MORE 718 SPECIALS COMING
Cayman GT4 RS and Anniversary Boxster incoming, plus PDK for all
With the once rumoured return of the iconic flat six to the 718 GTS now officially confirmed, attention turns to the rest of the 718 range. While Porsche has indicated the long term future for its entry-level sports car is likely to be electric, that all-new battery powered car is likely three years away or more. In the meantime, expect to see further combustion-powered special models based on the existing mid-engine platform. Meanwhile, the PDK paddle-shift transmissions is confirmed for all the new flat-six 718s
The Cayman GT4 RS has been featured previously on these pages. Mules with RS features including Naca-style bonnet ducts and intakes in the rear quarter have been testing for some time. A power output of around 450hp from a tweaked version of the GT4 and Spyder’s 4.0-litre flat six is anticipated.
What hasn’t been mooted before is a Boxster model to go along with the GT4 RS. File this one firmly under rumour, but reports of a 25th Anniversary Boxster timed to celebrate the 25-year period since the launch of the original 986 Boxster have emerged. The first 986 went on sale in late 1996. So an anniversary model launch in 2020 as a 2021 model year car would fit the 25-year bill. It’s thought this anniversary special Boxster will share its 450hp motor with the upcoming GT4 RS.
Such an approach has precedent. The 981 Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder shared a 3.8-litre motor derived from the 911 Carrera S of the time, albeit with the Spyder’s engine slightly detuned. For the 718 Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder, Porsche developed a new 4.0-litre motor and fitted it to both models in identical 420hp tune.
A 450hp Boxster once seemed like a very unlikely prospect, such was Porsche’s firm intent on maintaining the 911’s status as its premium sports car. But if the current 718 does indeed mark the end for combustion power in the mid-engined platform, both GT4 RS and the rumoured Anniversary Boxster can perhaps be justified as fitting sign offs for the line as a whole.
Finally, Porsche has confirmed that the PDK automatic gearbox will be added to the options list for both the 718 Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder by the end of the year, making them the first midengine sports car from Porsche’s Motorsport department to be offered with a paddle-shift transmission. The new 718 GTS 4.0-litre twins are also expected to get the PDK option later this year.