The 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman – these will be the new names of the two-door mid-engine sports cars from Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, effective with the 2016 model changeover. The 718 designation is a reference to the ground-breaking sports car from 1957, which enjoyed considerable success in renowned car races around the world. The 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman will be sharing more visual and technical similarities than ever before. With the introduction of the new generation, the models will have equally powerful four-cylinder flat engines with turbocharging. When launched in markets, the Roadster will be positioned at a higher price level than the Coupé, similar to the price positioning in the 911 series. Porsche will introduce the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman over the course of 2016.
The 718 model series is a continuation of the proven four-cylinder concept and the history of distinguished Porsche sports cars. The latest example is the 919 Hybrid LMP1 race car, featuring a highly-efficient, turbocharged four-cylinder engine with just 2 litres of displacement. It competed successfully in this year’s World Endurance Championship (WEC) resulting in Porsche securing the manufacturers’ as well as drivers’ championship. The 919 Hybrid has opened up the prospects for the performance potential of future sports car engines from Porsche.
In addition to the heritage name, the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman “will share more similarities than ever before - both visually and technically”, Porsche said. It was the successor to the 550 Spyder and used four-cylinder engines with great success - a 718 RSK won its class at the 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.
Porsche has announced that its Boxster and Cayman model lines are to receive new names and new four-cylinder powerplants during the course of 2016.
Reducing emissions and boosting fuel consumption are the driving forces for the introduction of the more powerful and more efficient flat-four.
Both the 718 Boxster and Cayman should be presented to the public sometimes in 2016 and Porsche also confirmed the Coupe will be priced lower than its roadster sibling.
The Boxster was last redesigned for the 2013 model year and the Cayman for the 2014 model year.
The 718 number isn’t new for Porsche. The 718 took first place in 1959 and 1960 at the legendary Italian Targa Florio race in Sicily.
Yielding once again to market forces, Porsche has made a decision to offer brand enthusiasts exactly what they have always been clamoring for: The Macan crossover. Porsche aspirants with a slightly different set... Well, here’s the next drastic change in Porsche powertrains: the Boxster and Cayman will have a 2.0-litre flat-four turbocharged engine option “in the future”. The engines will be turbocharged to ensure they live up to the high standard that Porsche cars have come to stand for - powerful, fast cars with blazing acceleration.
Four-cylinder flat engines have a long tradition at Porsche and they have enjoyed incredible success. In the late 1950s, the 718 – a successor to the legendary Porsche 550 Spyder – represented the highest configuration level of the four-cylinder flat engine. Whether it was competing at the 12-hour race in Sebring in 1960 or at the European Hill Climb Championship that ran between 1958 and 1961, the Porsche 718 prevailed against numerous competitors. The 718 took first place in 1959 and 1960 at the legendary Targa Florio race in Sicily. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1958, the 718 RSK, with its 142-hp four-cylinder engine, scored a class victory.
In 2014, Porsche returned to the top category of the famous endurance race in Le Mans and the WEC with the 919 Hybrid race car. The LMP1 vehicle, which was designed for extreme efficiency, is the most complex race car that Porsche has ever built. It serves as a platform for fundamental technology research for future production models – combining two different energy recovery systems with a two-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine. – SG
