kkapoor

I talked to a few Porsche engineers in Germany and all them seem to indicate that the steel springs are the way to go on the Macan. I too am inclined to go with steel springs especially since you can lower the vehicle on Techart springs for about $700 and significantly improve the handling characteristics. Just my two cents.

rbaron

What reason(s) did they give?

kkapoor

They said the the vehicle was designed with a particular market/use segment in mind and that the engineers spent a lot of time to make sure the ride provided an optimal level of comfort and 'sportiness' on steel springs, without adding unnecessary complexity. While the PASM and Air Springs are nice options they are luxury items and not necessary. Most of the engineers prefer the standard ride on the Macan. You can make a case for PASM and or Air Suspension if you really intend to off-road your vehicle a lot. Though generally PASM is best left to the sports cars i.e. 911, Boxster, Cayman.

I've actually driven a Macan S on steel springs with 20" wheels and was super surprised at the ride quality. I think even on 21" wheels the ride would be amazing and allow you to feel the road without sacrificing comfort. i.e. it enhances the driver feedback.

This is all very subjective though, so it is always best to test drive the vehicle with and without PASM to really gauge weather you want the option or not.

Most existing Porsche owners can afford to tick the options boxes, however, since this vehicle is bringing a new market segment to Porsche i.e. lower income, one can see that engineers really spent a lot of time on refining the vehicle without increasing the cost.

rbaron

Interesting. Thanks very much for the informative posts.

cviles

I'm getting PASM + AS on my Turbo. I test drove a Macan S without PASM and a Turbo with PASM and Air Suspension, and it was light years better. I wanted to find a Macan with only PASM to drive, but there just aren't enough examples around yet to test. Anyway, PASM + AS was so good that it was a real easy decision to check that box.

KeninBlaine

Too bad you didn't get to drive a car with steel springs with PASM for a better comparison to the AS/PASM that you drove. I'd be awfully surprised if there is much difference between PASM with air, and PASM on steel springs, but don't know because I've not been able to drive one with steel/PASM either.

slwong23

Coming from a 958 Cayenne on standard steel springs and moving to the Macan Turbo with PASM+AS, it's really night and day difference. I'm not sure how much of it are the cars themselves (big factor in itself), but am really happy with this new set up.

KeninBlaine

Did your 958 have PASM?

Slow Guy

I had a '06 S w/ steel springs only and now have a '10 GTS w/ PASM & AS, when I order the Macan it will be with AS & PASM.

rijowysock

FWIW: the air is smooth but only 3 levels exist.

offroad

normal

low

(can hold button in trunk for "loading level" which is useless and pointless.)

going from offroad to anything less requires you driving the vehicle and will not lower on it's own... i ultimately wish it was more like the cayenne with 5+1 levels... and the cayenne raises and lowers at standstill.

the "low" is nowhere near low enough, i am taking the vehicle to dealer to lower more with PIWIS.

slwong23

It does not.

Louis.E

you can fool the AS into making it measure the ride height incorrectly, thus allowing it to adjust all the settings minus an offset. The threaded measurement rods are available online for about 200 dollars.

It would be very safe to just go enough to make normal height equal to low, and then low would be that much lower once pressing the button. 15mm more is not much, but it would look even better in low.

Too low and the ride will be compromised. You are losing the travel right.




the green arm connected to the Audi suspension piece has a fixed length measuring rod or link on it.

rpilot

I think Porsche engineers do an amazing job with their standard suspension tuning regardless of the price point of the car. I chose my 991 C2 without PASM precisely because I thought the suspension tuning is sublime.

I will reserve judgement on the Macan until I drive it, hopefully with and without PASM. I am leaning towards getting the PASM for long highway drives that I anticipate with the Macan for added comfort but more so because I think it will help with brake dive and automatic damping changes based on driving character which is to me the biggest selling point of the PASM on a taller and heavier vehicle like the Macan (vs the C2). Considering however that some people are perfectly happy with the standard suspension, including a C4S driver (Hammer911), I will give the standard suspension some thought if I get the S instead of the Turbo.

I am not too inclined towards the Air supsension, but that is a personal preference.

KeninBlaine

Then I suggest that the night and day difference between your Cayenne with springs and no PASM and the Macan Turbo with AS/PASM is due more to the lack of PASM on the Cayenne than the AS on your Macan.

sebis

Please let us know how that goes.