[stein_325i]

Electric Porsche 718 Boxster Prototype Spied For The First Time

Originally Posted by Motor1

The next-generation Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman will be electric only. The black prototype captured in these spy images represents our first look at what the new soft-top Boxster will look like.

If you're a fan of the current 718 series, the news is good. Despite nixing the internal combustion engine completely, Porsche's next-gen sports car will retain its mid-engine proportions. It will also draw heavily from the Porsche Mission R Concept for styling, notable at the front end where narrow, rectangular headlights will hold station. Large air intakes dominate the lower fascia, though we can see they are closed off behind the horizontal bars.

The familiar side intakes ahead of the rear wheels are closed off as well. And if that's not enough evidence for this being an EV, the rear fascia seals the deal. The center exhaust outlet is clearly fake, and there are no other discernible pipes visible on this prototype.

We are obviously looking at a very rough prototype that might even be a test mule wearing a hodgepodge of exterior panels. Still, Porsche takes steps to hide specific body lines, especially around the lights and fascias. It's possible these areas could receive significant changes before a production model is revealed.

When that happens, we expect to see an EV riding on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture being developed with Audi. Porsche has already confirmed this, stating that the current 718 platform would require "too many compromises" in its transition to electric power. The all-new model will incorporate its battery pack low, nestled between the front and rear axles to maintain mid-engine balance and weight distribution. We expect a single-motor version that will power the rear wheels, and in a first for the Boxster/Cayman, a dual-motor option for all-wheel drive will be offered.


How much power will the electric 718 Boxster have? That's still unknown, though the Mission R Concept delivered no less than 1,073 horsepower (800 kilowatts) with front and rear motors working together. Such force almost certainly won't make it to production, but it's safe to say the new model will be plenty fast.

Porsche already confirmed the next-generation Boxster and Cayman for 2025. Expect a debut sometime in 2023, with production kicking off in late 2024.

[chris719]

This is my next car.

[BGM-M3COMP]

Yes! That’s what I wanna see!

Can’t wait to see what other car makers have in store.

[Rono63]

Looks good but could do without the fake exhaust tip.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by chris719

This is my next car.

I will also be very interested in this.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by Rono63

Looks good but could do without the fake exhaust tip.

That has to be some camo thing or leftover I would think. The Taycan has no fake exhaust so I doubt this would.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Rono63

Looks good but could do without the fake exhaust tip.

Yeah, just for camo... If you zoom in, it looks solid: https://www.e90post.com/forums/attac...4&d=1667943862

[M3WC]

I wonder when Porsche will end 718 GT4 production? Some of those dealer waitlists are years long.

[Alfisti]

[stein_325i]

[G30M]

I'll take the E-Tron GT RS

[Murf the Surf]

Originally Posted by DM5PAV

I think this car will lose a ton of character going electric.
If people hated the sound of the turbo4, wait till there is no sound at all.

It will be very fast, but… idk, to me this car was all about a manual transmission and winding out the gears. I imagine that on a track it will please, but on the road I don’t know what the point of this car will be, except to show off the badge. I may be completely, terribly wrong, but I’m struggling to imagine it being fun. And I struggle to imagine why I would say to myself, let’s go for a drive to nowhere just for the fun of driving.

Not like this hasn’t been said a billion times, but I think I have come to realize like so many others that the fun of driving really did revolve around a manual transmission and an ice engine.

I don’t think I would ever drive this (or any electric) just for the fun of it. There are even a few guys I know who ride their lawn mower for fun ha ha… electric is going to kill all that and I’m sure something else will take it’s place, but do I need a $90k electric cayman?

Idk about that.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Alfisti]

The whole Porsche community obsession with a manual transmission is hilarious. Anything built since 2005 is geared so fucking long, if you are hustling the car your gear changes consist of moving between 2nd and 3rd. 3rd will easily run you from 60kmh to 140kmh it's that long.

[Murf the Surf]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

The whole Porsche community obsession with a manual transmission is hilarious. Anything built since 2005 is geared so fucking long, if you are hustling the car your gear changes consist of moving between 2nd and 3rd. 3rd will easily run you from 60kmh to 140kmh it's that long.

I haven't driven any of the new stick shift Porsches so won't comment on that specifically. But I think the point about manuals in driver engagement and I suspect the same can be said for the paddle shift auto's to a certain extent. I think the point was that the whole EV sports car thing just comes up flat for people who like to drive. Sure, they are quick in a straight line, but sports car driving isn't just about that. I enjoy rowing the gears, it doesn't have to be about getting there fast but fun.

Maybe I'm just old school.

[Alfisti]

Right don't disagree but the long gearing means if you are hustling he car along, so using some revs, honestly it's 2nd to 3rd then........ that's it. I've no idea what 4th through 7th are for other than economy on the freeway.

I have the PDK so once the box and engine are warm i flip the switch to SPORT which tightens the whole car up a bit, then I flip the gear level to manual and use the flappy paddles to pick the gear i want. Again though, if I am giving it a bit of a flog, i can rev out second, change to 3rd and I am WELL beyond illegal speeds already. It's not like a Miata or whatever where you've go short gears and a narrow power band.

Part of the "problem" is the engine revs so freely. Most of the fun and visceral experience is above 4500RPM and doing that in 3rd means 120kh. Why the gears are so fucking long is beyond me.

[G MONEY]

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

I haven't driven any of the new stick shift Porsches so won't comment on that specifically. But I think the point about manuals in driver engagement and I suspect the same can be said for the paddle shift auto's to a certain extent. I think the point was that the whole EV sports car thing just comes up flat for people who like to drive. Sure, they are quick in a straight line, but sports car driving isn't just about that. I enjoy rowing the gears, it doesn't have to be about getting there fast but fun.

Maybe I'm just old school.

They should just put it a fake clutch and shifter then everyone can stop complaining? I mean, they are pumping fake noise it already, fuck it.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Right don't disagree but the long gearing means if you are hustling he car along, so using some revs, honestly it's 2nd to 3rd then........ that's it. I've no idea what 4th through 7th are for other than economy on the freeway.

I have the PDK so once the box and engine are warm i flip the switch to SPORT which tightens the whole car up a bit, then I flip the gear level to manual and use the flappy paddles to pick the gear i want. Again though, if I am giving it a bit of a flog, i can rev out second, change to 3rd and I am WELL beyond illegal speeds already. It's not like a Miata or whatever where you've go short gears and a narrow power band.

Part of the "problem" is the engine revs so freely. Most of the fun and visceral experience is above 4500RPM and doing that in 3rd means 120kh. Why the gears are so fucking long is beyond me.

Because it's a German car, geared for the Autobahn. I remember when I had my M Coupe and worked in Germany, I asked why I never saw them over there. The response was they were geared so redline in fifth was very nearly at 155mph, and no one wanted a car that made that much noise and ate that much gas on the AB.

[Germanauto]

I'm sure this will be the gold standard of driver's cars amongst EVs. But the thought of such a pure driver's car going EV depresses me. The traditional markers of a sports car: light weight, shifting one's gears, a wonderful noise, etc. which culminate in an engaging driving experience are all being thrown in the waste bin.

I'm gonna do my best to get an ICE Boxster S/GTS before this happens. The world is changing too fast.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Because it's a German car, geared for the Autobahn. I remember when I had my M Coupe and worked in Germany, I asked why I never saw them over there. The response was they were geared so redline in fifth was very nearly at 155mph, and no one wanted a car that made that much noise and ate that much gas on the AB.

BUT I HAVE 7 FUCKING GEARS. I understand 7th as a full blown loping freeway eater but 3rd through 5th needs to be way, way shorter. I want the sensation of flicking up and down through the gears but......... I exit in second, flick up to 3rd annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd i am at 140kmh, some 40kmh over the speed limit.

[G MONEY]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

I'm sure this will be the gold standard of driver's cars amongst EVs. But the thought of such a pure driver's car going EV depresses me. The traditional markers of a sports car: light weight, shifting one's gears, a wonderful noise, etc. which culminate in an engaging driving experience are all being thrown in the waste bin.

I'm gonna do my best to get an ICE Boxster S/GTS before this happens. The world is changing too fast.

Ice we be around for awhile my
Friend. No need to rush 😉

[chad86tsi]

Originally Posted by G MONEY

Ice we be around for awhile my
Friend. No need to rush 😉

True, but will it still be "good"?

About the gearing issues, the V12 doesn't even use 1st gear, it literally is unavailable unless you switch to manual and down shift into it. Even launch mode, it starts out in 2nd gear. It will down shift quickly with a throttle stab, but will cruise in the highest possible gear all the time. Damn fuel mileage rules

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

BUT I HAVE 7 FUCKING GEARS. I understand 7th as a full blown loping freeway eater but 3rd through 5th needs to be way, way shorter. I want the sensation of flicking up and down through the gears but......... I exit in second, flick up to 3rd annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd i am at 140kmh, some 40kmh over the speed limit.

But 140kph is 110 below the normal governed speed for most German cars and the 718 isn't governed. So being able to have 4-6 be useful at over 200kph provides AB and track drivers a useful advantage over cars that are geared for only lower speeds with a huge overdrive. Plus you have a flat torque curve, so shifting is a bit redundant anyway.