2023-01-06_Porsche-Canada-Portraits_John-Cappella_0654_Final

Porsche Canada is gearing up for some important milestones to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the German manufacturer and the 60th anniversary of its iconic 911.

While the 75th anniversary is June 8, Porsche has a series of events to celebrate both dates.

Porsche launched the anniversaries in January in Berlin with the launch of the Vision 357 Concept car. It’s a tribute to Porsche’s original sports car, the 356.

“It pays homage to Ferry Porsche’s dream of a sports car,” Porsche Cars Canada Ltd. President John Cappella said. “It’s a really cool-looking car based upon a GT4 RS. You’re going to see throughout the coming weeks and months a lot of different initiatives both globally and in Canada. We have quite a bit of time between now and June to do all sorts of celebrations.

“This is not a celebration of one day. This is much more of a big milestone where we want to do many things to celebrate. It will make up a big portion of the various activities we are doing throughout the year. Even some of the usual things we do, we’re trying to put a 75-year spin on it. The product lineup has grown tremendously from that 356.”

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174734" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/autoexotica-13-of-14-scaled.jpg" alt="porsche 959" width="2560" height="1707" />

The 2023 Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS) will feature a special Porsche display assembled by Cobble Beach Classics. Cobble Beach normally has a display of various vintage brands at the show, but this year it’s done something new to celebrate Porsche’s 75th anniversary. Sixteen classic models will be on display, including a 1969 917 Long Tail that is a restoration of the 005 car that debuted at the 1,000-kilometre race at the Spa on May 11, 1969, and captured the pole. The car has been restored with most of its natural parts. The vehicle’s owner, race driver, and entrepreneur, David Seabrooke, is originally from Peterborough and now lives in California.

The other cars on display: 1952 356 Pre A; 1959 Roadster; 1962 356 Roadster Janis Joplin tribute car; 1964 904; 1970 911 ST lightweight; 1981 924 GTR; 1984 928S; 1987 959; 1988 911 Turbo Slantnose (930); 1996 993 Twin Turbo; 2004 996 GT3 RS; 2006 Carrera GT; 2015 918 Spyder; 2021 911 Targa Heritage design.

“With its smooth, flowing lines and distinctive ‘frog eye’ headlights, the Porsche brand is instantly recognizable,” said Rob McLeese, Founder and Show Chair of Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance. “From the first Porsche that rolled off the assembly line in 1948, it is a car that has made a difference. We are excited to showcase a selection of some of the most important and rare Porsche’s ever produced.”

Cappella said the display was done in conjunction with Cobble Beach Classics to celebrate 75 years of Porsche rather than using a space to showcase its new vehicles.

“They’ve been great to work with and have done a great job,” Cappella said. “It’s probably one of the most extensive collections of classic Porsche’s that I’ve seen in one room. For us at Porsche Canada, the display at the Canadian International AutoShow is sort of our kickoff. We’re going to start releasing more and more information on the various activities we’re going to be partaking in Canada.”

Cappella said the collection will also feature the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-porsche-taycan-first-drive">Taycan GTS Sport Turismo</a>, the brand’s first fully-electric car, to show where Porsche began and where it has evolved.

It’s an exciting time for the 47-year-old, Toronto-born John Cappella, who was appointed as Porsche Cars Canada’s President in September. He has been with the company since May 2011, most recently in the U.S.

“I’ve been very fortunate with Porsche,” Cappella said. “I’ve had more than a 10-year career with Porsche and I’ve had a lot of great jobs. So being back in Canada when we’re about to kick of the 75-year anniversary and the 60-year anniversary for the 911, I’m a very lucky guy. There’s a lot of exciting things in the marketplace right now, in the industry, there’s a lot of developments and changes, so it’s absolutely exciting.”

Porsche Canada Boss John Cappella excited to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the iconic German brand

Porsche-917-50th-Anniversary-Remi-Dargegen-Porsche-AG-0385

Evan is an East Coast based automotive journalist and a Certified Engineering Technologist. He is an avid autocrosser, hack mechanic, and a member of AJAC. If you don't find him driving or writing about cars, you'll probably find him in the garage breaking one.

A special display of Porsche classics is coming to the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. Cobble Beach Classics will be celebrating 75 years of Porsche with some cars that you won't see anywhere else.

Cobble Beach Classics is presented in partnership with the Cobble Beach Concours d'Elegance. That event, held each September near Owen Sound, is one of Canada's premier classic car events. Bringing classics and antiques from around the world for an incredible display of cars.

The 75 Years of Porsche exhibit will have 16 very special Porsche cars, starting with a 1952 Porsche 356. This model predates the extensive changes that created the 356A. Today, they are among the rarest and most valued Porsche models of all.

Other highlights include a 917 Long Tail, car 005. This is a restoration of the car which debuted at the 1,000 km race at Spa in 1969 where it ran fast enough to take pole position.

There will be old and new Porsches including a 2022 <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2022-porsche-taycan-gts-review">Taycan GTS</a>, a 2006 Carrera GT, and a 1988 911 Turbo Slantnose. A 356 roadster painted as a tribute to Janis Joplin's famed art car will also be part of the display.

“With its smooth, flowing lines and distinctive ‘frog eye’ headlights, the Porsche brand is instantly recognizable,” says Rob McLeese, Founder and Show Chair of Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance. “From the first Porsche that rolled off the assembly line in 1948, it is a car that has made a difference. We are excited to showcase a selection of some of the most popular and rare Porsches ever produced.”

The display will be in the 700-level gallery room in the South Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Center. The Toronto auto show runs from February 17 to the 26th, with tickets available now.

75 Years of Porsche Display coming to Toronto Auto Show

2022 Porsche Macan S_front 3-4 profile

Whether it’s a first-drive feature from the sun-soaked California coast, a quick news story about an off-road pickup that may (or may not) be coming to your local dealership or a review of a hot new sports sedan, somewhere Lee Bailie is writing about cars and car culture, something he’s been doing for almost a decade. A car guy to the core, he went on his first automotive plant tour at age seven.

Still in its first generation, not yet a decade into production, the Porsche Macan is the brand’s sales metronome, chopping wood year in and year out for the famed Stuttgart carmaker, leading the way in company sales worldwide.

We are now long past the time when the notion of a sports car company building SUVs would be considered heresy. The purists are still out there, but they’re not heard from as much anymore, as most consider the release of the compact Macan and its larger <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2022-porsche-cayenne-turbo-gt-review">Cayenne sibling</a> a decade earlier to be enormous successes for Porsche.

A quick glance at the company’s sales report tells the story. The Macan sold more than 88,000 units worldwide in 2021, firmly entrenching it as the company’s bestseller, and it was also the number one Porsche in Canada, where 3,657 were sold, an increase of 32 percent over 2020.

In short, since its debut in 2014, the Macan has become, at least from a business perspective, the most important car Porsche builds. Yes, the 911 is, and always be, the beating heart of the brand, but the Macan pays the bills.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174261" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-Porsche-Macan-S_side-profile.jpg" alt="Porsche Macan S" width="1920" height="1080" />

At any rate, the focus here is the Porsche Macan S, the second-highest grade in the lineup, which is now oriented thusly: <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/review-2022-porsche-macan">Macan</a>, <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2023-porsche-macan-t-review">Macan T</a>, Macan S, and <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/review-2022-porsche-macan-gts">Macan GTS</a>. The Macan T is new for 2022, while the GTS replaces the Turbo at the top of the range. These changes coincide with a facelift that introduces several changes, both cosmetic and mechanical.

Among the exterior changes are redesigned front and rear bumpers, a new front splitter, a redesigned rear diffuser, and new wheel designs. On the inside, the Macan receives a redesigned centre console, which make use of capacitive touch surfaces instead of physical buttons. Other changes include a smaller gear shift lever, and new leather seating and contrast stitching options.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174255" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-Porsche-Macan-S_engine-compartment.jpg" alt="Porsche Macan S" width="1920" height="1080" />

The 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 (349 hp / 354 lb-ft.) that previously powered the Porsche Macan S has been replaced with a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 that produces 375 horsepower and 383 lb-ft. of torque and is paired with a seven-speed PDK automatic transmission and Porsche Traction Management all-wheel drive. Of note, the 2.9 is also found in the GTS, albeit with more power (434 hp / 406 lb-ft.).

Porsche has also fine-tuned the Macan’s chassis for improved sensitivity and response to changing road conditions which assists the driver via better steering feedback. The Porsche Active Suspension Management System (PASM), which continuously adjusts damping force at each corner, is standard equipment on S and GTS models.

For this review, Porsche Cars Canada set me up with a Macan S tester finished in Papaya Metallic with a black leather interior. As is the case with almost every press vehicle, this Macan S carries optional equipment. Among the extras are Adaptive Air Suspension ($1,590), Sport Chrono Package ($1,390), Adaptive Cruise Control ($1,130), 20-inch Macan S wheels finished in Vesuvius Grey.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174254" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-Porsche-Macan-S_dashboard-centre-console.jpg" alt="Porsche Macan S" width="1920" height="1080" />

The biggest add-on is the Premium Plus Package ($5,470), which comes with a Panoramic Roof System, Power Seats (14-way) with Memory Package, Lane Change Assist, heated seats (front and rear), front ventilated seats and LED headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus.

From an appearance perspective, the Macan is clearly an SUV, albeit with a two-box design that looks slipperier than most. Its rearward sloping roofline, flared haunches and big 20-inch wheels give it a much sportier look than other offerings in its class, even those that carry performance badges.

But what’s really striking about the Macan’s appearance is it looks like a Porsche. Even if every one of its identifying marks were removed, it’s still unmistakably Porsche. Credit the design team for crafting an SUV so faithful to the company’s essence.

On the inside, Porsche design details have been carefully implemented into the Macan’s interior to immediately remind occupants that this is the same manufacturer that builds 911s. From a dashtop mounted analogue clock, and twist ignition on the left side of the steering wheel, to its large console with its many touch panel switches, Porsche DNA oozes out from every corner.

The Macan’s interior is quite comfortable and well-appointed, but in an all-business sort of way. This cabin, with its motorcycle pod-styled analogue instrument cluster and rather spartan dashboard, isn’t designed to dazzle but rather to help one extract everything out of the Macan’s considerable performance pedigree.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174257" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-Porsche-Macan-S_front-fender-wheel.jpg" alt="Porsche Macan S" width="1920" height="1080" />

And speaking of the drive, piloting the Macan S is simply a delight. I was confined to public roads during my test, but during my five days of mixed highway and local driving, my tester produced a lot of smiles.

Yes, dialling the optional sport chrono knob on the steering wheel to sport+ is quite satisfying, in its rev bumping, revised throttle mapping, damper-tensing ways, but what’s so fun about doing so is hearing the exhaust note change. Hearing the quad tips emit a light rumble, and then a more full-throated snarl, both at idle and under PDK-snapping acceleration, is a sublime experience.

Rarely do I wish for time on a closed course when I’m driving an SUV, but the Macan S is an exception to that notion. Its PASM-sharpened handling, quick steering reflexes and snappy throttle response work splendidly on two-lane country roads, but a winding road course where its 2.9-litre turbo V6 could really stretch its legs is where the Macan S would feel truly at home. Maybe next time.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-174259" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-Porsche-Macan-S_rear-3-4-profile.jpg" alt="Porsche Macan S" width="1920" height="1080" />

In sum, there’s a lot to like here. Apart from its impressive performance, the Macan S does SUV things well too, thanks to its all-wheel drive, roomy interior and cargo area, and 4,000+ pound tow rating. The only negatives for me are its somewhat limited rearward visibility due to a smaller greenhouse and an interior that lacks a bit of pizzazz.

But these are minor nits. The Macan S is a fine performance SUV that is every much a Porsche as its two-door brethren, and whose presence should guarantee the latter’s existence for years to come.
<h3>2023 Porsche Macan S</h3>
BODY STYLE: premium subcompact SUV
DRIVE METHOD: front engine, all-wheel-drive, seven-speed PDK automatic transmission
ENGINE: 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 (375 hp / 383 lb-ft.)
FUEL ECONOMY: (Premium 91+) 13.8 / 10.1 / 12.2 L / 100 km city / highway / combined
CARGO VOLUME: 1,503 / 488 litres (53.1 / 17.2 cu ft.) (behind first / second row) 
PRICE: $70,600 base / $89,800, as tested, incl. freight, excl. taxes
WEBSITE: <a href="http://www.porsche.ca">www.porsche.ca</a>

2023 Porsche Macan S Review

2023 porsche taycan turbo s cross turismo (1)

How do you know the 2023 Porsche Taycan is a real Porsche? Because like the 911, there are nearly a dozen variants of the electric performance sedan. Each wanting to be perfect for the right niche of buyer. From fast to obscene, with a sedan or two different station wagons. They're all lined up at the Porsche Experience Center Franciacorta just waiting for us to learn their intricacies.

After four years on the market, Porsche has already moved more than 100,000 copies of the EV, despite the pandemic-related production issues that have hammered high-tech vehicles especially hard. Time for a few changes to make the car more efficient, faster, and even more high-tech. Porsche is showing off the promise of over-the-air updates, as well, and more than half of buyers of prior-year cars have already gotten some of them through a day-long software update done at dealers.

In Normal and Range drive modes, Taycan can now de-energize the front motor completely when it's not needed, disconnecting it from the system and reducing energy consumption. There's no drive torque applied to either motor when you're coasting, saving a few more precious electrons with every metre you travel. Canadian figures aren't out yet, but US numbers show improvements as much as 14.2 percent depending on model. The highest range on the EPA test is now 400 km.

When you're charging, the car can do that more quickly, too. Peak speeds stay the same, but the time and temperature windows where it can come closer to peak are wider.

Tech updates in the driver assist systems aren't groundbreaking, but they are helpful. Parking sensors now have more range and can give the OK to smaller spaces so you can make stopping driving a bit less painful. Remote ParkAssist has some more range, too, letting you put the car in more spaces using your phone. Porsche has more OTA updates coming, and Functions on Demand letting you add features like keyless opening down the road. No, were' not sure why you wouldn't get that feature from new, but when you make cars as customizable as Porsche does, strange things happen.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173565" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/taycan-16-scaled.jpg" alt="porsche taycan 4s" width="2560" height="1707" />

PCM, what Porsche calls its infotainment system, is new and one of the updates that can be sent to older models. Android Auto and Spotify join the list of features, and the interface has been redone with more colourful tiles.

Last up is a new electrochromatic roof that dims or goes clear with the touch of a button. It's neat.

But I'm not in Brescia, Italy, home to the start and finish of the Mille Miglia sports car race to talk about tech updates. Aside from a preview of Porsche's new <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/news/porsches-new-electric-car-platform-puts-performance-first">electric Macan</a>, that is. I'm here to drive.

Canadians are taking a pretty even split of their Taycan body styles. A little under half are the sedan, the rest are either the <a href="https://www.wheels.ca/reviews/2022-porsche-taycan-gts-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sport Turismo performance wagon</a> or the slightly lifted quasi-rugged Cross Turismo wagon.

There's only time to drive two versions, so I take the two opposite ends of the spectrum. A 429 hp 4S sedan and the all-conquering 750 hp Turbo S Cross Turismo.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173550" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/23-taycan-turbo-s-cross-turismo-side-scaled.jpg" alt="porsche taycan turbo s cross turismo" width="2560" height="1707" />

Porsche has lined up Taycans by trim, and there's a very special one catching my eye. A 2023 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo in the launch spec of red with gold (Porsche calls it "Satin Autumn") alloys. The idea of a 616 hp sports EV (750 in launch control mode) meant for gravel roads is a strange one, but I love the cladding. I also love the idea of a Porsche that can handle the lunar surface that is Canadian highways as well as a track day should you feel the need.

Promise made and delivered. Floor the right pedal and the Taycan explodes in the kind of fury that only electric performance cars can offer. Short of a carrier-mounted catapult or a magnet-powered rollercoaster, nothing can deliver this level of immediate power.

No waiting for a downshift, no waiting for boost pressure to build. An EV doesn't even need the time it takes for an injector to start squeezing out more fuel.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173566" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/taycan-17-scaled.jpg" alt="porsche taycan 4s" width="2560" height="1707" />

You can turn off the traction and stability control systems in the Taycan, but I'd counsel against it. Especially on a public road. We're on the shady side of the mountain and the sun has yet to warm the pavement or dry the heavy morning dew. Unleash max power and all four tires break their hold on the pavement, even though the car is already moving at 50 km/h.

With electric power, traction control systems have been revolutionized. It doesn't cut spark, fuel, or throttle like in a gas car, cutting power to all four wheels. Instead, it can reduce the power to only the front or rear axle with incredible resolution.

The best summary of the effectiveness of the system came not when I was launching this missile out of a bend, but when I was passed by another Turbo S. The driver of that car was a bit more impatient to get around both me and the two construction trucks in front of me. On a minuscule straight stretch of road, he attacked, firing the Turbo S around all three of us in what looked like seconds. One moment he was in my mirror, the next moment braking for the next curve.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173558" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/taycan-7-scaled.jpg" alt="porsche taycan turbo s cross turismo" width="2560" height="1707" />

But the sound of the car was astonishing. It wasn't the roar of internal combustion, but the sound of electric motors, inverters, and fans at full tilt has a strong appeal on its own. What was fascinating was that I could hear all four tires changing speeds and sounds as they scrabbled for grip. Nearly imperceptible spurts of slip came and went from each tire as the car flew past my open window.

Though the Cross Turismo has plenty of cladding, it's not that much different from the Sport Turismo which uses the same body. The ride height difference is small. Just 20 mm, enough to keep the nose from scraping on switchbacks so tight they fired off parking sensor warnings and heavy scraping noises in the 4S.

It is still every bit a Porsche Turbo car, even if there's no turbo. With incredibly direct steering, unflappable damping, and a view from between the bulging fenders that makes easy work of threading this quarter-million-dollar car down roads designed hundreds of years ago for livestock-drawn carts.

Come to a stop, turn the steering wheel dial to Sport Plus, and hold the throttle and brake and the car kicks into launch control mode. Where it fires you into the horizon at a rate that is disappointing because the many Italian speed cameras and good sense say too quickly it is time to stop.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173551" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-porsche-taycan-4s-fron-3q-scaled.jpg" alt="2023 porsche taycan 4s" width="2560" height="1707" />

Against that, is the mere 429 hp output (522 on launch control) of the 2023 Porsche Taycan 4S sedan a disappointment? Absolutely not. While the Turbo S is a rabid wolverine of horsepower and traction, the 4S is merely damn quick. Acceleration that is impressive, not nauseating. This one is equipped with more comfort-biased seats, not the race-like chairs in the Turbo S (it's Porsche, so you can get almost whatever you want in whatever car you want), and for my large frame they're a bit nicer. Especially when getting in and out.

The 4S has the same inherent goodness that drives the Turbo S; sharp steering, an astonishing balance of ride and handling thanks to the available air suspension. And you do want to pick that option. Does it feel sharper than the off-road Cross Turismo? Not to my well-calibrated backside, though a difference would probably show up on the racetrack. The Taycan still goes without anything like a one-pedal mode, but the tradeoff is brake feel that is well ahead of most gas cars and at the top of the EV pile.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-173563" src="https://wordpress.wheels.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/taycan-13-scaled.jpg" alt="porsche taycan 4s" width="2560" height="1707" />

Of the two, the 4S is the car I'd rather have in my driveway. Plenty fast, but more accessible. I love retina-distorting acceleration as much as anyone who loves cars, but having all that power just waiting can be, well, tiring.

The biggest surprise of the two, though, was the efficiency. I did the same circuit in both vehicles, a loop of around two hours that had 130 km/h highway, steep climbs, and barely any coasting. Both cars used an indicated two-thirds of the actual distance I drove. Credit that new disconnecting front motor and the ability of the 2023 Porsche Taycan to capture up to 265 kW through regenerative braking.

Porsche has proven that the Taycan is a legitimate performance sedan, despite being electric. For 2023, it has made the experience a bit better with some useful updates to the UI and other systems. Better yet, the company promises to keep evolving the Taycan, maycan good even better.
<h3>2023 Porsche Taycan</h3>
BODY STYLE: Four-door sedan, five-door wagon

DRIVE METHOD: Dual-motor AWD

MOTOR: Dual electric motors, Combined Power: 429 hp, 472 lb-ft (522 hp with Launch Control) 4S. 616hp, 744 lb-ft (750 hp with Launch Control) Turbo S

EV RANGE: Estimated 324-396 km depending on battery

CARGO VOLUME: 366 litres, 81 litres in front trunk for sedan, 520 behind second row and 1,390 with seats folded for Turismo models

Price: Taycan 4S Base Price $125,600
Cross Turismo Turbo S Base Price $220,800

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Porsche Canada Boss John Cappella excited to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the iconic German brand

75 Years of Porsche Display coming to Toronto Auto Show

2023 Porsche Macan S Review

2023 Porsche Taycan First Drive