In early 2022, Porsche confirmed the persistent rumor that the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman would go electric by the mid-2020s. Late last year, the Stuttgart sports car maker talked up its “Flexline” capability that can accommodate internal-combustion- and EV-powered vehicles coming down the same line. We found out then that the switchover would happen in 2025, the Flexline inclusion suggesting Porsche could keep the ICE-powered entry-level coupe and convertible in the lineup, the same way it’s doing with the Macan and Macan EV. That overlap won’t last long at all, if a supposedly leaked dealer document is accurate.
X user Zerin Dube posted a screenshot allegedly from the Porsche dealer portal informing storefronts, “End of production for all 982 models is currently planned for October 2025.” That 982 refers to the automaker’s internal codename for the 718 cars.
From the dealer portal https://t.co/8TGjZ07GhA pic.twitter.com/S2XZafRGRs
— Zerin Dube (@SpeedSportLife) June 12, 2024
If there’s good news in there, it’s that — again, allegedly — Porsche is pushing the sales of units with manual transmissions due to limited availability of the PDK dual-clutch gearbox.
The next generation is being built on the Volkswagen Group’s new SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) architecture that will replace the current mix of VW’s MEB, PPE, and J1 EV-specific platforms. Changeable enough to support city cars with barely 100 horsepower at one end to supercars with more than 1,600 horsepower at the other, the particular variant serving the 718 twin is called SSP Sport.
Recent spy shots of the cars undergoing winter testing offered a better look at their even more shapely backside, at one time said to be derived from the 2021 Mission R Concept. The production models show off Mission R headlights, too, which, admittedly, appear similar to units on the updated Taycan and Macan Electric, and that flash the same quad LED DRL design that also doubles as turn signals. The front bumper isn’t ready to give up its secrets, still plenty of disguise work to keep us in the dark about production styling. The new Boxster EV reveals a full-width LED taillight, lurking not far from a charge port visible in the center of the prototype decoy rear bumper.
The aero wheels on the test car feature deep-dish rims, the sort of partial covers intended to add range, partly obscuring some mighty large front brake rotors and black-painted calipers. We’re probably in for more spy shots before an official teaser campaign begins, but this is looking all right so far.