Porsche's Combustion Macan Successor Takes Shape With a Lower, Wider Stance

Porsche's replacement for the combustion-engined Macan is starting to look like a real car, and early evidence points to a model that will stand apart from its Audi cousin. A new test mule spotted in prototype form shows a vehicle that uses the same Premium Platform Combustion architecture as the Audi Q5, but with clear visual changes that make it look more purposeful.

Porsche confirmed last week that the new SUV will arrive in 2028 and will be sold alongside the Macan Electric. Autocar had previously reported the platform link. The prototype's shape mirrors the Q5 at first glance, but its wider wheel arches and larger front grille set it apart from earlier Q5-based test cars. The black camouflage is the same shade Porsche uses across its prototypes, including test vehicles for the Cayenne Electric, Macan Electric and upcoming 718 Boxster Electric.

The foam blocks fitted around the arches and under the floor are a telling detail. Engineers use them to check ground clearance on real roads, and their placement suggests the Macan will sit lower and wider than the Q5. That would give it a sharper stance and, presumably, more dynamic capability. Porsche declined to comment on the new pictures.

Porsche's new design chief, Tobias Suhlmann, has said the car will not simply copy the electric Macan's look. He argued that it must first read as a Porsche, and he pointed to the brand's torpedo-shaped fenders as a design cue that should carry over into an SUV. He also noted that combustion and electric vehicles have different packaging needs, so the body has to be shaped around the hardware underneath.

The petrol Macan's importance to the brand is clear. CEO Michael Leiters has described the new model as one of the company's immediate priorities. The outgoing version ended production in July, yet it still outsold the electric model in the third quarter, with 27,996 combustion examples against 23,029 EVs. Even so, total Macan sales fell 21 percent compared with the same quarter of 2025, to 51,025 units.

The broader strategy is a shift away from chasing volume. Porsche wants to earn more profit from fewer cars, and it plans to lean heavily on personalization to lift the average transaction price. Luxury brands such as Bentley and Rolls-Royce have shown how well that approach can work. Porsche is also weighing a business case for a mid-engined halo car built on a new super-sports platform, and it is expected to preview that direction with the Mission S concept, which is due to be unveiled soon.