Porsche's Sudden Shift to Gas-Powered 718 Poses an Engineering Challenge

      Porsche has many questions to address regarding the future of the 718 Boxster and Cayman. Following the retirement of the last generation, these entry-level sports cars were expected to return as all-electric models. However, Porsche later retracted that promise, leading to reports that the 718 would be revived as a continuation of the earlier 982 series. Nevertheless, the electric 718 is still on the agenda, and Porsche is reportedly planning to retrofit an internal combustion engine into the PPE architecture, which was originally designed exclusively for electric vehicles.

      This information about the automaker’s alleged plans comes from Autocar, which mentioned “one of the most radical drivetrain reversals in Porsche’s history” on Sunday. The publication refers to “senior sources” at Weissach, who indicated that while the previous 718 will make a return, it will only serve as a temporary solution until the EVs are available. Once the 982-derived models complete their run, a mid-engine version of the PPE-powered 718 is expected to be launched.

      This task does not seem straightforward. Porsche engineers will need to create space for either a four- or six-cylinder engine in a vehicle designed for a load-bearing battery, electric motors, and lacking a transmission tunnel. Although the gasoline variant will be lighter, it won’t replicate the EV’s low center of gravity.

      The interior of the Porsche 718 Boxster 25 Years special edition from a couple of years ago, featuring a silver exterior and burgundy interior, is always a good choice for a Boxster.

      According to Autocar’s sources, Porsche plans to address these incompatibilities and shortcomings with a new structural floor, rear bulkhead, and rear subframe.

      At least one aspect of reviving the gasoline-powered 718 seems to have become easier for Porsche: emissions. The automaker had previously doubted the future of its established, naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine due to Euro 7 regulations and an impending ICE ban. With those proposals now having been diluted or eliminated, that engine can make a comeback.

      Provided Porsche makes the necessary adjustments for the cybersecurity law that prematurely ended the 982 series in its home market, there is now a potential path for these sports cars. While this is promising, it’s likely that the company would have preferred to have a definitive plan in place years ago. However, the constantly changing landscape of global auto regulations during the first half of this decade has rendered that impossible.

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