The writing has been on the wall for years now for the Porsche 718. One day soon, the Boxster and Cayman will go electric, and Porsche’s cheaper internal-combustion sports car will be no more. Now, we may know the 718’s expiration date: Fall of 2025, when Porsche’s junior coupe allegedly goes out of production for good. With a combustion engine, anyway.
So claims Twitter user Zerin Dube, who shared an image allegedly originating from Porsche’s dealer portal. The screen capture depicts a bulletin supposedly sent to Porsche dealers with updated product and sales information, including a projection that the current-gen 718 (the 982) will exit production in October 2025. That fits with the expected timeline for the 718’s replacement, which is expected to arrive in 2025 or 2026.
Porsche did not respond to a request for confirmation at the time of publication.
From the dealer portal https://t.co/8TGjZ07GhA pic.twitter.com/S2XZafRGRs
— Zerin Dube (@SpeedSportLife) June 12, 2024
The 718 model line formally dates back to 1996 with the introduction of the Boxster, though its name pays tribute to the lightweight race car from 1957. The Boxster and its hardtop alter ego the Cayman came to not only punch at their weight, but above it, with some believing it could’ve surpassed the 911’s capability given the chance. That could never be allowed to happen under Porsche brand politics though, and the ICE 718 is already on its way out, having been taken off the market in Europe due to a new EU cybersecurity law.
The sports car that replaces it will, for better or worse, be electric. It won’t be an EV that aims for thousands of horsepower and long range, but one that remains conscious of weight and the compromise it imposes on driving dynamics. There are those who will mourn the switchover, but it (and the intro of the hybrid 911) will allow Porsche’s sports cars to carry on into the future. It might even allow for the 718 to escape the 911’s shadow once and for all, and for Porsche to finally explore its true potential.
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