This Rugged Macan EV Rendering Has One Major Flaw. Can You Spot It?

Donning the iconic Camel-Trophy colors, here is an off-road electric Macan concept that is both impressive and bizzare at the same time

by Khris Bharath on August 21, 2024, 11:58

Remember the Camel Trophy? That epic off-road endurance race that pushed man and machine to their limits? Often dubbed the Olympics of 4x4s, it was a competition that was held annually between 1980 and 2000. From the impenetrable jungles of the Amazon and Sumatra to the frozen extremes of Siberia, the Camel Trophy ran through, some of the most hostile and untraversable areas on the planet. Sure, you may be used to seeing old-school Land Rover Defenders and Discoverys covered in mud from back in the day. But this rendering of a Macan Turbo electric with a Camel-Trophy theme by Blackfish Graphics caught my attention for a few reasons.

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That’s because, in my head, the Macan EV is the kind of ride you’d expect to find cruising down Rodeo Drive, not wrestling its way through a dry riverbed. But let’s not forget those test mules that proved how capable the new Macan electric truly is. They certainly proved these sleek SUVs have more guts than their pampered image suggests.

Now, back to our Camel Trophy-inspired Macan. It’s both mighty impressive and a bit of a head-scratcher at the same time. The sandy beige paint job, the classic logos, the auxiliary lights on the roof rack, and camping gear– they’re all a perfect nod to the Camel Trophy’s heritage while those chunky off-road tires? They’re begging for a mud bath. But then you see a snorkel? On an electric SUV! It’s like someone’s trying to be clever but forgot to think it through. I get it, you’re going for that rugged off-road look, but come on, this is an EV. There’s no engine to drown. Remember all those viral videos from the floods in Dubai back in April where a Tesla Model 3 was able to wade through deep water, while gas-powered SUVs were stranded?

Okay, so the Macan Electric now offers an off-road package, but that’s hardly scratching the surface of what’s possible. But Porsche, if you’re listening, it’s time to take a page out of your own playbook. The limited-run 911 Dakar proved to be a fun off-road machine with enough demand, but it remains out of reach owing to its sky-high prices. Back in the day, we also got more 285 rugged road-legal examples of the Cayenne Transsyberia to celebrate its victories in the transcontinental rally.

Now, along similar lines, imagine a Macan EV with a jacked-up ride height, heavy-duty suspension, underbody protection, and serious off-road chops. Combine that with rear-wheel steering in an SUV with a relatively small footprint and you have a fairly capable 4x4. Something that can actually handle a lot more than your run-of-the-mill Macan EV. To sum it up, this Camel Trophy Macan is a symbol of the past shaking hands with the future. But despite some of its foibles, I appreciate the effort. It’s a conversation starter, at the very least.

Khris Bharath

Khris is a Mechanical Engineer and a classic car aficionado, who adores his Jags, Alfas, and old-school American muscle cars. He keeps tabs on everything from super exotics like an old EB 110 to the latest from Lucid and geeks out on three-row family haulers. Formula One remains very close to his heart, and he diligently makes time to tune in for the Grand Prix on Sundays. Khris also loves his road trips and he prefers a stick shift over an auto. Read full bio