Sportier kind of Porsche’s small sports utility vehicle revealed; here around April-May next year.

ANOTHER variant of the Porsche Macan electric has rolled out, this one aiming to establish as the most driver-focused edition.

Set to cost $202,000 and upwards - everything depends on how many options are added to the factory’s baseline recipe - the Macan GTS is set to manage 584 kilometres on a charge of its 100kWh battery pack on the WLTP cycle, if driven kindly.

Because those who try it will surely set out to test Porsche’s claim of it being the sportiest version of the electric SUV yet, it won’t ever get anything like that official figure. So chances are need to replenish off a DC charger will occur reasonably frequently. It’ll sup up electricity at a rate of up to 270kW.

The GTS gets dual motors. The one at the back is the same meted the Macan Turbo and it delivers with an electronically controlled differential lock (Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus - PTV Plus - if you're au fait with your Porsche acronyms).

During use of the launch control facility, peak power from the two electric motors rises to 420kW, with torque peaking at a massive 955Nm. Hence the 0-100kmh time of just 3.8 seconds.

But straight-line acceleration is never what a GTS model is all about, so Porsche has tweaked the chassis as well. The GTS has air suspension and PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) dampers. The latter’s tuning is bespoke to the GTS and its 10mm-lower ride height gives it what Porsche claims to be the lowest centre of gravity in the range. Buyers can add rear-axle steering if they wish, as an optional extra.

It’s also special by being the first model in the lineup to gain a new 'Sport Design Package', which is due to be rolled out across the electric Macan range. By default, the Macan GTS gets 21-inch wheels but its likely most buyers will go for the cost-extra 22s.

There’s a GTS Interior Package that matches decorative stitching on the seats, steering wheel and elsewhere to the exterior paint colour. Alternately, there’s a Carbon Interior Package.

Porsche NZ says it is taking orders from now on and expects the first cars to land in the second quarter of next year.

Porsche’s other news of the week is the appointment of ex-McLaren boss Michael Leiters as its new CEO in a bid to revive its fortunes, which have begun to lapse.

The management change ends a dual role for Oliver Blume that had rankled with some investors.

Blume took the wheel at Porsche a decade ago. He has for the past three years also run its parent Volkswagen, during which time both companies have struggled.

Global tariffs, falling demand in China and a costly reversal back to combustion engines from electric have all hurt Porsche.

Only three years ago, its market value was the second highest in German history and the carmaker was Europe's most valuable, worth $NZ169 billion.

Now it is no longer a cash-cow for VW. Porsche's profit margin has shrivelled, its share price has fallen by more than half and it tumbled out of the blue-chip DAX index last month. Meanwhile, VW’s share price is down more than a third, the Reuters news agency has reported.