Macan 4 - does Sport Chrono make a difference?

[steve_wilwerding]

Obviously, it would be great to be able to order a brand-new Turbo with everything just the way I wanted, but in the interest of saving tens of thousands of dollars, I'm looking at used Macans.

I drove a 4 at our dealer, and thought the power was plenty ample - yes, a 4S would be better, but it seems like the 4 works just fine for 95% of every day driving (and the savings on a 4 vs a 4S can approach $10K).

Question - does the sport chrono help the 4 much? The 4 I test drove did not have sport chrono - just wondering if turning on sport plus gives you that little extra oomph to bridge the gap to the 4S.

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[TomekGnomek]

It does not change the power, delivery or "responsivness" of the car, at least I'm not seeing this. Custom modes revert to default every time you leave the car. In Sport Plus the only difference you see is the suspension becomes much less comfortable but not much more compliant. Overall I don't see much value in it. Also I agree that 4 is OK for daily driving, lacks some power compared to 4S but handling - IF you option PASM, PTV etc - does not differ. So I would say these options are much more important than Sport Chrono.

 

[Flying4Fun]

I have no idea what the Sport Chrono does, (I have it) - and everyone that gets into the Macan points out there is something funny with the clock.... @TomekGnomek seems to have lots of experience with it on the Macan EV, I would differ to his opinion more than mine. I just wanted to point out that everyone thinks it's a broken clock when they get into my 4S.

 

[beez]

I have a 4 with the compass and I still have a Sport Plus option. When I spin the knob, I can only select Normal/Sport/Offroad but, when I do, it displays all the modes on the PCM and I can select Sport Plus from there.

 

[Wivenhoe]

I may be wrong but I think Sport Chrono brings launch control. I’ve only used it twice, in my 4S - scared the passenger. The spec on the configurator quotes performance time for the 4 using launch control and the option description doesn’t mention it so that would lead you to think it is standard.

I really only bought it I thought the dash would look like something is missing and I really didn’t want a compass !

 

[PrudentOcean]

I have a 4 with the compass and I still have a Sport Plus option. When I spin the knob, I can only select Normal/Sport/Offroad but, when I do, it displays all the modes on the PCM and I can select Sport Plus from there.

You get the Sport Plus suspension setting without Sports Chrono, but that isn't the same as Sport Plus drive mode.

I may be wrong but I think Sport Chrono brings launch control. I’ve only used it twice, in my 4S - scared the passenger. The spec on the configurator quotes performance time for the 4 using launch control and the option description doesn’t mention it so that would lead you to think it is standard.

I really only bought it I thought the dash would look like something is missing and I really didn’t want a compass !

Launch Control is available in Sport drive mode, you don't need Sport Plus.

Sport Plus drive mode makes a small but measurable difference, at least with my Turbo. It's not enough to feel the difference though.

https://www.macanevowners.com/forum...-macan-turbo-ev-real-world-vbox-tested.19776/

 

[dbsb3233]

I have no idea what the Sport Chrono does, (I have it) - and everyone that gets into the Macan points out there is something funny with the clock.... @TomekGnomek seems to have lots of experience with it on the Macan EV, I would differ to his opinion more than mine. I just wanted to point out that everyone thinks it's a broken clock when they get into my 4S.

Same here. We bought from inventory and probably paid $5k more for features we didn't really want (but it was the only one close enough in the Papaya color we wanted). The Chrono is just a decorative clock to us (that we don't even look at because the clock on the screen is easier to see). No idea if it actually does anything else. If it has something to do with launch control, then we don't care because we don't do that. Ours is only RWD anyway so it's not a rocket ship off the line (unlike our Lucid Gravity which is a rocket ship).

 

[JohnnyRoaster]

It makes a difference in resale value.

 

[chaz]

Listen, there's nothing quite like putting on your shades, switching to Sport+, watching the car hunker down, and feeling like the coolest soccer mom town

 

[Flying4Fun]

It makes a difference in resale value.

I am not confident in anything less than a GTS that it makes much difference to a secondary buyer for a MACAN (Especially an EV).

 

[W1NGE]

Obviously, it would be great to be able to order a brand-new Turbo with everything just the way I wanted, but in the interest of saving tens of thousands of dollars, I'm looking at used Macans.

I drove a 4 at our dealer, and thought the power was plenty ample - yes, a 4S would be better, but it seems like the 4 works just fine for 95% of every day driving (and the savings on a 4 vs a 4S can approach $10K).

Question - does the sport chrono help the 4 much? The 4 I test drove did not have sport chrono - just wondering if turning on sport plus gives you that little extra oomph to bridge the gap to the 4S.

No power bump and more to do with additional chassis control - Sports Plus mode and PSM Sport.

No PASM.

4S has PASM as standard on steel springs.

 

[MKSZ51]

It makes a difference in resale value.

Doubtful for a Macan 4 - it's the "base" model and serves its intended purpose well as is. The reality is that NO ONE needs Sport Chrono on a base Macan EV. I may have a different perspective since I own both a Macan 4 EV and a 2026 Targa 4S. There is NO doubt sport chrono is a must have / resale affecting option for a 911 (including the base model). For a Macan 4 EV - no. It's also somewhat laughable to think that a Macan 4 has potentially "inadequate" power. In daily driving it's faster than 90+% of other vehicles on the street. You'll never be driving a 911 in any Macan. Any Macan (including the base) is still a wonderful vehicle for its intended use.

 

[JohnnyRoaster]

I agree it doesn’t have much function in a Macan 4 but I think you will have buyers looking for it as a desirable option. I remember searching a couple years ago when Turbos were allocated and hard to find. Most of the ones available didn’t have sport chrono and my sales guy said it was because of lower resale. I know enough to never believe what a SA claims to be true but I think it’s a carry over from other models. The GTS is the only one that comes with sport chrono standard and that’s because it’s the most track centered model. Not that I would take such a heavy suv to the track. YMMV

 

[No_Wonk]

It does not change the power, delivery or "responsivness" of the car, at least I'm not seeing this. Custom modes revert to default every time you leave the car. In Sport Plus the only difference you see is the suspension becomes much less comfortable but not much more compliant. Overall I don't see much value in it. Also I agree that 4 is OK for daily driving, lacks some power compared to 4S but handling - IF you option PASM, PTV etc - does not differ. So I would say these options are much more important than Sport Chrono.

Not sure what you mean by revert back. I suppose you mean it switches back to normal when you power off and on the car.

Customization settings do save on sport and sport plus though...

 

[W1NGE]

Doubtful for a Macan 4 - it's the "base" model and serves its intended purpose well as is. The reality is that NO ONE needs Sport Chrono on a base Macan EV. I may have a different perspective since I own both a Macan 4 EV and a 2026 Targa 4S. There is NO doubt sport chrono is a must have / resale affecting option for a 911 (including the base model). For a Macan 4 EV - no. It's also somewhat laughable to think that a Macan 4 has potentially "inadequate" power. In daily driving it's faster than 90+% of other vehicles on the street. You'll never be driving a 911 in any Macan. Any Macan (including the base) is still a wonderful vehicle for its intended use.

The base model is the Macan RWD (single motor) and not the 4 which has 2 motors.

The standard drive mode selector using the wheel largely negates the need for SC to select drive modes where previously this didn't exist on the Taycan (for example) unless you had SC.

The additional chassis and traction control setting of SportPlus / Sport is largely useless and can't imagine anyone would be tracking their Macan EV. This then negates the superfluous PCM app to record laptop times.

Generally looked for as an option to have on 911s, Caymans abd Boxsters for sure. Various models also feature "Sport Response " which is the "gimme all you got" feature of SC for overtake manoeuvres.

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