What's all this about?
Porsche is junking the six-cylinder, horizontally opposed 'boxer' engines for the all-new Boxster and Cayman models due out next year. Instead, they'll be powered by mid-mounted turbocharged four-cylinder boxer units.
Oh no! Why has Porsche done this?
It's just another tale of the downsizing fad sweeping the automotive world, in which the same or more power can be had from a smaller, forced induction engine, rather than a larger, normally aspirated unit. There is some rather excellent news attached to this, though, especially if you're a Porsche aficionado.
I am - what's the goss?
Stuttgart has a history of making boxer fours - the combustion bit of the awesome Le Mans-winning 919 hybrid's drivetrain is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot, while back in the 1950s Porsche had two very special racing vehicles, named the 550 Spyder and the 718. And one of these badges is making a comeback.
I take it that it'll be 718 that's revived?
You take it right. The new models will be called the 718 Boxster and the 718 Cayman and furthermore, to bring the smaller vehicles into line with the 911, the 718 Boxster will cost more than the 718 Cayman. So despite the move to a turbocharged four, we're looking forward to these newcomers immensely.
Matt Robinson - 10 Dec 2015