Porsche Future Cars

The first-generation Porsche Macan was launched in 2014, which means that it’s six years old as of 2020. Given that modern car life cycles take five to six years, it’s about time for a redesign. But it seems Porsche wants to keep the current Macan on the market a while longer. At least that’s what a set of new spy shots we just received suggest.

When the Taycan was unveiled, a lot of folks called it the electric Panamera because of how similar they both look. When the real-world reviews started pouring in, it was known the Taycan is smaller than Panamera in terms of dimensions. But, with electrification taking over every segment and every car, there was a big question surrounding the Panamera’s electric version and how it would slot with the Taycan in the lineup if a Panamera electric would even happen.

Speaking with GoAuto, Porsche’s Product Line Vice President, Thomas Friemuth, cleared some air on both these questions by saying that an electric Panamera is being considered, but also hinted that it won’t overlap the Taycan. Does this mean the electric Panamera will be the flagship e-model for Porsche?

The 2021 Porsche Panamera arrived last week, and it has stirred the lineup heavily. Four years into the current-gen, the Panamera’s facelift includes a number of changes outside and a few on the inside, but the biggest change came in form of a new Turbo S model, which replaced the Panamera Turbo. The extra power boost over its predecessor was good news, but that’s not the end of it. The company is working on the hybrid version of this model, and it could be the most powerful road-going Porsche, beating the 911 GT2 RS to take the apex position in the lineup.

It’s been more than a decade since the idea and rumors of a two-door Porsche Panamera – one that would serve as a spiritual successor to the Porsche 928 – was in the works. Yet, here we are in the incredibly dark year that is 2020, and Porsche has yet to morph the Panamera into a proper two-door. The same can be said for a carbio model which has also been said to be in the works for quite a while now. I’m not here to tell you that it’s happening yet, but I can make one hell of a business case for why such a model will work, and Porsche hasn’t abandoned the idea yet.

When we first saw the Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo Concept back in 2018, the expectation was set that it would launch in late 2020. Once the Porsche Taycan launched, and we knew Porsche had perfected its technology (if that’s what you would call less than 250 miles of range), we really expected the Cross Turismo to come quickly after, as expected in 2020. As it turns out, Porsche has been forced to delay the Cross Turismo, but according to Porsche, it’s not a casualty of the Pandemic.

The latest-generation Porsche 911, dubbed 992, arrived in 2019 and as of August 2020 the German company has unveiled both the Carrera and Turbo models in coupe, cabriolet, and targa body styles.

But we’re still missing the hardcore GT3 and GT3 RS models, as well as the extreme GT2. There’s no word as to when these variants will arrive, but our paparazzi just spotted the GT3 RS testing in the wild. And it looks more aggressive than ever.

An updated version of the current-generation Porsche Panamera Turbo is underway, and it seems that the German carmaker wants to introduce it with a new Nurburgring record. Our paparazzi spotted a slightly camouflaged version of the sedan doing laps on the ’Ring with Porsche taking on-track photos. This suggests a publicity stunt for the upcoming Panamera, but there’s no indication of how quick the new sedan is. However, rumors from last year say that the Panamera Turbo lapped the Nordschleife in seven minutes and 11 seconds, which is a new record for four-door vehicles.

The concept of a hybrid or electric 911 isn’t a new one – Porsche has been working on a 911 hybrid for years. We even discussed whether or not there’s a legitimate case for an electric 911 in mid-2019. After all, the Porsche 718 Cayman is expected to go electric or at least hybrid when the next-gen model launches, so the 911 should be next, right? Well, it’s not exactly that simple as the 911’s general design all but prohibits efficient use of electric components. Let me explain a little further…

Porsche has been building the 911 on the same recipe for more than 50 years now. But even though it retains the layout and the design (for the most part) of the original car, the 911 changes in many ways. Most notably, it’s heavier and more complex. While more technology makes it a better car for the majority, something that the 911 should return to its original simplicity. And Frank-Steffen Walliser, the man behind both the 911 and the 718, is among them and thinks that the 992-gen 911 should have been smaller.

Speaking to the Australian media at the debut of the 992-generation 911 Targa, Walliser said that he wished the 992 was smaller. "Maybe I would do it a little more sporty than the 992 in general, but I have no complaints of this model," he added.

The 2021 Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is an upcoming version of the Cayenne Coupe, a sleek SUV that Porsche originally introduced for the 2020 model year. Spotted testing in the wild with a different exhaust layout, the 2021 Cayenne Turbo GT is rumored to become the company’s range-topping model. It could also be a hybrid that generates more oomph than the already impressive Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid model. The fact that it was also spotted at the Nurburgring in the past suggests it will be more dynamic than any other Cayenne on the market. The equivalent of the 911 GT3 for SUVs if you will. The name is not yet official, but it could be called the Cayenne Coupe Turbo GT5, a badge that Porsche trademarked back in 2015.

Update 4/28/2020: The Porsche Cayenne Coupe GT Was spotted testing one again, this time with what we believe to be sport exhaust. Check out the latest pictures in our special “Spy Shots” section below.

The Porsche Taycan has mainly been in the news for two reasons – the exorbitant price and the laughable range. In fact, Porsche recently said that it doesn’t consider Tesla as its rival. While this is true to an extent, it still sounded like a justification because it couldn’t match the latter’s battery range. Well, it looks like Porsche is going to get some heat for this as well. The company is coming up with a cheaper trim of the Taycan with a two-wheel-drive configuration and a ‘smaller battery’.

Porsche redesigned its entire lineup over the last years and even introduced special models like the 935. But it’s still missing a full-fledged supercar. The 918 Spyder was discontinued in 2015 after only 918 units built and Porsche has yet to confirm a successor. But a set of leaked pattent images hint that the German firm is indeed working on one. And it looks a lot like the 917 Concept from 2019.

It’s been less than a year since Porsche introduced the GT4 version of the Cayman (in June 2019) and the German company is reportedly working on a more hardcore version of the sports car, to be called the GT4 RS. This version is rumored to arrive sometime in 2021 with a stiffer suspension, a more powerful engine, and a lighter curb weight. The big news is that the upcoming GT4 RS could generate close to 500 horsepower.

Reports about the Porsche Macan EV have been bouncing back and forth for a year now, with the latest news being that it may only be sold as an EV from 2024 onward. This news came via an external report, but it is mentioned briefly in Porsche’s Annual and Sustainability Report for 2019 and that it is scheduled to launch in 2022. What was more interesting in that report, however, is reference to a jacked-up rugged wagon, once known as the Mission-E Cross Turismo Concept. Do you see where this is going? Are you getting excited yet?

The Porsche Macan’s timeline isn’t written in stone and seems to be changing so frequently that it’s hard to keep up with. Back in March of 2019, we heard that the next-gen 2021 Macan would be offered as an EV only. Then, news about the Macan EV pretty much dried up until February 2020 when we learned that Porsche would sell the current-gen Macan (in facelifted form) alongside the next-gen Macan EV. A new report, coming directly from Germany, says Porsche is considering the bravest move it’s made since it almost replaced the 911 with the 928.

The 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS is an upcoming high-performance variant of the 982-generation Cayman that’s rumored to debut in 2020. Essentially a more aggressive and powerful version of the existing 718 Cayman GT4, the 2021 will be the first of its kind and the first modern 718 to feature the "RS" badge. This car has been in the rumor mill ever since the first Cayman GT4 was introduced in 2015, but it took Porsche around four years to turn it into reality. Better late than never, I guess.

The 2021 718 Cayman GT4 RS is more than just a rumor now. The car has already been spotted on public roads with some camouflage on its body, but also with a beefed-up exterior. It features bigger vents in the front, a big rear wing, and many small details that set it apart from the already familiar GT4. Just like the latter, the 2021 718 Cayman GT4 RS will feature the 911’s 4.0-liter flat-six under the hood, but in a more powerful setup. Let’s find out more about it in the review below.

Update 3/18/2020: The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS has been spotted doing some cold-weather testing and there are a few subtle changes that you need to know about. Check it out in our “Spy Shots” section below!

It was early March when we discussed whether or not there was a case for an electric Porsche 911 and, ultimately, why it’s going to be the last in the lineup to go electric. Part of the problem with the 911 is packaging, and the other part is weight. With the current 992-gen model, an eV powertrain just won’t fit. On top of that, battery technology hasn’t evolved enough. It might work for large sedans (nevermind the Taycan’s embarrassing range limitations,), but for most two-door sports cars, it just isn’t the right time to make the conversion. But, does the same hold true for the 718 Cayman and Boxster?

Back in November 2019, a report traveled through online car-centric mediums claiming that Porsche is serious about building a hypercar that would rule supreme on the top tier position of its lineup.

Rumors talked about a car that would bridge the gap between Porsche’s road-going vehicles and its motorsport programs with know-how provided by the company’s abandoned Formula 1 engine development program. Well, you can disregard that, because Porsche’s is not doing a hypercar. At least not in the short- to medium-term future.

Porsche has bravely stepped into the EV world with the new Taycan, and it has sparked a lot of conversation about when the rest of the lineup will move into electrification as well. There’s potential that the 718 Cayman could go electric or at least hybrid when the next-gen model launches, but what about the 911? Will Porsche’s most iconic car take a ride on the greener side of things anytime soon? Well, Porsche’s Director of its Sports Car Line had something to say about it, and it might surprise you. … or maybe it wont.

When the current Porsche Macan makes its generational shift in 2022 or 2023, it was originally expected to make the shift into EV territory as well. The original “plan” was for the next-gen Macan to be offered only as an EV and ditch the ICE altogether. All that has apparently changed, at least to some extent, if a new report is to be believed. Let us introduce you to the dual-Macan Strategy.