M1 project switches focus from the back to the front

Porsche has revealed that it will be introducing a new SUV model in 2028, marking a significant shift in the company's drivetrain layout. Internally referred to as "M1," this new vehicle will be based on Audi's Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture, featuring a front-biased all-wheel-drive system.

The decision to switch to front-biased drive in the new Porsche SUV is a response to market and cost pressures. According to Porsche, customers in key markets seem to place less value on dynamic perfection and more on comfort and space for the new SUV.

The new SUV will be the first Porsche model with primary front-wheel drive. This front-wheel drive will be made possible by the Quattro-Ultra system, which Audi has developed. This system will lead to front-wheel drive for the first time in a Porsche.

The new Porsche SUV will come with a four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine and mild hybrid technology at launch. Higher-positioned versions with more powerful engines and sportier tuning - such as S, GTS, or Turbo models - are expected for the new Porsche SUV. However, plug-in hybrid or diesel variants are not planned for the new model.

The development time for the new Porsche SUV is just three years. This rapid development is due in part to the new model being developed together with the third generation of the Audi Q5.

The new Porsche SUV is expected to target competitors like the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC. Sales of the electric Macan in China plummeted by almost 30% in the same period, which may have contributed to Porsche's decision to develop a new front-wheel drive SUV.

It remains to be seen how the new Porsche SUV will differentiate itself technically from the Audi Q5. The rear wheels of the new Porsche SUV will only engage in case of impending traction loss, which could potentially set it apart from its Audi counterpart.

In the first half of 2025, only around 26,000 units of the electric Macan were sold worldwide. Developing a standalone system for the new Porsche SUV would be too expensive, leading Porsche to adopt Audi's Quattro-Ultra system instead.

Customers will have to wait until 2028 to get their hands on the new Porsche SUV. Until then, we can only speculate about how this new model will change the landscape of the luxury SUV market.