UPDATE: 2026/08/07 13:13 EST BY SEAN MCMANUS
Buyers Still Want Gas 718s
We added a section to discuss how the 718 Boxster out-sold cheaper sports cars last year, and its used values are holding steady.
Despite pushback from enthusiasts, Porsche is still committed to replacing the 718 Boxster and Cayman with an all-electric successor that’ll share its platform with the production version of the Audi Concept C. That tidbit comes straight from the top, as confirmed by company CEO Michael Leiter to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine, so any hope of retraction seems very unlikely. We still have questions, but those will have to wait as Leiter gave no indication of the sports car’s details.
Porsche 718 Boxster EV PrototypeCarBuzz/Valnet
Get Ready For A Boxster EV
Porsche is aware of the naysayers both outside and within the brand who are skeptical of an all-electric 718, especially as pertains to its shared architecture with a theoretically cheaper Audi project. But Leiter was quick to shut down any rumor that the Boxster and Cayman are only going electric to give the Concept C a shot at survival.
With the electric 718, we came to the conclusion that we will build the model – because it is the best solution economically and will be a fantastic car.
-Michael Leiter, Porsche Chief Executive Officer
According to a version of the interview translated from its original German, Leiter told the newspaper that the idea of a 718 EV had nothing to do with Audi in the beginning. Per the CEO, after deciding an electric Boxster and Cayman would be both economically feasible and dynamically satisfying, only then did Porsche approach the rest of Volkswagen Group for potential product synergies.
Audi Concept CAudi
That collaboration will come from Audi in the form of the Concept C’s production-ready successor. Positioned as a spiritual revival of the stylish TT, the Concept C will actually occupy a more premium position within the brand than its Golf-based predecessor. Anecdotally, the Concept C also previewed Audi’s future design language, which will first show up in production form on the Nuvolari supercar
“Porsche Cannot Survive On Its Own”
The CEO’s comments came during an expansive interview on Porsche’s future prospects. Despite strong sales worldwide, the company is in a bit of a crisis. In the United States, for example, Porsche barely makes any money on the cars it sells here, a grim depiction of its financial state considering North America is the automaker’s biggest sales region.
As a result, Leiter was quick to underscore the brand’s involvement with parent company Volkswagen, saying that under current market conditions, Porsche would not be able to survive in its current form without some financial synergies with its sibling companies. However, in order to become more competitive with Chinese upstarts and to improve profitability worldwide, Leiter wants Porsche to adopt the mentality of a much smaller automaker, with independent business units that can operate more quickly and with less corporate oversight.
A Porsche Supercar Is Still On The Table
Although it’s facing down some significant financial hurdles, Porsche still plans to introduce new, range-topping models like a supercar that’ll fit above the 911 in the company’s lineup, as well as a seven-seat SUV that’ll ride on an upsized version of the Cayenne chassis also shared with the Audi Q9. Leiter didn’t provide any details on either, but he did say that their development wouldn’t come at the expense of Porsche’s core model lineup.
Porsche Mission X Exterior – Side View Doors OpenPorsche
That includes the recently introduced Cayenne Electric, which the company said was selling in satisfactory numbers in its primary European market. However, Porsche will streamline some of its model offerings to save money, including canceling less popular versions of the slow-selling Taycan (without discontinuing the dynamic EV sport sedan entirely).
Buyers Still Want Gas 718s
2025 Porsche 718 Boxster front 3/4 angle in silver while parkedPorsche
It’s not surprising that buyers still prefer gas sports cars to their electric counterparts (even potential electric counterparts, like the Boxster EV, which nobody has driven yet). Firstly, enthusiasts might expect recent used examples to see an uptick in value now that the order books are officially closed and the 718 is out of production. Buyers too concerned about price should head down the road of cheaper sports cars like the Nissan Z or Toyota GR Supra before it’s discontinued after this year. That said, the 718 is so desirable that it outsold both of those cheaper options in 2025.
Despite a price tag tens of thousands of dollars higher than the GR Supra, the 718 Cayman out-sold it by nearly 1,000 units last year. Officially, the count was recorded at 718 Cayman: 6,399 units, and the GR Supra: 5,487 units, while the Nissan Z fell behind at 2,953 units sold.
Average auction results show the 718 Cayman and Boxster’s values are holding steady. According to Classic.com, the gas 718 Cayman (2017–2025) is worth an average of $126,291, while the Boxster is worth $113,143. It goes without saying that higher trims are worth far more, with Boxster Spyder RS Weisach examples going for over $200k.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Porsche 718 Audi TT PrototypeCarBuzz/Valnet
Porsche’s method of improving profitability has a few different components. On one hand, the automaker has introduced a seemingly endless parade of special 911 models, including the droptop GT3 S/C and the anticipated Bergsport coupe, which allows the automaker to combine different components of the sports car family to create a desirable, higher-margin product. But the automaker’s decision to forge ahead with the all-electric 718 Cayman and Boxster feels antithetical to its need to improve profits.
We remain bullish on the potential of a Boxster EV to provide the scintilating driving dynamics and enjoyable handling of its mid-engined predecessors, but the current EV market isn’t expanding quickly enough to support two more premium-priced products with limited appeal.
Base Trim Engine
2L H-4 ICE
Base Trim Transmission
6-speed manual
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
300 HP @6500 RPM
Base Trim Torque
280 lb.-ft. @ 1950 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
20/25/22 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
Infotainment & Features
8 /10
Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
