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Porsche Boxster and Cayman Facelift Models All Getting 2-liter Turbo Engines with 240, 300 and 370 HP

The 981-generation Porsche Cayman and Boxster still look like brand new cars. But they will undergo changes of a radical nature. For their mid-life facelift, engineers are planning to switch to downsized engines that not only use turbocharging but also have fewer cylinders.
981.2 Cayman will have a 2-liter engine 1 photo
Photo: Catalin Garmacea
We’ve known that for quite some time, but we never had details like the ones Car Magazine just published. All Boxster and Cayman models except for the more hardcore ones will use 2-liter, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder turbo engines. That’s in stark contrast to the current range that varies in output from 2.7 to 3.4 liters.

All the engines will be single-turbo ones, not twin-turbo like the V6 used by the Macan or the flat-6 in the 911 Turbo. An unknown e-boost system might be used to reduce the sensation of turbo lag.

Right now, Cayman models have 10 extra horsepower compared to their Boxster equivalents. That practice is going to stop, and Porsche is even thinking of making the coupe cheaper and simpler than the roadster because sales have gone down.

Both entry-level models will have a 240 horsepower output, which is a substantial decrease from today’s 265 hp Boxster and 275 hp Cayman. But, with launch control and more torque, the cars will not become slower. Many companies cut a few horses when downsizing because this gives them wiggle room for future updates. That’s what happened to the Audi S4 when it went from 4.2-liter V8 to supercharged V6.

So, let’s imagine we’re at the Detroit/Geneva Motor Show, and the updated cars have just been revealed. What are they going to be compared to? Well, the basic Cayman now packs just 240 horsepower, which is about the same as an Audi TT 2.0 TFSI. Some might even see it fit to mention that many hot hatches offer a little more power.

The only models with power gains will be the GTS ones. They will same 370 PS from the same 2-liter boxer engines. That’s 40 more in the case of the Boxster and 30 in the Cayman. That still means the Mercedes “45 AMG” models have a slight power advantage.

If this report turns out to be true, Porsche’s mid-engined sportscars will occupy a different place in the market. Between the small turbo engines and the upcoming electric vehicles, this is not the same company that made the 356.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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