One could say that the Porsche Boxster was one of the cars that brought the Stuttgart-based automaker on to the path of profitability. Introduced in 1997, it revived the idea of a relatively entry-level mid-engined Porsche.
It was then supplemented by the Cayman in 2005. While easy to dismiss as a hardtop Boxster, the Cayman eventually became its own thing, spawning more hardcore models down the line.
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These junior Porsches, along with the Cayenne, are some of the reasons why Porsche is able to keep building 911s. Without these, the iconic rear-engine sports car might not be around with us today. But soon, the Boxster and Cayman will be no more.
Okay, perhaps that’s a bit of an exaggeration. Rather, the Porsche Boxster and Cayman as we know it today will be no more. Per German automotive outlet Automobilwoche, Porsche's production manager Albrecht Reimold has confirmed that the gas-powered versions of these entry-level sports cars will by axed soon.
How soon, you ask? By the middle of 2025, the final examples of these two cars will roll off the assembly line. But that doesn’t mean Porsche is abandoning the Boxster and Cayman lineage altogether. Reimold said that electric successors will be made and that both will be “[a] real fun car.”
The thing is, the Boxster and Cayman are doing relatively well in terms of sales. So why are Porsche killing off the gas-powered versions? One can say it’s emissions regulations that forced Porsche’s hand here. In Europe, automakers must meet a certain fleet-wide average CO2 emission target.
While Porsche has the Tacan and Macan EVs in its range, it also has flat-sixes and V8s in its stable. Great engines, yes, but it shoots up Porsche’s fleet-wide CO2 average. As a result, the fuel-fed Boxster, Cayman, and Macan had to be let go.
It could be said that it probably wasn’t an easy decision for Porsche to make. If it’s any consolation, though, at least it wasn’t the 911 that was put on the chopping block.
