Why Porsche Is Phasing Out the Gas-Powered Cayman—and What Comes Next
For years, the Porsche Cayman has been hailed by enthusiasts as the purist’s choice—a mid-engine sports car with sublime handling, analog feel, and Porsche DNA at a (relatively) attainable price. But its future in Porsche’s lineup is rapidly shifting. While the Cayman isn’t disappearing altogether, the gas-powered version is nearing the end of its lifecycle, making way for a bold, all-electric replacement.
Here’s why Porsche is sunsetting the combustion Cayman—and what the next chapter will look like.
Regulations, Not Rejection: Why Porsche Is Moving On
The decision isn’t about demand or identity—it’s about global emissions regulations and compliance costs.
Europe’s upcoming Euro 7 emissions standards, set to begin in 2025, will impose strict limits not only on tailpipe emissions but also on particulate matter from brakes and tires—driving development costs higher across all vehicle types. For a low-volume, enthusiast model like the Cayman, these costs are harder to justify. Porsche executives have acknowledged that electrification is the only viable path forward for its smaller sports cars.
“There’s no way around going electric,” said Porsche CEO Oliver Blume in a 2022 investor call. “We will fully electrify the next generation of the 718.” [¹]
The Cayman’s engine—particularly the naturally aspirated flat-six found in the GT4 and Spyder—is beloved by fans, but would require major investment to meet emissions compliance in the next few years. That investment would push its price dangerously close to the 911, risking internal competition and cannibalization of the brand’s halo car.
The 718 EV Is Coming—and It’s Not Just a Retrofit
Rather than adapting the Taycan’s platform or modifying the gas-powered 718 chassis, Porsche is developing a bespoke electric sports car platform to underpin the next-gen 718 Cayman and Boxster. It’s expected to debut in 2025 and go on sale as a 2026 model.
This platform will feature:
A mid-mounted battery design to mimic the weight distribution of a mid-engine layout
Rear- and all-wheel-drive variants
Instantaneous torque delivery and regenerative braking for sharper dynamics
A design inspired by the Mission R concept, which Porsche unveiled in 2021 as a signal of what its future electric sports cars will look and feel like
"We will launch the all-electric 718 in the middle of the decade," confirmed Porsche CFO Lutz Meschke in an interview with Autocar [²].
Early reports suggest that the electric 718 will be lighter and more driver-focused than the Taycan and more accessible than the upcoming electric 911, which Porsche has said won’t arrive until “the end of the decade at the earliest.”
Economics and Emissions: Why the Cayman Was Always Vulnerable
While the Cayman remains a darling of the enthusiast press, it’s never been a volume leader. In 2023, Porsche sold approximately:
87,000 Macans globally
86,000 Cayennes
Over 40,000 911s
But only around 20,000 Boxster and Cayman units combined [³]
That makes the 718 the lowest-volume model in the lineup. When emissions rules require costly engineering upgrades, the return on investment for a low-volume, lower-margin model simply doesn’t add up.
By transitioning the Cayman to electric, Porsche not only reduces its fleet-wide emissions (required under EU and U.S. standards), but also avoids pouring money into developing a platform that might be legislated out of existence in a few years.
What’s Next for Enthusiasts?
Here’s the good news: Porsche knows exactly what the Cayman means to drivers. The EV version isn’t going to be a soft, commuter-oriented coupe. Based on all available reports, it’s being engineered as a proper sports car—lightweight, agile, and immersive.
Porsche has confirmed the following about the next-gen 718 EV:
It will be positioned below the 911 in both price and performance
It will not replace the 911, which will remain combustion-powered for the foreseeable future
It will offer more emotional engagement than the Taycan, with a stronger focus on cornering dynamics and feedback
And if the Mission R prototype is any indication, Porsche isn’t planning to take the EV transition lightly—it’s aiming to reinvent what a small electric sports car can be.
Final Thoughts: The Cayman’s Legacy Lives On—in a New Form
Porsche isn’t killing the Cayman. It’s transforming it.
The current gas-powered Cayman—especially in GT4 RS form—is already a future classic. But the decision to move on is rooted in a changing automotive landscape, one where regulation, electrification, and sustainability dictate the shape of performance.
The electric 718 won’t sound like the old one. But if Porsche gets it right—and they usually do—it could drive even better. That, more than nostalgia, is what the future of Porsche performance is built on.
Sources:
[1] Porsche AG Investor Call Transcript – 2022 Q3
[2] Autocar UK Interview with Porsche CFO Lutz Meschke, March 2023
[3] Porsche Annual Report 2023 – Deliveries and Model Breakdown
