Porsche’s replacement for the combustion-engined Macan is beginning to shape up – and it's set to look significantly more aggressive than the related Audi Q5.
As part of its new ‘Sportswagenschmeide 35’ strategy, Porsche confirmed last week that the new SUV will arrive in 2028 and be sold “in parallel” with the Macan Electric.
As previously reported by Autocar, it will be based on the same Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) as the Audi Q5 – hence the test mule having the same outward appearance as that car.
However, it features several key modifications, including wider wheel arches and a larger front grille that differ from those used on previous prototypes of new Q5 derivatives.
Its black paint also signals its origin: Porsche uses the shade on all of its prototypes, including those for the upcoming 718 Boxster Electric and the current Cayenne Electric and Macan Electric.
The foam blocks mounted around the arches and undertray are used to verify ground clearance in real-world conditions. They suggest the Macan will sit significantly lower and wider than the Q5, which should endow it with greater dynamic capabilities.
A Porsche spokesperson declined to comment on the new images.
Although the car’s final look remains a secret, new Porsche design chief Tobias Suhlmann recently suggested that it would be distinct from that of the Macan Electric.
He said: “First of all, it should look like a Porsche. That is for me the overall target. We've talked about torpedo fenders; you should see them also in an SUV. There are technical needs that are different in an EV and ICE [internal-combustion-engined], so you always need to design it in comparison to the technical bits that sit underneath the shape."
CEO Michael Leiters recently described the new ICE Macan as one the German company’s “immediate priorities”.
Production of the previous ICE Macan ended in July, yet it still outsold the EV during the third quarter of this year – at 27,996 and 23,029 examples respectively. The total of 51,025 Macan sales represented a 21% reduction compared with the third quarter of 2025.
As part of its strategic overhaul, Porsche is targeting value over volume; to make a larger profit from a smaller number of cars.
Key to this is greater customisation, which will increase the average transaction price of each car the brand sells – a tactic that has proven bountiful for Bentley and Rolls-Royce, among other luxury brands.
It's also evaluating the business case for a new mid-engined halo model underpinned by the new “super-sports car platform” confirmed by Leiters last week.
Porsche will tonight unveil the Mission S, a concept car that's expected to preview this new ICE supercar.