"The Porsche Macan is the sports car of the compact SUV segment," reads the press release. Hang on... how is something based on the Audi Q5 a sports car? And since when has the compact SUV segment even needed a sports car?

School run suddenly got more exciting

In an effort to find out, we shrugged our shoulders and accepted the invitation to a German test track for the industry standard 'ridealong' pre-launch teaser to see what more we could learn about this

much hyped

new Porsche. After all, there's only so much you can tell from a bit of tyre kicking at a motor show. Braced for an inevitable hairdryering by marketing types about the lifestyle choices of SUV buyers we instead got a morning's technical briefing before being bundled into a Macan Turbo with two other journalists and a Porsche test driver, and driven out onto the circuit.

Sideways glances

The top-spec £59,300 Macan Turbo packs a 400hp 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine, and will hit 62mph in 4.8 seconds. That's faster than a Porsche Cayman S - and as fast as a 991 Carrera. And, with addition of the Sport Chrono pack (featuring launch control), you can shave another two tenths off that time. It goes on to a top speed of 165mph.

With a bit of provocation the Macan will do this

Like four-wheel drive versions of the 911, the Macan uses an active all-wheel drive transmission that sends most of the torque to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions - 80 per cent, in fact. When sensors monitoring all four wheels detect slip, the system sends more torque to the wheels with the most grip, pulling the SUV in line. Unless you turn the traction management off, of course. Which our driver did.

Lost in translation

"Ah, zis is what you Brits call a dab of oppo," he tells us as he flicks the near two-tonne Macan sideways over a crest. Blimey. How'd he manage that?

Porsche says its torque vectoring PTV Plus system improves driving dynamics and stability, but basically it lets ham-fisted drivers get away with sideways tomfoolery without getting too out of shape. With the PTV Plus option ticked the Macan uses an electronically-controlled rear locking diff to shift torque between the rear wheels, combined with tiny brake interventions to encourage the nimblest of direction changes.

While optional - natch - air springs let you do this

At first, the result is a teensy bit disappointing. "Watch this," our driver utters - never a good idea - before hitting the accelerator while halfway through a bend and ... understeering towards the barrier. "Oh, I've never tried it with a car full of passengers." Even a host of acronyms and a professional driver can't defy physics.

Swedish massage

But any doubts about the Macan's oversteering capabilities are put to rest at the next bend. With a point to prove, our man gives the Macan the old Scandinavian flick and woahh... we're looking out of the side windows. It's not so much a dab of oppo this time, but great armfuls of it.

Enough of that oversteery nonsense - what's the deal with the gearbox? Well, the Macan is the first ever Porsche to feature the PDK gearbox as standard across the entire range. Given the target audience don't expect much wailing from the purists this time around, Porsche's seven-speed twin-clutch 'box reacting faster than any 'normal' Macan buyer would want.

400hp Turbo is the stand-out Macan model

It'll also be getting electro-mechanical power steering, like the 991. Obviously, it's a bit tricky to assess the steering feel from the passenger seat, but Porsche does a better job of electric assistance than most - despite a little criticism from the purists.

Muddy feet

The Macan is definitely more suited to the track than it is off-road - but that's not to say it can't cope with tricky conditions. Or at least a carefully contrived impression thereof. We hitched a ride in a 258hp Macan Diesel as its driver pointed it up a gravel track. With the optional air suspension in 'off-road' mode giving 230mm of ground clearance, the Macan successfully broached some challenging break-over angles. You couldn't do that in a 911. Not that many buyers will be bothered.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves - this was a ride in a Macan and not a drive - but the writing is on the wall and while Porsche folk remain commendably modest it's clear that annual 50,000-unit capacity on the Leipzig production line won't be a difficult target to hit. And anyone who isn't convinced an SUV can act like a sports car should spend a day with some Porsche test drivers - it's impressive stuff.

