Porsche to Offer Six-Cylinder Cayman and Boxster Below the GT4

[whinbush]

For those who want a new 718 Boxster with a six-cylinder but were worried they won’t have the coin for the forthcoming—and as-yet unrevealed—hard-core GT4 variant
I come bearing good news:
According to a well-placed source, Porsche will once again offer a six-cylinder engine below the Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder line-toppers.
The exact positioning of the new variant wasn’t made explicit, but it could possibly fill the gap between the GTS and GT4/Spyder while offering subtler exterior looks along with a more refined cabin with more sound deadening, additional luxury trimmings, and more comfort-oriented seats than the stripped-out and hard-nosed GT4. In that way, it would be a 718 analog to the 991.2 911 GT3 Touring. There’s also a chance the new model will simply be the next GTS.
https://www.automobilemag.com/news/porsche-718-cayman-boxster-flat-six-cylinder-engine-gts/

Oh yes please

 

[tjb]

I may have dreamt this but I seem to recall reading somewhere when the 718 was introduced that Porsche could not fit the 6 cylinder engine into the new body shape of the 718??

 

[Davidbf1.com]

You definitely didn’t dream it, it was written at the time of 718 launch.
be very surprised if Porsche do go down this route, after spending so much time, effort and marketing dollars to convince the world that the move to forced induction four pot for 718 range was progress.

 

[Motorhead]

I may have dreamt this but I seem to recall reading somewhere when the 718 was introduced that Porsche could not fit the 6 cylinder engine into the new body shape of the 718??

That’s incorrect. What was said was that the flat-6 turbo 991.2 engine won‘t fit the 718 engine bay. Hence the adoption of the flat-4 turbo engine layout.

Jeff

 

[6DW]

Surely the non turbo 3.8 flat six will fit the 718 as its already in the GT4 and due for the Spyder.

If a flat 6 Boxster, under the Spyder is released, then count me in.

 

[Motorhead]

I quite agree David. I was merely responding to the tjb post by pointing out that it was the flat-6 turbo engine which wouldn’t fit in the 718 engine bay.

There’s been so much waffle printed and posted on the 718 GT4/Spyder that quite frankly I think it’s pointless speculating further on the matter let alone believing more unsubstantiated journalistic prattle about highly unlikely potential spin-offs..!

Jeff

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

I agree with comments above been far to much speculation concerning the 718 GT4 & Spyder.
Porsche has not released any actual facts yet all very frustrating and long winded I mean what's all the secrecy about.
I did read £90 k for a Boxster Spyder come on the last one was £60.500 base.
Time will tell.

 

[dpoynton]

I did read £90 k for a Boxster Spyder come on the last one was £60.500 base.

Cliff

I do not dispute your price points, but maybe it's a case of Porsche taking out the speculators, if so, I'm all for that.
Why should a few favoured customers get a free fast profit at PAG's expense.

What did the first 981 GT4/spyders go for in the after market?

David

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

I agree to a point David about why only certain people get these allocations my argument has always been if you have X amounts of people's letter of in intent or deposits make the things.
In my mind good business sense and keeps Porsche people in the brand.
981Spyders are now down to about circa 70k.
My fear that if this rumour of 90k which is ridiculous for a Boxster Spyder it will take a lot of real Porsche enthusiasts out of their price bracket .

 

[6DW]

I quite agree David. I was merely responding to the tjb post by pointing out that it was the flat-6 turbo engine which wouldn’t fit in the 718 engine bay.

There’s been so much waffle printed and posted on the 718 GT4/Spyder that quite frankly I think it’s pointless speculating further on the matter let alone believing more unsubstantiated journalistic prattle about highly unlikely potential spin-offs..!

Jeff

Sorry for mis-interpreting that Jeff ??

 

[Motorhead]

No problem David.

Just to say that my understanding is that the main reason why the flat-6 turbo engine won't fit in the 718 engine bay is the space required for the two turbos. I'm sure that all the associated ducting and intercoolers would be significant factors too. In addition, unlike the F-6 turbo engine the F-4 turbo engine uses a very complex air-to-coolant intercooler rather than the air-to-air-intercoolers used for the f-6 turbo engine, something which required a significant amount of time and money to package and develop.

I just can't see Porsche giving up on the F-4 turbo because a minority of vocal enthusiasts are complaining about its power delivery and sound characteristics. Much more likely that Porsche will persevere with development of the F-4 turbo on its mainstream mid-engine cars - where fuel economy and emissions are paramount - for the forseeable future, leaving the GT group to go its own way with naturally aspirated engines for its niche offerings for as long as possible and perhaps including the odd spin-off like a GT4 Touring. Although unlikely, of course it's possible that the next generation of mid-engine cars could be engineered to accept the F-6 turbo engine, although I think it more likely that we'll be seeing the F-4 turbo used in a hybrid system with a motor-generator at the flywheel position. Just my tuppence worth of course..!

Jeff

 

[Brian_Innes]

I completely agree with your above comments Jeff.

The flat-4 turbo has had a huge amount of development time and money spent on it by Porsche. In my experience, it's not the "dreadful engine" that Evo magazine describes.

I've grown to quite like it. It's accessible power delivery and train-pulling torque band 3000 rpm wide, from 2000-5000rpm is formidable. It also revs to 7500pm which is quite high for 4 pot turbo.

Like many things in life at the moment, we shall just have to wait and see what happens.

Brian

 

[tjb]

Yes, that was it, it was the lack of room to fit turbochargers to the 6 cylinder engines that I must have read.

"I quite agree David. I was merely responding to the tjb post by pointing out that it was the flat-6 turbo engine which wouldn’t fit in the 718 engine bay.

There’s been so much waffle printed and posted on the 718 GT4/Spyder that quite frankly I think it’s pointless speculating further on the matter let alone believing more unsubstantiated journalistic prattle about highly unlikely potential spin-offs..!

Jeff

[/quote]

 

[whinbush]

I think it's more than just pure speculation.
My OPC sales guy confirmed that the 4pot although a great car seems to be in the large part drawing new customers.
Many existing ones who wold normally trade up from a 981 to a new car are not doing so.
Its widely accepted that the Subaru tone isn't exciting them enough.
The Net effect is that 718 sales have been far lower than expected.
So to recapture that the Boxster will indeed have the roar of a 6cyl again.
The 4cly will indeed remain but as an entry model spec with the 6cyl option moving up the food chain and improving sales prices and margins.

here as another titbit

https://www.motor1.com/news/306056/six-cylinder-porsche-boxster-spied/

 

[Motorhead]

True or not James but what evidence is there that the pics are for a 6-cylinder Boxster? Equally, it could just be a development 718 4-cylinder turbo with a different exhaust arrangement.

A lot of wishful thinking and far too much speculation and too little factual evidence at the moment.

Jeff

 

[fasterthanlight]

I owned a 981 Boxster S and was persuaded that the 4-cylinder 718 was the way forward and that if I ever wanted 6 cylinders in a Porsche sports car, it would have to be called a 911. So I bought a 718 GTS, but then sold it when I decided that its droning engine just didn't seem £75k special enough. So I feel somewhat aggrieved at Porsche's apparent change of heart to consider offering a non-GT4/Spyder 6-cylinder car again! I await developments with interest but anticipate an eye-wateringly high pricetag. Perhaps my subsequent purchase of a 981 Boxster GTS may turn out to be a bargain in comparison.

 

[JohnCRS]

Those of us who love their sixes may be left behind if Porsche can swing market opinion on this. I suspect if the next GT4 is 500 bhp and builds on the current one’s abilities, few would care if it was produced by a turbo 4 cylinder. Adds even greater distinction between model ranges. I am sure there is an engineering solution to the noise and vibration issues. Exciting isn’t it!

 

[Motorhead]

Just to close the circle on this, a friend and I have done some frequency analysis on the sounds from the two clips in the OP and can confirm that they do indeed have 6-pot motors installed.

However, that's not the end of the story. The Cayman appears to be a CGTS with a GT4 exhaust arrangement - presumably with a GPF but without the diffuser - and I reckon it has PDK transmission; so it could just be a GT4 PDK mule. The (manual) Boxster on the other hand has the 981-type central exhausts - the presence of a GPF is unknown - so I've no idea what that's about . It just looks like rebodied 981..!

Make of that what you will but to me it doesn't confirm definitively that Porsche are planning to introduce 6-pot versions of the 718 other than the GT4 and Spyder. Fake news? Speculative wishful thinking? Only time will tell.

Jeff