It has never looked this grim for Germany’s most iconic brand maybe since the days right before the Boxster rolled off the assembly line. Porsche is in dire straights and with each passing day it gets worse, as today the brand is no longer on Germany’s blue-chip DAX index. However, there was a growing list of problems arising long before this news came out, as Porsche’s sales figures have come to a screeching halt in China and Europe, down 28% and 23% respectively after the first half of 2025 concluded in June. While growth has continued in the US (despite tariffs hurting earnings), it hasn’t been enough to make up for the weakening demand of EV’s globally and the inability to regain a foothold in China.
But it gets even more tumultuous for Porsche as they’re frantically looking to replace the gas powered Macan. Despite the Macan EV making up nearly 60% of sales for Porsche’s smallest crossover globally, the numbers don’t paint the full picture as the ICE version has stopped being sold in Europe for the time being, whereas in North America shoppers can still purchase their favorite sporty crossover. Slated to end production soon, it’s become imperative for Porsche to introduce a new generation, one that will have both a gas and hybrid variant available.
Now with this sense of urgency, or dare we say desperation Porsche is about to do something that will have Ferdinand Porsche rolling in his grave.
An Audi Q5-Based Porsche Macan
You guessed it, Porsche needs a replacement so quickly, they’re willing to copy and paste the all new Audi Q5, slap on a Porsche badge, and somehow distinguish their small crossover from it’s cousin. The icing on the cake here is that this new generation, currently known as the M1, is going to be FWD-biased using Audi’s Quattro AWD system and Audi’s PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) platform. Never in Porsche’s 94 year history has there ever been a FWD model, but by 2028 that’s exactly what we might be seeing.
Now to pump the brakes a bit, the first generation Macan shared underpinnings with the Audi Q5/SQ5 through the MLB Evo Platform, but Porsche engineered their own AWD system for that crossover while also using a different V6 engine and transmission than the SQ5. This time around, the Germans are potentially about to make the same mistake that signed the death warrant for Ford and GM 30-40 years ago who failed to differentiate their premium brands from the mainstream lineups.
Is The Audi Q5 Really THAT Bad?
In attempts to find a silver lining here, the Q5 has traditionally been an exceptional crossover, one of the best if we’re going to be honest. However, this new Audi Q5 and its PPC platform which is closely related to the EV underpinnings found in the e-Tron lineup just isn’t it. The Q5’s on-road mannerisms are lackluster despite the return of the 7-Speed Dual Clutch automatic transmission and slight boost in performance, and don’t even get us started on the Android based software with Google integration. It’s awful.
The saving grace so far is the SQ5, which during our review felt similar to a current Porsche Macan. The V6 was lively and the weight distribution allowed the SQ5 to corner with far more confidence, although the BMW X3 M50 is still the better driver’s crossover right now.
If what’s being reported by AutoCar is factual and true, the next Macan or “M1” may end up being a rushed product to fill a void that was unnecessarily created by a brand eager to reach their target of 80% of sales globally being from their EV lineup. Truth be told Porsche doesn’t have much of a choice now. They can’t go backwards and fire up the assembly lines to build an outdated vehicle, but engineering an identical twin to the Q5 isn’t a viable solution either.
