.

KeninBlaine

I also came from a lovely 997 C2S cab, so wanted my Macan to handle as well as possible without breaking the bank. I opted for PASM on steel springs, and PTV+. Not being able to truly test cars with and without PTV+ I just decided to get it so I wouldn't have to wonder if it would have been better. I never find myself wishing I had AS. I still don't know what PTV+ is contributing to the driving experience, but I do know that the handling is better than I expected. There is an on-ramp near me where I love to accelerate through the curve as I approach the freeway. I used to do it in my 911 and loved how it would squirm and sometimes start to slide a little as I pushed it hard through the curve. Now I do the same thing in the Macan, and I'm amazed at how hard I can push it, and how it starts to squirm the same way, but always feeling totally in control. I expect PTV+ is contributing to the amazing stability I'm feeling in that maneuver.

K-A

AS/PASM hands down imo. PTV adds a degree of fluidity and precision but nothing makes this car more dynamic or versatile in drive than AS/PASM. Night and day, imo. With AS you get ability to completely control body lean and keep things sharp and tight, whilst with the touch of a button, have S Class style waft and comfort. Also aesthetically proper for the 1" lowered stance (which also benefits aerodynamics).

Powereng

I have pasm and PTV and am very happy with this set up, the pasm does a great job at controlling body lean and helps stiffen up the suspension. Just did a quick little 400 mile run and was a smooth ride, gas milage not so good but a great ride. The AS debate is on going, you really need to drive both with and without and see if the cost is justified for you, at atleast try to stay with pasm.

pyramid

For your goal, both PASM (without AS to keep things reasonable) and PTV are necessity, need to consider removing other comfort option.

IMO, since you are coming from 911 and want to maintain its driving dynamics, Panamera with PDCC is closer to what you are looking for.
Unless now you need SUV clearance or hates the "shoe" shape Panny, there is no other logical explanation to beat the law of physics, Macan's Fanboys excluded .

K-A

The Macan feels easily closer to the 911 imo, if we must choose a closer relative likeness between the two. Even the Panny GTS was more of a chore on the track due to its long wheelbase making it have to be "pushed" more so. The Macan with AS (a must imo to maximize chassis capability) feels comparatively nimble against a Panny. The Panny being lower to the ground is capable, but just doesn't feel as eager. Feels like a boat or limo in comparison, to me. Much more of massive luxury sedan vibe.

pyramid

I did say Macan's Fanboys excluded, didn't I?
Anyway, I would say the new Panny S has the sweetest spot in handling, both GTS and Turbo are front heavy, but still closer to 911 than the base Porsche.
My opinion is based on having to owned MY10 PTT, MY13 991 C2, MY14 911_50, MY15 Macan Turbo, and currently owns MY14 991 TTS and MY15 Macan S.

K-A

Well I could say fanboys partial to questionable styling excluded, can't I, but that would be subjective. Does your Macan have AS? That could be our difference in perception right there. As it would be on a Panny (which I believe has AS in its most capable forms).

I as well as plenty of others who've driven Panny's feel that it feels like a boat compared to the Macan. You can get it faster and able to grip better (at designations that cost considerably more) but as a basis, I think the Macan is more "4 door sports car" when I drive one back to back from a Macan. I guess it's opinion. The Panny feels like a very capable executive lux limo when tossing it around, simply massive and sprawled out. In fact, that long wheelbase feels less like it wants to be tossed around a lot than the Macan's, which feels very eagerly tossable.

Powereng

Ya all just don't understand, if you get AS, then it turns the Macan into a 911, it's all about AS..oh wait.. Why not a turbo? A Macan S with AS will beat everything...

pyramid

That I can relate to.
Even my brother in law whom I sold the MY10 PTT and MY15 Macan Turbo to and still have them both currently, loves driving his PTT more.

As for the AS, can you guess what's on mine?

pyramid

Take it easy on K-A , most of his post is entertaining and very detail oriented since MBWorld. Yes, it is annoying when becomes repetition on every threads, especially the 'opinion forcing' posts. But this forum will be "colorless" without his entertaining variations

K-A

Hey, the fact that we can compare a Macan to PTT in this way says it all. I think as a basis there's no question that the Macan is sportier, but that's just me (and many who've cross shopped them). I just don't find the massive long wheelbase lux limo vibe that engaging on a track or in spirited driving. A Macan at a similar price point with similar power and comprehensiveness to a PTT I think would also be more dynamic than a PTT. Though I'm not talking about HP here (hence why I don't consider a Turbo necessarily "sportier" to an equal suspension S).

And yes, AS certainly makes the Macan feel more capable in the sporty sense, as many of us with it feel. Guy in this thread who seems bitter about skipping it (not you) due to said beings never ending quest to convince themselves otherwise, clearly haven't experienced or realized that. Maybe some don't notice it, but I've driven it on a track and acclimated to AS, so when I go to any steel spring Macan now, the difference in ride in all ways is quite apparent.

Powereng

I am assuming you are refering to me and no, I did skip it, I left it off on purpose. For someone who is so performance orientated, you sure did miss other performance options that are equally if not more important. If you need me to point them out for you, let me know. So you are saying you got to do a dealer track day or you have tracked yours? I am just trying to figure out your vast track or driving experiance with Porsche's is. If you need AS to make yourself a better driver, then maybe first take some instructions by a instructor, no not just a dealer track day were you get to take two or three laps in each car, but days with your car and learn all its attributes, I do not believe you have done this with many of the post you have done. This is not a 911 attitude but comments from someone who has spent years driving these. I am not saying I know all about Porsche's. But I have atleast owned a few that I can compair from.

K-A

There isn't a better performance option on this car than AS + PASM, based on my testing out all of them thus resulting viewpoint. I don't need a driving instructor to want the best suspension capability and flattest cornering available on my car. My Macan needs to do lots of things at once for me, that's the "performance" I seek. And the AS is paramount to that. Not to mention that sweet stance on Pyramids car.