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Petrol power in Porsche’s baby sports car is safe for at least two more years, its GT product boss hints, with an all-electric model rumoured to arrive by mid-decade.
The 982-generation, petrol-powered Porsche 718 Cayman will continue on sale until (at least) late 2023, its maker has confirmed, as Porsche eyes an electric future for its smallest sports car.
“[The GT4 RS is] not limited, it’s not a limited car. We’re going to have a production run of at least two, two and a half years on that one, so there will be plenty of cars coming around,” said Preuninger.
“We are not deliberately making a shortage out of these cars. We are just producing as many as we can. It is realistic that this car will find a lot of lovers out there that want to have one. This is true and we are trying our best to cover it all.”
Production of the new 718 GT4 RS is expected to commence in the coming months – meaning the 982-generation Cayman remains safe in showrooms until mid-2024, if the latter of Preuninger’s timelines comes to fruition.
The confirmation of the current-generation Cayman’s future comes as rumours continue to swirl around the next-generation 718 range, widely expected to make the switch to electric power upon its launch towards the middle of the decade.
While GT4 RS production will end around 2024, launch timing for the new electric 718 range remains unconfirmed, as it’s unclear if there will be any overlap in showrooms between petrol and electric variants – something currently planned for the Macan, which will enjoy cross-over between the 2023 launch of the electric model, and the petrol variant’s demise in 2024.
It’s also not clear if the GT4 RS will be the final 982-series Cayman model to roll off the production line, though Porsche enthusiasts will recall that the final versions of the 911-generation Porsche 911 to exit the factory were exclusive Speedster editions, also developed by Preuninger’s team.
Time is also running out for the 4.0-litre flat-six powering the GT4 RS, as Euro 7 emissions regulations due in 2025 or 2026 will place heavy restrictions on what car makers can achieve with petrol power – though synthetic fuels, like those being developed by Porsche, could offer a partial solution.
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines as a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
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