Well if you thought the turbo 911 was drastic... Rumours are now that the facelifted Porsche
Boxster
Cayman
, the 981.2, will not only ditch atmospheric engines but do away with six cylinders altogether.
Which is significant, certainly more important than the lightly updated styling. The introduction of turbocharged flat-fours will also see greater power differentiation between the models; expect around 250hp from the base cars, 300hp from an S and 350hp from the GTS. We'd hope specials in the mould of the GT4 will continue with six cylinders.
It's understood that the single-turbo engines will be offered in 2.0-litre - for the base Cayman/Boxster models - and 2.5-litre versions. There could even be some electric assistance to work round the turbo lag but let's not get ahead of ourselves here.
Big news then. And there's more. Since its introduction in 2005, the Cayman has consistently been outsold by the Boxster. To address this Porsche is planning to drop the Cayman below the Boxster as an entry-level model rather than an equivalent. Risky? For now this is only suggested for 'some markets' but it's certainly bold.
This appears more than just a subtle mid-life refresh for the Boxster and Cayman then. With the new 911 coming at Frankfurt the new cars won't be seen until 2016, most likely Geneva. More info as we know it!
[Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien]