Porsche needs a bigger gun: K1 arrives for buyers who have outgrown the Cayenne

© A. Krivonosov

Porsche has signalled once again that a full switch to electric vehicles is not happening any time soon. After reviving interest in a combustion Macan and extending the life of the petrol Cayenne, the brand has confirmed another step — a large three-row SUV under the codename K1.

The model will not be a stretched Cayenne. Porsche representative Ben Weinberger said K1 will get a different name and be a separate car. According to autoevolution, the newcomer may use an extended version of the Premium Platform Combustion architecture and become the technical twin of the upcoming Audi Q9 — roughly the same way the new Macan is linked to the Audi Q5.

Diesel is off the table, but 3.0-litre V6 and 4.0-litre V8 engines are expected. For the top versions a V8 with a plug-in hybrid layer makes obvious sense: in the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid the same combination delivers 729 hp and 950 Nm. The interior is likely to feature a three-screen layout with a digital instrument cluster, a central display and a passenger screen.

Porsche needs the K1 not for fashion but for customers who have outgrown the Cayenne. The BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS have long taken a chunk of the big luxury family SUV audience, while Porsche has nothing in this niche. Now the brand is preparing a car for buyers who want three rows, top-tier status and combustion power, while the market is still ready to pay for it.

For Porsche this is not a retreat from electrification but an acknowledgement of reality: wealthy customers are not always willing to wait for a charging stop, even if they can afford any EV on the market.