Agree with you about stopping production of ICE Boxster and Cayman. It seems to me that Porsche’s commitment to EV production may be exceeding the demand for them. Why not hedge their bets and produce them in parallel with ICE? Like Macan?
Because the Boxster/ Cayman have not been selling well for years now. They are wildly overpriced, and folks have realized they can get better cars for the same money. Here in the US, for the price of a decently optioned Cayman you can get a new Corvette.
Playing the devil’s advocate, going EV will make the existing ICE versions more precious to the enthusiasts and if Hyundai & Alfa Romeo can make great driving exciting EVs Porsche can surely do an incredible electric Boxster or Cayman. I think those cars would obviously lose some purist customers but would also attract a new demographic.
It’s because of EU regulations. Every 1g/km over the limit of 100 and something, the manufacturer must pay 100€ for each car produced. It means about 1000€ every 10g and 10000 every 100g. Easy to reach these values. The car would cost a lot more. That’s how dumb regulations are now.
I think once the full electric Cayman/Boxter models come in sales will tank. I don't care how good they are, I'll have no interest at all. Porsche do a hybrid if you must.
I am a big fan of mid-engine Porches and had a 981 S few years ago. Brilliant car and great soundtrack. Having said that, I doubt the electric Boxster/Cayman sales will "tank" as you are predicting. At the moment there is NO electric sports car in the market. Period. MG Cyberster is practically the only EV sports car being launched in 2024 and is available for orders now. While I wont be buying EV version of Cayman/Boxster, at least not in next few years, there is PLENTY of people outside the current Cayman/Boxster customer base who will be buying the new EV version. I am sure of it, I know many folks in their 30s without family and driving a Tesla etc. and complaining that they want more compact EV without back seats. You are underestimating the amount of new drivers attracted to the Porsche brand and the younger generation in their 30s who actually do not care about the soundtrack as much as we do. They just want coolest EV out there and four door models in the market right now are not an answer for them.
Yep, the question about the Boxster and Cayman becoming EV is a good one. I owned in 2015 a 981 Cayman S and thought it was a great sports car, extremely well balanced. Its flat-6 and 325 horses were a delight, the handling wonderful, the soundtrack (pre-particle filter) awesome and the whole driving experience made you feel alive. And that’s not even talking about the GT4 iterations. How an EV concept of these unforgettable cars will manage to convey equivalent emotions and pleasure seems, at this stage, an unsolvable mystery. How will they sell them in sufficient numbers, is another one, as you rightly point out 😎
I’ve owned every iteration of Boxster from the very first 2.5 litre 986 Boxster to the 718 Spyder which I currently own. I will not be buying an electric version. No interest whatsoever.
Sad news indeed but surely not a mistake. Was Taycan mistake? They are selling great. These new EV models will bring lot of new customers to Porsche, people who were not necessarily familiar with the brand before. Younger generation as well, they do not care about the flat six as we do but appreciate other things Porsche can offer.
I know they had upgraded things a few years ago now at silverstone. I went last in 2008 and we were in quick as blink on the Thursday, and on way home, Sunday night after race in wet conditions, we did journey about 25 minutes slower largely due to M25 being its usual chaos. Although mate and his son were watching at copse and meat abbey, we’d packed up in morning so we’re good to go at drop of chequered flag. We took 15 minutes to get to car and managed to get away pronto! I went to imola a few years ago - oh my goodness. It was awful to get in and out of circuit as on,y one way to access circuit.
Hope Porsche have a top secret back up (ICE) plan for the Boxster & Cayman when sales tank. Sure they will have. They'll just try and poker face it, until it's clear that there's too much brown stuff hitting their over sized fan.
Great MW180. Thanks for the nod towards Henry Catchpole's review on the 992.2. As you say very educational in an entertaining way. Also led me to his Formentor and Sa Calobra drive which was amazing although strangely uncomfortable since I've only ever cycled them rather than driven them. Makes me want to drive them now though.
With the rather disastrous residual prices of EVs and especially the Taycan which if you believe the news, even Porsche dealers don’t want them on their second hand forecourt, it’s hard to see the EV Boxster being any different. I can’t see me wanting to change my 987 S for a battery on wheels though…….
Happy to hear you will behind the wheel of an MC20 at long last. Give it a good go up the hill, and remind Henry group that a long term loaner would be great.
Hope everyone is well. Fastest finger first to get in the seven nearly didn’t work! Brain reacted faster then my fingers and started watching as opposed to commenting!! Think I just made it in.
Part of being a proper Sports car is the sound of the exhaust, the sound of the induction and the sound of the engine. How are you going to achieve any of those with a milk float!
Looking forward to seeing how the build is going on Friday.Shame about Porsche, but that is the way of things these days unfortunately.Have a great (and safe) FOS.
Hey Pedro, Why would Porsche discontinue their petrol engine cars when they have developed a synthetic fuel for the future of motoring🤔 makes no sense.
Shame about the Cayman, think manufacturers are being a bit quick to remove ice from lineup as different options will appear to extend their lives. Another great update,thanks 👍
I currently have a Cayman 718S which is on PCP (PCP being something I wish I had never done, it's a terrible way NOT to buy a car!!). The deal runs out in around 18 months and I expected I would carry on the deal with a new Cayman/Boxster but I definitely won't be buying an electric Porsche!!! It just stinks! I am ok with the sound of my 718S (4 cyclinder) as opposed to my friends Cayman flat 6 because I can't tell much difference in engine sound between the two, when in the car. Going electric is too far though and I expect I will have to simply hand in my car to Porsche at the end of the PCP deal and go and find another vehicle elsewhere. Not ideal because I will have paid thousands for nothing, despite the big deposit I paid when I bought the car (which I will also lose) and then lose the value of the car too. It's nuts, if I understand PCP correctly which I am not sure I do? Disgruntled by this and like you say, very sad indeed!
Very sad about the loss of the ICE from the 728, currently have a 4.0 GTS Boxster and great car. Looking at a Spyder RS following your video, just wondering if the prices will come off over winter or whether to jump in now
For the enthusiast aimed EVs, I think they all just need to do what Hyundai have with the Ioniq 5N and implement simulated gears and sounds. The cars will never be as special as ICE cars of the past but it will get us most of the way there to make them actually involving to drive
Hello Peter! Fast today…No Porsche ICE…I find it hard to believe that petrol powered cars are going..my entire life has been filled with them and that is 76 years…unbelievable but have found EV driving to work very well and I’m ready to be converted as long as we CAN still drive existing ICE cars for many years to come..but it might be a very expensive pleasure! Questions..Which car you have owned has given you the best memories? 2. If you could have only one car to drive from the 1960-2000 years, what would it be and why. 3. What was the most memorable driving journey you have had and would do again if possible to recreate it? Have a perfect, safe and dent free FoS! I’m going to TRY to see you as you get sorted out in the Maserati on Friday! I’ll be the old bod in the light blue raincoat…easy to spot then!! Stay safe…keep building! Richard.😃😃😃😃😃
Why not hybrid? From early reviews it looks like Porsche have actually used these industry killing regulations to benefit the 911. I just don't see there being much market for a likely 2 ton, small sports car with limited range.
there isn't , and there will never be, an "electric" sports car .... what I mean by that is that a sports car is more than it's engine, it is the feeling of connection with the car, the road, the drive, and as you remove all these things, what ignites the passion of these for us, car enthusiasts, is gone. Yes, you will have folks buying them, but the car passion will slowly fade ...
Very sad news indeed. The industry push to electric is really sad. I have no idea why alternative fuels aren't getting any focus. I’ve got zero interest in EV and I'm sure a large proportion of the population is the same. New car sales are going to tank over the next five years, with everybody looking to the used market. It's going to have a major negative impact on the industry.
I have always wanted a Cayman, but no way would I ever buy an electric one. I would imagine they will start making ICE versions again at some point, especially if they are able to get their e-fuel into everyday cars.
When I last looked at the Goodwood website the only tickets they had left were for Thursday general admission but the price outrageous. I hardly think it matters that Porsche are dropping the Boxster and Cayman ICE cars because with the nanny state interfering with their “safety” ie CONTROL systems motoring will cease to be fun and any manufacturers that make predominantly fast cars will simply go out of business. A very bleak future
I'm sure the new EV's from Porsche will be very fast and capable, but it's not all about the power, it's the whole experience of driving and the sound. I'll be keeping my 6 pot spyder for as long as I can.
No more ice boxster/cayman? Watch the sales figures. As I commented on the Alfa video, some brands and models are not suited for ev. Mainstream cars as ev okay, but no sportscars.
Only EV sports car currently in the market is MG Cyberster, and available for order. Believe me, there are lot of people eager to buy EV sports car with 2 doors whenever some OEM will decide to offer one...they are not however the ones from current Cayman/Boxster clientele
Definitely the wrong decision, many people are just not interested in going down the electric route! I will be changing my car for a new petrol one in the next year or eighteen months max with the intention of keeping that long term, while ever I can get petrol and parts for it to be serviced!
2025? That’s for the US and Asian markets, isn’t it? I thought production for Europe had finished already as the cars didn’t have the “Government remote-control” box fitted that became compulsory in the EU and UK earlier this week….
Question, having just watched a promotional video from Ford for their latest EV, model name Capri, what classic model will be the next to have its name resurrected by Ford as an EV? Or by any other manufacturer?
The problem is with the 'copyright' rules on vehicle names which limits what a manufacturer can use. I am awaiting the resurection of 'Esquire' ' Popular', 'Zephyr' , 'Zodiac' and 'Consul' by Ford. BMW are shamelessly using 'Mini' and 'Cooper' for their family saloon cars even though 'Mini' is a contraction of Miniature.
I think the next EV and hybrid Porsches will be prohibitively expensive(although they are already that way actually). But maybe the used market will be my way in. You can get a Taycan for not crazy money now so who knows.
So t sweat it. Porsche have gaffed badly before, remember dropping manuals? Remember flat fours? This will be the next. They’ll be quickly withdrawn. 👍
Disastrous news on the Porsche decision to stop ICE Boxster and Cayman.. Toyota managed to avoid this decision. I worry for the future of the Porsche brand and business. We have seen a steady decline in quality since VW bought them in 2012 and this decision is not looking promising for their future. See you at GFOS Pete @718 OAK
Hi Ped Fi best race for a long long time. 👍👍Lewis deserved the win, but it could have been Max or Lando. Now McLaren & Mercedes are back in contention should be some more good races to come. Your FOS weekend looks like Christmas has come early. ENJOY. I think it is a tragedy Porsche are pulling the plug on ICE on Cayman & Boxster so early. Yet another example of our idiot politicians forcing their ideology on all of us without considering costing & effect.🤐 Tears & pain will follow, mark my word.😥
Hi Ped, think we had a bit of a paddy last week, but can I say I appreciate your channel and content, really like the channel. I’ve had a great career in the industry but can’t accept EV as being the future. There is so much crap about climate change and emissions it’s obviously a lie. Just like particulate emissions engineering will resolve the Co2 nonsense, ( as if it will make any difference ), EV isn’t the future for the industry it’s just a money scam. Hydrogen may be an answer for HGV but it’s too complicated for cars. Biofuel for cars maybe, the infrastructure is already there, it just needs a small amount of investment compared to dirty battery production and disposal. We did particulate capture with diesel, we can do carbon capture with petrol. Time the industry woke up and smelt the coffee before it’s too late. I’m just about to lose a fortune ( in my world ) getting rid of a hybrid and going back to petrol ( wish it was a diesel but diesel tax in NL is ridiculous). Like my thoughts on your last Alfa review, Porsche should be petrol, in fact petrol and diesel should be the first line of production with EV as an expensive option. They do accelerate quickly, but that’s it, end of story.
Now here is a guy that has clearly done an exhaustive review of the peer-reviewed literature proving made man climate change!😆 Facts not feelings mate!😆
Maybe Porsche will backtrack like they did with fitting a 6 cylinder to the 718 which was consumer led, hybrid drive like the new 992.2 could be the answer, may already be in the pipeline 😉 if not im sticking with my GTS 4.0 , that howl is all i need ☺️
An even worse decision than electrifying the Macan with no ICE alternative. How much would have it really cost to upgrade the security features to keep the EU happy? As with the Macan the initial demand will be high but unlike its petrol alternatives will tail off. I’ve got a used Taycan Turismo GTS and love it but I’ve also got a Maserati V8 GranCabrio and love that much more. Both have their place. I do fear Porsche have overcomitted to the EV market regardless of what Keir does in the UK.
Isn’t it due to the same reason the Macan ICE is being ended? Some spurious EU legislation on security as both the Macan and 718 are old platforms…..nevertheless with all the negative vibes with EVs it does seem madness, perhaps you can ask your Porsche contacts how the Macan EV is selling?
I was at FoS yesterday and Porsche had no ICE cars on the main show stand except a lonely 911. Cayenne hidden away in a 'lifestyle field. Very sad to see. All Taycan and new Macan (which is a horrible and bland looking car in the flesh).
Porsche does seem to go into an ambiguous direction, putting all their egs on the brand appreciation and appeal basket. It might bite back all this desirability due to luxury car vs desirability due to porscheness; the focus is on making more money instead of making cars that are more Porsche; they are starting to devalue the brand with this approach.
Every Cayman/Boxster generation was the lowest seller in Porsche lineup. But thats a good thing, you can always get a low volume 718 GTS and be happy to that it'll keep its value better than most 911s
The quality of new electric cars coming out of China is so good, so fast, so affordable that the only way for Porsche and other manufacturers to survive is to go ev. I have been a full on petrol head all my life and had never even sat in an ev until yesterday. But yesterday I walked into my local MG dealer and I drove the MG4 XPower. I almost regret it because everything I have beleived until now has been blown out of the water. Over the years I have driven all manner of fast V8's and turbo cars here in Australia, but nothing prepared me for the XPower, this is performance on a whole new level. I'm converted !
Much the same happened to me, although my cars tended to be warm hatches like the 205 GTi and a number of quite brisk turbo-diesels. However, after test driving a Fiat 500e 30 months ago and sampling how relaxing one pedal driving was on our crowded roads coupled to that instant torque, I placed an order on the spot and have never regretted going electric since then. That said, if I could not charge at home, I would have stuck with an ICE car as long as possible.
Suggest you change the channel name to Battery Ped..! It would be more appropriate as you have gone down the Bevangelist route. Don’t blame you, as you are obviously making a few bob and getting plenty of jolly’s 👍
Electric Crap. Had a Mini Cooper S new electric courtesy car today, please keep ICE going. Hated the electric car and was sooo happy to get back into our Mini Cooper ICE car.
Stopping ice is a massive mistake the have ev that they will not part ex for another just seems madness. I had Jaguar for year but my car now is a Mazda cx60 phev and it is amazing. They have petrol and diesel that are amazingly clean so why ev.
Not surprised that Porsche is making the cull. Clearly they’re following the disastrous EV route. Suzuki are doing the Same. EV milk floats of the 50’s never made it to this century. Neither did recycling the milk bottles.
Big mistake from Porsche, there will be European manufacturers that will fall by the wayside going EV , they won’t compete with the Chinese on price I do believe that within 5 years Chinese built cars will end up dominating our car market .
No, there will be plenty of people buying the EV version as well. Most of them however are not the ones driving with current ICE version. New folks to the brand who are keen to get a Porsche EV without four doors. And in 7-10 years even the 4 pot Cayman/Boxster will sound glorious and used ones will appreciate well when there are no new ICEs around.