Porsche is reworking its next-generation 718 Boxster and Cayman architecture to accommodate petrol engines, marking a sharp reversal of earlier plans to make the sports car duo electric-only.
Production of the fourth-generation Boxster and Cayman wrapped up last month, with all-new, purpose-built electric replacements originally slated to arrive this year. However, as demand for EVs cools, Porsche has already confirmed it will continue offering “top” versions, widely expected to include RS and GT4 RS trims, of the outgoing models.
That decision formed part of a broader “strategic realignment” in which Porsche scaled back several electric vehicle initiatives, a move that resulted in a £6.65 billion financial hit.
Now, senior insiders at Porsche’s Weissach engineering hub have told that the company is also developing plans to bring petrol-powered versions back into the range. This would be achieved by reverse-engineering the EV-only PPE Sport platform, originally designed for the 2026 electric successors, to accept a mid-mounted internal combustion engine.
The goal is to maximise manufacturing efficiency and component scale across the range, and it represents one of the most dramatic drivetrain reversals in Porsche’s history. The approach mirrors strategies adopted by other manufacturers, including Fiat with the 500 Hybrid and Mercedes-Benz with the Viano.
This move is part of a broader rethink of Porsche’s new-model roadmap. Other vehicles that had previously been earmarked as electric-only, including the Macan, are now also set to receive renewed internal combustion engine options.
Importantly, these newly planned PPE Sport-based 718 models are distinct from the “top” 718 variants Porsche referenced during September’s strategic realignment.
Those cars are expected to be continued versions of the current-generation RS and GT4 RS, positioned above the 2026 electric models. The latest information suggests those vehicles will serve as a temporary bridge until the fifth-generation 718 arrives toward the end of the decade.
Porsche sources emphasise that for the fifth-generation ICE models to make sense, they must match the dynamic performance of their electric counterparts, a demanding requirement given what engineers describe as the EV platform’s “ultra-low centre of gravity”.
Meeting that target will be challenging. The PPE Sport architecture relies on a stressed, load-bearing battery pack and a flat floor design, meaning that removing the battery would severely compromise overall structural rigidity.
To address this, Porsche engineers are proposing a newly developed structural floor section that would bolt into the platform’s existing hard points, effectively restoring stiffness to the bodyshell. A redesigned rear bulkhead and subframe would then support the engine and transmission.
Significant packaging challenges remain. The electric platform lacks a central tunnel and was never designed to accommodate a fuel tank, fuel lines, or an exhaust system. Engineers suggest these limitations may necessitate an entirely new rear structure, given that the original architecture was conceived exclusively for electric propulsion.
Previously, Porsche had concluded that its naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine would not survive under the EU’s original Euro 7 emissions rules, which required large particulate filters and extensive after-treatment systems. However, the softened final regulations, combined with the EU’s post-2035 e-fuel exemption, have reopened the business case for new petrol-powered sports cars.
One senior engineer: “The electric Boxster and Cayman risked becoming a niche. Euro 7 changed the arithmetic.”
The final engine choice has yet to be confirmed. That said, new plans outlined by outgoing Porsche CEO Oliver Blume indicate that the leading contender is an evolved version of the 4.0-litre flat-six introduced to the 718 range in 2020, which produces up to 493bhp in GT4 RS form.
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