2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS In an about-turn in development for the successors to its mid-engined sports car range, Porsche is preparing to adapt its next-generation Boxster and Cayman models to incorporate internal combustion engines, reported Autocar. Citing senior sources at Porsche’s engineering centre in Weissach, the report stated that the German manufacturer is working on re-developing the EV-only PPE platform for its upcoming two-seater duo to accept a mid-mounted internal combustion engine. This shift is part of a wider recalibration of the manufacturer’s strategy that has also seen the Macan line become set to succeed its petrol-powered product line with a new model to go alongside its fully electric offering. 2023 Porsche 718 Spyder RS The PPE-based 718 Boxster and Cayman EV models will be different from the “top” variants which are expected to be a continuation of the current-generation RS models, which are to be positioned above the upcoming battery-electric models. Porsche insiders were quoted as saying that the new-generation, internal combustion-engined Boxster and Cayman must achieve dynamic parity with their BEV relations, and the ICE models will require significant re-engineering as the PPE platform of the electric models use their battery packs as a stressed, load-bearing part of the structure. Removing the battery would therefore weaken the bodyshell, and so a proposal by Porsche engineers is centred on a new structural floor section that bolts into the BEV model’s existing hard points to add rigidity back into the chassis that would be lost from the removed battery pack. A redesigned rear bulkhead and subframe will then support the engine and transmission, Autocar reported. There will be major packaging constraints with the reinstating of the ICE into the PPE-based structure as it has no provision for a central tunnel, fuel tank, fuel lines or exhaust system, and Porsche engineers reportedly suggest that the development of a completely new rear section is required as the architecture was never designed for an internal combustion engine, the report continued. The specific engine that will go into the next-generation, petrol-powered Boxster and Cayman has yet to be finalised, though new plans by CEO Oliver Blume suggest that the eventual engine will be a development of the 4.0 litre flat-six-cylinder engine that was introduced to the 718 line in 2020, and which produces up to 500 PS in the Cayman GT4 RS and Spyder RS. Compare prices between different insurer providers to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. Many payment method supported and you can pay with instalment using Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater.