Big changes are coming to Porsche’s smallest models. In a December 10th press release, the German manufacturer has announced that two of its two-door mid-engined sports cars are being renamed. From 2016 and beyond, in a nod to one of their famous race cars of 1957, the Boxster and Cayman will be marketed as the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman respectively.
The 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman will grow even closer in styling as well as in power. The company has declared that these two models will come packed with turbocharged four-cylinder flat engines. A significant difference between the two is that the Roadster will cost more than the Coupe. This is a standard practice followed by the Stuttgart-based automaker, having done the same with its 911 models. Porsche is renowned worldwide for its sports cars and utilization of the four-cylinder concept. The brand’s aim is to continue this illustrious history with the 718 series.
For example, the 919 Hybrid LMP1’s engine is highly-efficient, with merely 2 litres of displacement. Therefore it was no surprise that it performed well in several races. In fact, Porsche secured the first and second positions during the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2014. Not to mention the driver’s championship title during the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in the same year, as well as the manufacturer’s championship title. As a result of these victories, the 919 Hybrid LMP1 has raised the expectations of the company’s future engines.
The design of 919 Hybrid LMP1 exhibits extreme efficiency and is one of the most complex car built ever by the manufacturer. Porsche has decided to make the 919 Hybrid a platform for its future models, keeping in mind that it possesses a turbocharged engine and two energy recovery systems. The long tradition of four-cylinder flat engine that started with the 718 is attributed to the 919’s extreme success. The 718 managed to win multiple races in its time, and Porsche will hope its 2016 iterations can work the same magic again.
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