Porsche Macan ; made in Indonesia ??

Porsche is planning to introduce the Macan for the 2014 model year. It will be the smallest SUV built by Porsche but in some ways it will be closer to its roots than the larger models. 

Porsche, after all, is known for its sports car production. The company received a lot of criticism for widening its line with the four-door Panamera and the Cayenne SUV. But these models proved to be successful for Porsche as they broadened the customer base and even appealed to Porsche traditionalists who were seeking greater utility than the sports cars. Their success with the new models lies in their increased space, but also in the translation of the Porsche driving experience to the larger vehicles as well as their provocative design. So now comes the Macan.

The Macan will be a smaller SUV based off the Audi Q5 platform. This puts the size among the smaller of the SUVs, competitive to the Q5 but also the Volkswagen Tiguan, Range Rover Evoque, BMW X3, and Mercedes Benz GLK. Nobody will buy a small Porsche SUV for serious off-roading, so just who is the target market and how will the vehicle be used?

In the 1950’s, ‘60’s and into the ‘70s, moms with kids favored the old station wagons. Who can forget the fake contact paper “wood” on the sides of those smelly, gas-guzzling sleds? In the 1980’s and ‘90s, soccer moms moved to the ever-practical minivans pioneered first by Lee Iacocca at Chrysler. Minivans gave way to SUVs. Soccer moms loved their large Chevy Suburbans, GMC Yukon Denalis, Ford Expedition and Excursions, Cadillac Escalades, and in their most extreme form, the Hummer. And even dads liked these vehicles as they were comfortable, spacious, macho, and could handle the occasional off-road duty. But gas prices have largely killed this segment both economically and politically. So that paved the path for mid sized SUVs and crossovers. These vehicles have garnered the focus of manufacturers for their utility and relative fuel efficiency. But lately they have received more attention from automakers with more daring design and performance. People looking for more utility than sedans or sports cars but with performance and flair have flocked to this segment. The Porsche models fit into this category.

Not a lot is known about the Macan at this stage. Porsche has released a video teaser that shows active young men and women all engaged in outdoor activities, and even the obligatory soccer mom with two young boys. Expect the marketing and positioning for the vehicle to be lifestyle focused. It is doubtful that the Macan will be viewed as a serious utility vehicle. The Q5 is about eight inches shorter than the Cayenne so expect the Macan to be similarly reduced. The height likely will be three to four inches lower than the Cayenne and should sit lower to the ground. Front seats will be the focus with plentiful space and sport bolstering but the rear should be a kids-only domain with room for two and a half. Pity the half. Cargo space will be minimal with seats up but more utilitarian with seats down. But who seriously buys a Porsche to transport stuff?

The design sketches look like a raised and shortened version of the four-door Panamera. According to the sketches, the front and back ends are typically Porsche. The side views are dominated by ultra large wheels (likely to be right-sized for production), and a chopped greenhouse (likely to be raised for production). So the final design likely will look more like a baby Cayenne with a lower, shorter, and more raked profile.

Who will buy the Porsche Macan?

The target will be young people who need more than a sports car but can’t bear to move to a Ford Explorer or a Chevy Acacia and who can’t afford the Cayenne or a Range Rover. They would prefer to be driving a Cayman or Carrera but know they need space for the kids. With an expected price in the $45-50,000 range, this should limit buyers to active, wealthier 30-45 year old couples with young kids. How big is this market? Not huge, but it is a gap for Porsche and large enough to be worth spending a half a billion dollars to adapt a Q5. It’s something to look forward to.

Lamborghini Madura

The lamborghini Madura was brought to life by Slavche Tanevsky, a student at the University of Applied Sciences in Munich, Germany. The vehicle is a more eco-friendly concept car to be produced by the Italian supercar manufacturer Lamborghini in the year 2016. This environmentally sound vehicle, although not the first of its kind, maintains the speed and performance that Lamborghini has become known for.

The Lamborghini Madura was created in collaboration with Audi as well as Lamborghini designers for Lamborghini's Raw Materials project.^[1] The project allows students at the University of Applied Sciences^] in Munich, Germany to design a car body and propose it to the major designers at Lamborghini. Slavche Tanevski, a student at the University, proposed this body style as well as hybrid concept to the designers, and his super-car idea has become a sensation among hybrid enthusiasts around the world. Aside from proposing the idea for a hybrid super-car, Tanevski has given other contributions to the Lamborghini company such as the Lamborghini Ankonian. The Madura body design was meticulously sculpted and manages to resemble other Lamborghini vehicles as the design will invoke aggressive body lines, a sleek interior, as well as a slightly more environmentally friendly engine. The drivetrain of this vehicle is placed in the front-mid section of the body of the car allowing Tanevski to create radical rear end body lines. The car's engine, as stated by Lamborghini officials, will maintain the same basic setup as other cars and will utilize 10-12 cylinders all while keeping a high amount of horsepower, as many Lamborghini vehicles have become known for.^[2] As for the body of the car, it utilizes large, slender headlights with bulky air intakes underneath, in order to accentuate the cars width.^[3]

As some car enthusiasts may be aware of, Lamborghini has always named their vehicles in the spirit of Spanish culture such as bulls, bull fights and famous places in time. This symbolic naming system was proposed by car company creator, as well as tractor manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini, due to his immense love of Spanish culture as well as heritage.^[4] In the spirit of his ideas, Lamborghini continues to name their vehicles in this way and has managed to come up with the name Madura for their concept vehicle. The name Madura arose from the island Madura in Indonesia which is famous for its large scale bull races and bull fights.^[5][6]

Mercedes Benz S600 Guard hits the roads Now

The final variation of the new S-class has been announced with news that Mercedes has developed an armoured special-protection model. Labelled the Mercedes Benz S600 Guard the new car has had its protective elements fully integrated into the vehicle direct from the Sindelfingen plant in Germany. Currently, it only comes in long-wheelbase form with the same V12 as shared with the regular sedan. The S600 Guard develops 517hp (380kw) thanks to the biturbo V12 and rides as comfortably as the standard-production S-Class despite the addition of heavy reinforcements. Some of the attacks the vehicle is capable of withstanding include armour resisting military-standard small-arms projectiles, hand grenade fragments other explosive charges. Additional safety features include run-flat tyres, a self-sealing fuel tank and a fire-extinguishing system.

Along with the military grade additions, the S600 Guard still features most of the technical innovations from the already safe Mercedes S-Class. These include the latest braking assistance and brake force distribution features as well as night vision. The car of choice for up-and-coming dictators of small African countries just got better.

Mercedes-Benz has completed the new S-Class range by introducing an armoured special-protection model. Thanks to its factory-integrated protective features, the new S-Guard provides a unique level of protection against attacks and threats posed by violent crime. The new model is initially available in Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard guise, with a twelve-cylinder engine and a long wheelbase.

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Guard is the logical continuation of an almost 80-year unbroken tradition in the development of special-protection vehicles. This new top-of-the-range Guard model is produced in Sindelfingen, Germany by vastly experienced specialists working on the principle of integrated special protection. In effect this means that, rather than retrofitting the protective elements in the doors, rear wall, side panels, roof lining and firewall etc. of an already finished vehicle, they fully integrate them into the bodyshell on a dedicated production line. All the body-structure reinforcements required due to the extra weight of the protective elements can therefore be incorporated right from the start. The resulting vehicles offer hallmark Mercedes-Benz build quality combined with comprehensive Highest Protection, including in those areas where post-production access would be all but impossible.

Outstanding comfort and effortlessly superior performance

The S-Class interior space concept, which makes for a first-class ambience combined with outstanding ride comfort for all the occupants, not to mention effortlessly superior handling, remains virtually unaffected. Furthermore, generously dimensioned chassis components and twin-calliper front brakes lend the Mercedes-Benz S-Guard Saloon hallmark Mercedes handling qualities and provide the driver with an optimal driving feel at all times. Plus the chassis has been configured so as not to impair the sumptuous level of comfort that distinguishes the standard-production S-Class. At the heart of the Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard is a twelve-cylinder biturbo engine developing 380 kW/517 hp, whose scintillating performance capability allows the luxury saloon to escape from dangerous situations with breathtaking speed.

The Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard offers Highest Protection and has been engineered to resistance level B6/B7, as tested and certified by state-approved organisations. Its armour resists military-standard small-arms projectiles and provides protection against fragments from hand grenades and other explosive charges. Additional safety features include run-flat tyres, a self-sealing fuel tank and a fire-extinguishing system.

Yet the Highest Protection that underpins the new Guard Saloon is scarcely noticeable from the outside. After all, discretion is as much of a must as trust, reliability and quality. Prominent personalities in particular like to travel incognito, wherever they happen to be, and the new Mercedes-Benz S-Guard gives them this option.

All the trailblazing developments of the new S-Class

The Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard is equipped with the same technical innovations that have made the flagship Mercedes S-Class the number-one trailblazer in passenger car development and the world's best-selling luxury saloon. These include important new developments such as Brake Assist PLUS and the PRE SAFE® brake in combination with DISTRONIC PLUS, night view assist and the enhanced PRE-SAFE® anticipatory occupant protection system. On top of all this, the outstanding level of interior comfort and extremely agile handling make for an effortlessly superior driving experience.