2017 Porsche Boxster loses cylinders, gains power, adds frugality

Porsche's decision to downsize the new generation Boxster's engines from flat-6 to turbocharged flat-4 may shock purists, but power and torque are up, and fuel consumption and emissions down. So the 2017 Boxster is a demonstration of what efficient automotive technology can deliver. And if four cylinders still seem a bit demeaning for the brand, consider that the 919 hybrid race car uses a turbocharged V4.

Full details of the new engines were not released when this article was published, but Automotive Engineering soon will be sitting down with Porsche engineers and driving the new 718 Boxster; in depth story to come. Meantime, Porsche does not dispute the supposition that the new “boxer” fours are shortened versions of the current flat-6s in the latest 911s, but with only a single turbo.