The Porsche Boxster and Cayman will be renamed the 718 Boxster and the 718 Cayman respectively as they will undergo significant changes for the 2016 models, the most substantial of which being the introduction of turbocharged flat-four engines. The 718 designation references the racing cars built from 1957 to 1962.
The most recent example of the success Porsche have enjoyed implementing these powertrains is the four-cylinder turbocharged engine in the 919 Hybrid racer, which finished first and second at Le Mans. With these victories in mind, Porsche have seen the potential for future road-going sports cars and also open up the possibility of hybrid versions in the future in trend with the planned hybrid 911.
For the 718 Boxster, the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine will produce 261bhp for the standard car and 311bhp in it’s S variant. Torque figures are at 258b ft and 295b ft respectively for the models. These numbers mean 0-62mph should be dealt with in around 5.5 seconds for the standard car and just below the 5 second mark for the 718 Boxster S. Porsche have also said that both the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman will have “equally powerful flat four-engines”, so performance differences on paper will be small if any. The six-cylinder models are not completely gone, however, with the bigger engines reserved for the top models such as GTS versions, the 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Boxster Spyder. Ex-Porsche Chairman Matthias Müller stated the four-cylinder engines will go up to a capacity of 2.5-litre for the most powerful versions, with an expected output of 395bhp.
The smaller engines will also reduce weight, meaning greater models will benefit from greater efficiency as well as improved handling. Other new features to the 2016 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman include, suspension and chassis alterations and aesthetic and functional changes, both inside and out.
