Porsche denies plans for reborn petrol-powered Cayman, Boxster existed
Despite saying the top-spec versions of the new-generation 718 twins (Cayman and Boxster) would receive petrol engines, Porsche has denied such plans ever existed.
Plans for Porsche to introduce petrol-powered versions of the new 718 Cayman and Boxster haven’t been scrapped; they never existed, according to one representative of the brand.
After production of the most recent generation Cayman and Boxster ended in 2024, Porsche initially appeared to be going full-steam ahead on launching electric-only successors – which have since been delayed multiple times due to complications.
In 2025, Porsche announced the next-gen 718s would include “top ICE (internal combustion engine) derivatives”, suggesting flagship variants such as the GT and RS-badged models would continue to offer engines behind the driver.
However, the plans for petrol Porsche 718s started to unravel in July, when German newspaper Bild reported the Volkswagen Group was deliberating the discontinuation of more than half a dozen models: which included the internal combustion engine-powered 718.
This week, Porsche finally issued an official timeline for the start of full-scale production of the electric 718 Boxster and Cayman models, now due to launch in 2028 – but with no mention of the petrol variants.
In a statement to US publication Motor1, Porsche’s Head of Corporate Communications, Matthias Rauter, reportedly said the engine-powered 718s had never truly been confirmed, meaning almost every hope of a flat engine in the back of a Cayman or Boxster is effectively dead.
Instead, Porsche is soldiering on with development of the EV sports cars, which will run on the new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) Sport architecture.
“I always look at every project first and foremost from a Porsche perspective: Does it make economic sense or not?” Porsche CEO Michael Leiters told German outlet Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in August.
“Only then do potential synergies within the [Volkswagen] group come into play. With the electric 718, we came to the conclusion that we will build the model – because it is the best solution economically and will be a fantastic car.”
It also gives the Volkswagen Group a better business case for the upcoming production version of the Audi Concept C – the spiritual successor to the TT – which is also set to run on the PPE architecture, something which it said it would do even if the 718 EV didn’t go ahead.
A report by Donaukurier in February claimed an internal memo had been sent from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner to the Audi’s employees, saying the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) which is still set to underpin the 718 EVs will remain available to Audi.
Audi officially confirmed the Concept C would spawn a production car in 2027 in April, announcing it will be fully electric.
Jordan Mulach
