2016 Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman – new names for Porsche’s cars

The new Porsche Boxster and Cayman models are getting a name change for 2016 to 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman as they get four-cylinder engines.

The Porsche 718 Boxster and Porsche 718 Cayman. No, they’re not limited edition models from Porsche, but the new names for Porsche’s cheaper sports cars from 2016.

Porsche has announced that from next year both the Cayman and the Boxster will be known as the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman as the cars move to four-cylinder turbo power to cut emissions and improve economy.

The ‘718’ moniker is a nod to the Porsche 718 – a 1950s sports car – and Porsche clearly seem to be making a virtue out of the enforced move to smaller, forced induction engines by creating a link to previous successful Porsches with four-cylinder engines.

They also say that the Boxster and Cayman will in future be even more similar than they currently are, with both powered by the same engines and having very similar looks.

Porsche hasn’t released any details of the new engines, but the betting is on a 2.0 litre producing around 285bhp and a 2.5 litre with around 365bhp in the S models. There is also a possibility that the engines will benefit from some sort of electrical assistance.

Porsche say they will be introducing the 718 models during the course of 2016, and that the Roadster will be at a higher price – just like the 911.

No doubt, in time, the 718 Boxster and Cayman will morph in to a single Porsche 718 Coupe and Roadster.