Currently reading: New Porsche Cayman and Boxster could use 911's flat six

German firm confirms "top" versions of 718s will continue in EV strategy pivot

Porsche is extending the life of its combustion-engined 718 Boxster and Cayman with new “top” versions – and they could be fitted with the 911’s flat six.

The major change, announced by CEO Oliver Blume as a “strategic realignment”, marks a significant shift in the firm’s electric strategy as it also kills off the planned large ‘K1’ electric SUV flagship and extends the life of the ICE Cayenne and Panamera “well into the 2030s”.

Porsche will also halt development of its ‘Sport’ version of the Volkswagen Group’s SSP platform that was due to underpin the K1, the electric Panamera and the next Taycan, taking a €1.8 billion (£1.6bn) hit in doing so. The platform will now arrive next decade.

“We have seen a clear drop in demand for exclusive battery-electric cars and we are taking that into account,” said Blume.

For the new 718s, “top” versions will most likely mean the continuation of the hardcore Spyder RS and GT4 RS, above the incoming 718 EVs.

Porsche Cayman Electric front quarter tracking

In a bid to keep costs down – given the U-turn has cost €3.1bn (£2.7bn) – Autocar understands Porsche is looking to bring more parity between the 718 and 911 models, especially in terms of powertrains. They already use the same MMB platform but this new approach would simplify production and component sourcing while boosting economies of scale.

As such, it is likely to signal the end of the 718’s four-cylinder era because it is understood that its turbocharged 2.0-litre flat four does not meet Euro 7 emissions regulations, which come into force at the end of 2026. Instead, the new “top” 718s are expected to adopt the compliant T-Hybrid set-up introduced in the 911 Carrera GTS. Autocar understands this is because that set-up’s new flat six is 110mm shorter than the 911’s standard twin-turbo engine, which is crucial for the 718’s packaging.

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The move effectively resurrects the original, highly successful Boxster business case: a slightly detuned 911 engine in a more accessible mid-engined chassis.

However, another critical question arises: how does Porsche plan to homologate a new combustion-engined sports car well into the 2030s, given the EU’s GSR2 regulations effectively killed off the current ICE 718?

While a ‘small series’ exemption exists for up to 1500 non-compliant vehicles per year, it is an unlikely solution because Porsche’s volumes – even for niche “top-version” models – would quickly exceed that limit. The more plausible answer is that Porsche will need to invest in fully updating the ICE 718 to meet GSR2 – another likely reason for keeping costs down elsewhere, such as during production.

Alongside the new ICE 718s, Porsche’s K1 flagship will now be launched with combustion and plug-in hybrid power only, replacing the planned electric set-up. No launch date has been given. The K1 EV was first announced in 2022, along with plans for the thirdgeneration Panamera and second-generation Taycan, and was due to arrive in 2027 or 2028.

The new K1 will join the recently announced ‘M1’, a replacement for the ICE Macan that was axed last year. The M1 will be twinned with the third-generation Audi Q5 and, like the K1, will be offered with combustion and plug-in hybrid variants.

Despite the announcements, Blume IMAGE said the company is still committed to electrification: “They excite a specific and growing customer group.”

Indeed, Porsche is about to launch the new Cayenne Electric, which is based on the VW Group’s 800V PPE architecture, and already sells Macan and Taycan EVs.

Porsche said the combined circumstances will cut its predicted net profi t margin to around 2% this year but it forecast a return to growth in the “medium term”, when it planned to grow margins back above 10% with the new products rolling out.

Blume said: “This flexibility gives us a strong position with a compelling mix of combustion engines, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles.”

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