Porsche 718 Series Withdraws from Indian Market

Porsche has ended sales of the 718 series in the Indian market. The 718 lineup has been removed from the company’s India website, and new orders for the Boxster and Cayman have been halted. This marks the end of the internal combustion engine-powered 718 Cayman and Boxster in India.

According to Porsche, deliveries will continue for customers who have already placed orders, but no new orders will be accepted. This move aligns with Porsche’s global strategy and is believed to be in anticipation of the next-generation 718 series transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs).

Evolution of the 718 Series

Porsche’s mid-engine two-seater models adopted the “718” name with the current generation’s mid-life facelift. When the 718 Boxster was unveiled in January 2016, many purists frowned upon the switch from the traditional flat-six engines to flat-four engines across much of the lineup. I was one of those purists myself.

However, it’s still fresh in memory that the top-tier 718 Boxster GTS and Spyder, as well as the 718 Cayman GTS and GT4, were equipped with naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engines and became hugely popular.

718 Series in the Indian Market

In 2022, Porsche India launched the 718 Cayman GTS and 718 Boxster GTS priced at 1.46 crore INR and 1.49 crore INR respectively (approximately 25 to 26 million yen). These models were equipped with the same flat-six engines found in the top-spec Spyder and GT4.

About five months later, Porsche introduced the 718 Cayman GT4 RS at 2.54 crore INR (approximately 44 million yen).

In the first half of this year, although the Macan and Cayenne accounted for about 63% of Porsche India’s sales, the 718 models contributed a total of 489 units sold.

Next-Generation 718 Series – The Path to Electrification

Reports indicate that the fifth-generation Cayman and Boxster will be fully electric vehicles. Scheduled to debut in 2025, these EV models will be produced at Porsche’s Zuffenhausen factory on the same production line as the current internal combustion engine models.

The 718 EV will adopt a dedicated electric sports car platform designed to mimic the mid-engine characteristics of the current internal combustion models. This platform may also be used in future Audi and Lamborghini models.

Porsche India has confirmed that reservations for this new electric 718 series are expected to begin around 2025.

Cayman (987) and 718 Cayman T

The Porsche 718 series is poised to usher in a new era in the world of sports cars. The shift from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles reflects the broader trends in the automotive industry, and Porsche’s move into this space will have a significant impact on the sector.

Porsche is confident that electrification will not diminish the appeal of the 718 series. On the contrary, they believe it will offer a new kind of driving enjoyment by leveraging the characteristics of electric motors. At least, I have high hopes for the 718 EV. Just imagining a motor-driven Cayman and Boxster body with a low center of gravity thanks to the battery makes it impossible not to be excited. In fact, my interest now lies more there than with the later stages of the 992 generation.