The Porsche Boxster and Cayman to Become the Rumored 718

718 Cayman (Credit: © Porsche)

There have been rumors of Porsche resurrecting the 718 name for years now, and it confirmed these today. Though some were hoping the 718 would be a new line of vehicles, it will actually represent a renaming of two existing models. The two models in question are the Boxster and Cayman siblings.

Both will gain the new 718 tag in front of their existing model names, making them the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman. According to Porsche’s press release, the two models will get their new names in 2016, which means they should be 2017 model year vehicles.

718 Cayman (Credit: © Porsche)

According to Porsche, a name change isn’t all that’s in the works for these two. The automaker also mentioned that the new 718 siblings will be visually and technically more similar than ever before. I am not 100 percent sure what will change, but given they are pretty similar already, I couldn’t imagine any sort of dramatic restyling.

Porsche also announced that these two models will gain new powertrains in the form of boosted flat-four engines. While there are no official details on this new engine lineup, recent reports indicate the base engine will be a 2.0-liter that produces 240 horsepower, while the optional 2.5-liter will produce 300 horses in the S models and 370 ponies in the GTS versions.

718 Boxster (Credit: © Porsche)

I am on the fence about these four-cylinder engines. All reports indicate they are super-powerful, particularly in the GT-S, but a high-strung four-pot may not sit well with Porsche faithful. Most Boxster and Cayman buyers have become used to the smooth torque band of their flat-six engines, and the snappy response of a boosted four-pot may not be something they take kindly to. Only time will tell if buyers warm up to this idea.

In terms of positioning of the 718 siblings, the Cayman will, of course, be the base model, while the Boxster version will be the pricier model.

718 Boxster (Credit: © Porsche)

There is no official word on when the 718 will debut, but all signs point toward early 2016. We’ll bring you all of the latest details once they become available.