Pour one out for the 718 because entry-level sports cars are officially no longer in the European Union. As with the petrol Macan, Porsche is withdrawing the Boxster and Cayman ahead of schedule because both cars will not meet new cybersecurity regulations. These rules are expected to come into force in July 2024, when cars will no longer be allowed to be registered in EU markets.
In an email to Engine1, Porsche 718 spokesperson Oliver Hilger confirmed that the coupe and convertible have been discontinued in the EU. There are some exceptions however as the Cayman GT4 RS and Boxster RS Spyder will continue as they are small production vehicles and are exempt from this rule. The demise of the 718 is limited to the EU, meaning it will continue in other markets.
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The problem comes from the electrical architecture used by the Boxster and Cayman, which does not meet upcoming cybersecurity regulations. Modifying cars to meet the new law would cost Porsche about half the budget used for an all-new model, which is not financially viable.
The fourth generation Boxster/Cayman is an older product, going on sale in 2016 under the internal code name “982”. The first generation Macan is even older considering it’s been on the market since 2014. The removal of the 718 from the EU is unlikely to put a big dent in Porsche’s bank accounts, but the Macan has always been a good seller. Globally, the crossover recorded 87,355 sales in 2023, more than four times that of the 718 range.
The next generation of the 718 will be purely electric when it goes on sale in 2025. The arrival of the electric vehicle will not mean the end of current gasoline models since the two will coexist peacefully for an indefinite period. Porsche implemented a similar strategy for both generations of the Macan.
Although the 718 is no longer available for configuration in EU markets, you can still purchase an all-new Boxster or Cayman by choosing from whatever is available in stock. Time is running out because this will no longer be possible from July 1, the date on which unsold cars will no longer be registrable.
