The original Macan shared more with its corporate sibling, the Audi Q5, than Porsche would ever admit. But, being a brand that cared deeply about its perception and the quality of its products, Porsche made sure to dump a load of reengineering to ensure the Macan would still drive like a Porsche, despite its mid-size crossover shape and pedestrian bones.
As a result, roughly two-thirds of the 2014 Porsche Macan was totally new underneath, compared to that year’s Q5. Aside from the retuned suspension and reshaped chassis, the biggest upgrade was the introduction of a Porsche-only powertrain setup, which incorporated a dual-clutch transmission that sent 80 percent of the power to the rear wheels under normal driving conditions. According to a report from Autocar, that number could flip from rear to front, erasing the one thing that made the Macan so fun to drive.
The report, which cites unnamed sources, claims the next-generation gas Macan—codenamed M1—won’t have that same Porsche magic. In fact, it seems like it’ll be more like a reskinned Q5 than ever before. From Autocar:
The M1 will be twinned with the third-generation Audi Q5 and sit on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture of the pair’s Volkswagen Group parent.
It will also adopt the similarly sized Q5’s Quattro Ultra drive system. But instead of heavily re-engineering it to offer a rear-biased four-wheel drive system—as Porsche did with the first Macan—it will instead be used largely unmodified for cost reasons.
So, unlike the outgoing ICE Macan’s Porsche Traction Management set-up, which is engineered to send most of its power to the rear wheels, drive in the M1 will primarily be sent to the front axle, with the rear wheels engaging only when sensors detect impending traction loss, marking a radical shift in Porsche’s engineering philosophy.
If Autocar’s reporting is accurate, this would be the first time in Porsche’s 94-year history that it would offer such a front-biased system. Porsche wouldn’t confirm anything to The Autopian when reached via email. A spokesperson told us only that a new ICE-powered SUV was in the cards, nothing more.
Anyone who knows cars knows a front-biased all-wheel drive system is more suited to comfort and efficiency than driving fun. But that’s not to say it can’t be made fun. Look at the Golf Rs and the Focus RSs of the world. Back in July, CEO Oliver Blume said the M1 would be a “very, very typical Porsche for this segment.” I don’t doubt Porsche engineers can create something great, even with these constraints.
But as for whether the M1 can live up to the outgoing Macan, I’m not so sure. Admittedly, I have lofty expectations. The gas-powered Macan GTS is one of the best-driving crossovers I’ve had the pleasure of wheeling. It’s second only to the Ferrari Purosangue, a V12-powered supercar that’s only sort of shaped like a crossover.
The front-biased system, tightening costs, and a sped-up development time (Blume said the SUV would be subject to a three-year development cycle, versus Porsche’s usual five-year cycle) mean engineers have to do a lot more with a lot less. Right now, it’s probably best to remain cautiously optimistic.
To see Porsche rely more heavily on the Q5’s design isn’t terribly surprising. Five years ago, the M1 wasn’t even in the cards for the automaker. Back then, the brand expected the Macan EV would take over sales of the combustion variant permanently, with 80 percent of its global sales being electric vehicles by 2030. Obviously, that’s not happening. So it had to pivot quickly. And, reportedly, this front-wheel drive-biased AWD crossover is the result.
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Enshitification takes no prisoners, and Porsche has been watering down its products for ages at this point. It’s a game of seeing how much they can get away with when it comes to charging more and offering less. Unfortunately their non sports car customers are fucking idiots and they can get away with A LOT.
I’ve never personally driven one, but I do understand that there was some brilliance in the current Macan. They’re ridiculously, absurdly overpriced but the general consensus is that they’re in contention for the most fun to drive and engaging crossover that exists, as our new friend Brian is hinting at here.
You’re gonna pay out the ass, the competition is going to be cheaper, faster, and better equipped, and the average 911 owner will scoff at you…but despite all of that I’ve always understood the appeal of a Macan. It’s more or less the gentleman’s choice in that class and has enough Porsche DNA to be worth the up-charge if you’re a sicko. For what it’s worth I have nearly bought one on multiple occasions but eventually decided not to once the ownership costs were factored in.
At the end of the day I get it…but go through all that for a lazy front wheel drive rebadge of an Audi that’s not even the best in its class? Absolutely not. Frankly the fact that the current base engine is an EA888 is insulting, and I’m sure by the time this arrives you’ll be paying $90,000 out the door if you want any color other than black or white and an actual leather interior.
I’m sure the country club doctors and attorneys of the world will still happily lease them so their platinum blonde wives don’t need to be embarrassed in the Catholic school pick up lines, but the enthusiast cred that the Macan had will be long gone. In most cases making cars for enthusiasts is a bad strategy…but it’s always been most of Porsche’s business.
The BEV Macan is DOA too. It looks like a rolling egg, weighs 5,000 pounds, has meh range, and costs as much as a house. Real brain genius shit from VAG. I wonder if the panic ICE 718 is going to be shoving a flat four in the new hideous Audi concept…
So essentially this is a last-minute Stellantis-style panic button “holy shit we screwed up big time” type replacement.
My wife used to have an SQ5 and that thing was such a let down. Sure, it had power and sounded wonderful, but it felt so unathletic. No steering feel and it really hated the idea of downshifting when you gave it throttle. Hopefully that’s not going to be the case with the new ICE Macan.
My mom has a 2022 SQ5. If you want a big GT that puts comfort first then I think it’s great. It’s also a nice contrast to the other German sporty crossovers that ride like absolute shit. The X3M/M40i are apparently absolutely brutal in that department. I also agree that it sounds great. That V6 is better than it gets credit for.
…but if you want engagement or handling look elsewhere. It’s amazing at one thing-cruising at 100 MPH in comfort while allowing you to bring your friends. If that’s what you want you’ll be quite pleased. But if you want to throw your crossover around on backroads it’s not gonna give you the fizz.
But honestly I think that’s why Audi sells a fair amount of them. If buyers were realistic with themselves about what they actually need probably 90% of the people wanting a sporty luxury SUV for $70,000 would be quite pleased with it. But that’s not the world we live in lol.
[3yrs from now]
“We are discontinuing the gas Macan because nobody is buying it”
Seems unlikely. More like ‘now we’re making a S5-based Porsche sedan, and an A3-based Porsche hatchback’ because everyone loves cheap cars with expensive badges.
How fast can you speedrun brand dilution? Mercedes and BMW seem to be racing each other in those stakes with their little FWD econoboxes.
Let me introduce for you… the new Porschessat.
Mercedes and BMW both have some heritage in the ‘econobox’ segment though. While it may have been a disaster in terms of stability when it initially came out, the A-Class was otherwise a master of engineering, and the culmination of plans that the company had been pursuing on-off for decades. Meanwhile, BMW probably wouldn’t be with us without the Isetta.