In a turnaround in the development of the successors to its mid-engine sports car series, Porsche is preparing to adapt its next generation Boxster and Cayman models to integrate internal combustion engines. Coach.
Citing senior sources at Porsche’s technical center in Weissach, the report stated that the German manufacturer is working to redevelop the PPE electric-only platform so that its upcoming two-seater duo can accept a mid-mounted combustion engine.
This shift is part of a broader recalibration of the manufacturer’s strategy, which will also see the Macan line follow up its petrol product line with a new model alongside its fully electric offering.
The PPE-based 718 Boxster and Cayman EV models will differ from the ‘top’ variants, which are expected to be a continuation of the current generation RS models, which will be positioned above the upcoming battery-electric models.
Porsche insiders said the new-generation Boxster and Cayman with an internal combustion engine will need to achieve dynamic parity with their BEV relationships, and the ICE models will require significant re-engineering as the electric models’ PPE platform uses their battery packs as a load-bearing, load-bearing part of the structure.
Removing the battery would therefore weaken the bodywork, which is why a proposal from Porsche engineers focuses on a new structural floor section that bolts into the BEV model’s existing hard points to regain rigidity to the chassis that would be lost by the removed battery pack. A redesigned rear bulkhead and subframe then support the engine and transmission, Coach reported.
There will be major packaging limitations in re-incorporating the ICE into the PPE-based structure as it has no provision for a central tunnel, fuel tank, fuel lines or exhaust system. Porsche engineers are reportedly suggesting that the development of an entirely new rear section is necessary as the architecture was never designed for an internal combustion engine, the report continues.
The specific engine that will be used in the next-generation gasoline-powered Boxster and Cayman has yet to be finalized, although new plans from CEO Oliver Blume suggest that the final engine will be a development of the 4.0-liter six-cylinder engine introduced in the 718 line in 2020, which produces up to 500 horsepower in the Cayman GT4 RS and Spyder RS.
The recovery in the development of ICE-powered products comes against the backdrop of the reported rollback of Europe’s ban on new ICE-powered vehicles from 2035, with the initial 100% CO2 emissions reduction set by car manufacturers’ fleet target set to be reversed to 90%.
Earlier in May this year, Blume stated that the company’s ambition to have more than 80% of its total turnover consist of electric vehicles by 2030 is not realistic. One of the proponents of a “technology-flexible” approach is BMW, which plans to sell ICE-powered cars in addition to EVs, and CEO Oliver Zipse has said that an outright ban on the sale of new ICE-powered vehicles is wrong.
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