Porsche

The 1980s was a truly crazy time. On the one hand, we’d just experienced the oil crisis, which had led to some horrendous cars and ruined previously great ones. On the other – it was a time of innovation, futuristic styling, and some very radical design decisions. Pronounced fender flares, side gills, and pop-up headlights were the norm in those crazy days. When it comes to the Porsche 911, one design stands out as the definitive 1980s styling element – the Flachbau which translates to Slant Nose or flat nose in German.

As a best-selling Porsche model in the United States, the Macan nameplate needs no introduction. In the decade that it has been around, the Macan has won a lot of praise for being one of the most dynamically capable models, in the luxury compact SUV class. For 2024 though, the Macan receives a total reboot as it goes fully electric! If you’re still not ready to embrace electrification, Porsche will thankfully continue to offer the gas-powered model until 2026. The old four-cylinder/V6-equipped Macans are great for many reasons. First, they are affordable. Secondly, they are more practical than the similarly priced 718 Cayman, thanks to the crossover boy style and third, they drive like a Porsche.

Ever since the 992.2 update began rolling out in May this year, and gave us the first hybrid Porsche 911, we wondered what this would mean for the other variants of the rear-engine sports car. The Porsche 911 prides itself on a few things: "revolution, not evolution", being one of the most usable high-performance vehicles, and being one of the most mass-produced sports cars. That said, the 911 is still not a mass-produced vehicle compared to, let’s say the Macan.

It’s hard to believe that the Porsche 718 Cayman is now almost a decade old. With the upcoming all-electric Cayman/Boxster combo set to kickstart a new chapter for Porsche’s entry-level sportscar, 2025 will be the final gas-powered Cayman. To me, it’s the end of an era for lightweight and relatively cheaper Porsche sports cars. Sure, the all-electric Caymans and Boxsters should be quicker, but can they match the enthusiasm of the intake sound you’d get with the gas-powered Cayman? Well, I don’t want to answer that. But if you prefer a well-sorted chassis, a more analog feel in both drivability and features, with good old gasoline power, now is the time to act and snag a brand-new one while you still can. So what exactly does the latest Porsche 718 have to offer? From everything that’s new for this year and the specs and features across various trims, here’s a detailed overview of the 2025 Porsche 718 Cayman.

The 992.2-generation Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 Touring were officially unveiled a month ago. Both models are available on the Porsche configurator to spec as you see fit. If you are a track enthusiast then the 911 GT3 would be the logical choice, with its aggressive aero kit, providing plenty of downforce. But if you want the GT3’s legendary, normally-aspirated flat-six that revs to 9,000 RPM, without the crazy aero, the more civil GT3 Touring would be more your cup of tea.

With 2025 around the corner, Porsche finds itself in a bit of a pickle. Their lofty plan of 80% of sales to come from EVs by 2030 seemed a tad bit too ambitious. The lukewarm reception to electric vehicles, particularly in key markets like the U.S. and parts of Asia has forced a re-evaluation of strategy at Stuttgart. I mean just look at sales of the all-electric Taycan sedan for example, which still isn’t seeing much demand even after the recent 2024 facelift. Also, things like range anxiety, charging infrastructure woes, and the lack of soul in many EVs have conspired to dampen the enthusiasm amongst the wider public. While I applaud Porsche’s initial goals, it’s clear that the EV market isn’t quite ready to fully embrace the electric future.

Just after a month of taking the wraps of the 992.2 GT3 and GT3 Touring, the online configurator for both models is now live. While there is frankly an exhaustive amount of permutations and combinations possible, I wanted to take a look at some of the most expensive options available. The optional Weissach Package in particular, which is all about shaving off precious pounds and hopefully milliseconds on the race track is of interest to me, as it is the first time that Porsche is offering it for the GT3. Strangely enough, it is not the most expensive option that I could find.

Coupe SUVs went mainstream since the X6 kickstarted this trend in 2008. Since then, many automakers have joined the Coupe-SUV bandwagon such as Audi with the RSQ8, Lamborghini with the Urus, and even Porsche with the Cayenne Coupe. In the ballpark of 100 grand, I wanted to see how the latest BMW X6 M60i, (which by the way is the mid-spec model) stacks up against the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid Coupe for the 2025 model year. (second base)

Normally, when we think of reimagined or resto-modded classic 911s, the work of Singer is probably the first to come to mind. Of course, there are others like Theon, Gunther Werks, Kalmar Automotive, and so many more. Then, there’s Erbacher – an outfit based out of Dornach, Switzerland, dedicated to making its own epic iteration of the often-reimagined Porsche 964.

Evolution sometimes requires sacrifices and Porsche’s sports cars are a great example of that. The Porsche 911 has always followed the philosophy of “evolution, not revolution” and while the latest 992.2 update introduced a couple of novelties to the model, the distinctive shape of the rear-engine sports car from Germany has remained largely unchanged over the past six decades. The 911 is not the only Porsche sports car that has given us great things, only to take them away later. Models like the front-engined 928 and V-10 powered Carrera GT have contributed to the brand’s heritage in their own way, but the 911 makes it easier to trace what we have lost over the years. Air-cooled Porsches are in a class of their own and purists believe anything from the 996 generation onwards isn’t a true Porsche. I am not going to get into whether that’s the case or not. Instead, I’ve decided to list things we love about the Porsche 911 that have gradually been taken away from us with each new generation.

Look, I’m someone who likes things done properly. A nice cuppa, a well-maintained ride, and a good bit of tinkering with my pride and joy whenever I can. I suppose all bastions of order in this chaotic world if you will. So when something like this Rothman’s Boxster Safari monstrosity pops up on my radar (this time on Reddit) well let’s just say it ruffles my feathers a tad bit. Clearly, this creation was built for someone with an acquired taste.

Catering solely to car enthusiasts may seem like the best way for a company to go bankrupt unless you are Porsche that is. The German carmaker has realized people still want gasoline-powered models and the declining demand for EVs has inadvertently forced Porsche to make some strategic changes and adjustments, that have been widely welcomed by some of the brand’s biggest fans. By now, everybody has heard of how many automakers originally planned to electrify most of their lineup by 2030, with some even planning a full transition to EVs. Porsche meanwhile has now taken a slightly more flexible stance due to a slowdown in demand for electric cars, and it appears that we will continue to get some interesting ICE-powered models. However, this may come with a few sacrifices, as you’re about to find out.

Porsche’s 986 Boxster was a model that until recently, did not get the recognition it deserved. It gave Porsche enthusiasts a more affordable, mid-engine sports car that offered 80 percent of the 911 performance at around half the retail price when both cars were new. The entry-level Porsche from the 1990s came with a downside though – it wasn’t the quickest. While even the base-model 986 Boxster can smoke a Mazda Miata from the same period, automatic variants were especially strangled, with 0 to 60 mph times being 7.2 seconds.