Porsche has made a few goofs in its time, including thinking it could replace the 911 with the 928 and dropping combustion power from the 718 lineup. It wisely U-turned on the first of those decades ago, and it’s just confirmed it has backtracked on the second. The next Boxster and Cayman, originally planned as EVs only, will now get an ICE option, but only a small portion of buyers will be able to access it.

The rethink was confirmed late last week by Porsche on an investor call, where CEO Oliver Blume acknowledged that the EV market was no longer growing fast enough for the company to carry on with the electric-focused product strategy it conceived years earlier.

As a result of the slide, Porsche is refining its plans to incorporate more combustion models, some of which will be “highly emotional” derivatives appearing at the “top” of the 718 lineup.

Related: Porsche Might Give Manual Fans More Of What They Want

No major details were released, but a likely explanation is that replacements for the Cayman GT4 and GT4 RS, and 718 Spyder, could carry on with six-cylinder petrol power. The regular 718 cars will stick with the single and dual-motor electric drivetrains Porsche has been developing since it conceived the next-generation sports cars purely as EVs.

Adapting the electric platform to take a combustion engine isn’t the work of a moment, however. The 718 EVs will debut in 2026, but a presentation slide confirmed we’ll have to wait until later in the model cycle to see the combustion halo cars.

Porsche

Porsche will obviously pitch them as the enthusiast’s pick, and it sounds like they’ll be the most expensive versions you can buy. The combustion cars might also be quicker around a track – we reported earlier this year that Porsche was struggling to get the new EV prototypes to handle as well as the outgoing ICE cars – but they’ll almost certainly be annihilated in a straight line by one of the dual-motor, all-wheel drive EVs.

Similarly, Porsche also confirmed at the same time that it was backtracking on its electric SUV plans. The Macan will no longer switch to an EV-only lineup and will now get a new ICE/PHEV model range before the end of the decade. And the SUV flagship, codenamed K1, which was also planned as an EV, now won’t get a BEV version at all, and will instead be offered with a choice of combustion and hybrid engines.

Porsche 718 Cayman Electric

Baldauf

Porsche 718 Boxster Electric

Baldauf

The use of simulations is nothing new in the car industry. Automakers regularly use them to speed up testing and add extra trials that they can’t afford (in time and/or money) to carry out with real cars. But with the upcoming Cayenne Electric, Porsche used computer power to skip an entire process in the traditional car development program.

“This project was the first in which we moved directly from digital whole-vehicle testing to pre-series production,” says Dr. Michael Steiner, Porsche’s deputy chairman and a big cheese on the R&D team.

From Pixels to Prototypes

Instead of moving from the design to the construction phase and then to pre-production prototypes, Porsche managed to skip the construction phase altogether. It says its engineers were sending virtual prototypes on digital test drives as early as the design phase as a result.

Related: The Cayenne EV Coupe Shows Porsche Isn’t Done With Surprises

Porsche hasn’t put a price on how much money this digital-focused strategy saved, but it must be tons. It claims the virtual testing program eliminated the need to build around 120 actual test vehicles, which are not only expensive, but time consuming to produce. As a result, development time was cut by 20 percent.

The virtual test drives included, of course, laps of the Nurburgring, but also took in everyday traffic situations to simulate real world use. Because components like tires, dampers and bushes can be modified in the computer program, it’s relatively quick and simple to work out which spec works best. And each of the approved virtual components is then tested in the real world to provide validation.

Testing Without Drivers

Not all of the simulations require a human to be behind the wheel Gran Turismo-style. Many are run by the computers alone. Porsche developed a brand new test bench to put the motors, battery management and charging systems through their paces under realistic conditions. 

Also: Someone Dropped $125,000 For A 2014 Cayenne V6 And Nobody Can Explain Why

“The machines are so sophisticated that we can even display different asphalt surfaces or tyre slip,” says engineer Marcus Junige, who says one clear goal was that the Cayenne’s powertrain always deliver full power when the driver calls for it, something that demands seriously good thermal management.

Humans Still Required

Naturally Porsche’s AI experiment doesn’t entirely remove the need for physical testing, which fully kicked in at the pre-series prototype stage. A fleet of SUVs was still driven everywhere from the blazing 122 degree (50 C) heat of Death Valley to the freezing -31-degree (-35 C) expanses of Scandinavia, each vehicle covering around 93,000 miles (150,000 km).

Other Western carmakers are sure to employ the same digital tricks to speed up their development, if they aren’t already. One of the major threats posed by the Chinese isn’t simply their aggressive prices, but how much faster they are at getting cars to market, and AI tech will be crucial in helping other nations keep pace.

The Hardware

The Cayenne Electric debuts this winter, and should go on sale early in 2026. Built around a stretched version of the 800-volt PPE platform used in the Macan Electric, it features a 108 kWh battery for a 373-mile (600 km) WLTP range and Porsche’s Active ride suspension. It emits V8-like noises in track mode and will reportedly come in three tunes: 394 hp (400 PS / 294 kW) for the base Cayenne, 592 hp (600 PS / 441 kW) in S trim and 794 hp (805 PS / 592 kW) as a Turbo.

Porsche

When it comes to lap records at the Nürburgring, few manufacturers approach the challenge with Porsche’s level of obsession. The German automaker not only owns the outright record of 5:19.546 with the blisteringly quick 919 Hybrid Evo, but it also holds three of the eight fastest production car laps ever run on the circuit. So when Xiaomi came along earlier this year and swiped the EV record, it was only going to be a matter of time before Porsche fired back.

Read: Xiaomi Shatters Its Nurburgring Record Again And Immediately Launches Limited Edition

This is our first look at what seems to be that response to the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, which set a lap time of 7:04.957, edging out the Taycan Turbo GT’s 7:07.55. Reportedly dubbed the Taycan Turbo GT4 RS, this hyper EV was originally thought to be a project from Manthey Racing, but now, it’s believed to be a fully-fledged Porsche model.

Aggressive New Aero

The differences between these two prototypes, and the existing Taycan Turbo GT, are stark. Porsche has fitted a new front end with a larger splitter, canards, and 911 GT3 RS-inspired louvers on the front quarter panels.

There’s also new underbody aero, dedicated aero discs on the rear wheels, and a large fixed rear wing. Additionally, the arches have been flared, and there’s a new rear diffuser. Look closely, and you’ll notice the prototypes also have just a single seat for the driver and a full roll cage.

Our spy photographers report that both cars recently hit the ‘Ring for flying laps, with one piloted by Porsche factory driver Lars Kern. At one stage during the lap, the blue car’s rear diffuser was badly damaged, and while the purple car lapped faster on the same day, it’s understood the balance was not optimal. As such, it’s likely that Porsche will quickly head back to the circuit to go record chasing once again.

Baldauf

Aiming for Xiaomi

What remains uncertain is whether Porsche is only targeting the road-going SU7 Ultra or also setting its sights on the more extreme SU7 Ultra Prototype. That car recently lapped the track in 6:22.091, the second-fastest time ever for an EV, only behind the VW ID.R.

The aero appendages of the Taycan Turbo GT4 RS aren’t quite as dramatic as those of the SU7 Ultra, but they’re much more significant than those of the SU7 road car.

In addition to the new aero, Porsche engineers are believed to be pushing the Taycan’s powertrain past the 1,019 horsepower of the regular Taycan Turbo GT, or the 1,092 horses it can deliver with launch control engaged. If true, it should give the Taycan Turbo GT4 RS the firepower it needs to reclaim Nürburgring bragging rights.

Baldauf

Next year, new car buyers looking for a high-end SUV with a luxury badge and cutting-edge tech will have something new to consider: an all-electric version of the Porsche Cayenne.

The EV follows in the tire tracks of the Macan Electric, offering a distinct design, an entirely battery-powered drivetrain, and a healthy performance boost, all while being sold alongside its combustion-engine sibling. For now, this prototype provides us with the clearest look yet at what’s to come.

Electric Design Language

Like the Macan Electric, the EV variant of the Cayenne will break from the smooth, flowing lines of the gas-powered model. The design appears more upright and muscular, starting at the front with a headlight treatment that mirrors the Macan. Each unit includes four slim horizontal daytime running lights that also function as turn signals.

Read: Porsche’s Next Electric SUV Could Be The Most Controversial One Yet

Baldauf

Much of the front end of this prototype has been covered by non-production-spec parts, but we can make out the shape of the lower grilles, the central positioning of the main radar unit, and the general shape of the bumper. Those lower grilles will be similar to what’s found on the 992.2-generation 911, meaning they have the ability to be opened or closed.

The rear-end design of the electric Porsche Cayenne should also look familiar. Like its smaller electric sibling, the new model will rock narrow LED taillights, likely joined by a light bar. Some of the plastic design details on the bumper and the diffuser also look a little cheap, but these elements should be refined by the time the production model is revealed.

More: Porsche’s Electric Cayenne Dash Packs Four Screens And Barely Any Buttons

Earlier spy shots give us a good idea of what to expect inside. The cabin will feature a fully digital curved instrument cluster, a wide central infotainment screen, a dedicated passenger display, and a separate touchscreen for climate controls. While this modern, screen-heavy layout may not appeal to every longtime Porsche fan, it’s clearly aligned with the brand’s push toward a more connected, tech-centric driving experience.

Serious Electric Performance

While debate may rage about the SUV’s design, power-hungry buyers should be more than satisfied with the performance on offer. Though official specs haven’t been released yet, early estimates suggest the base model could produce around 400 hp, with the mid-tier S variant climbing to nearly 600.

At the top of the range, the Turbo versions could push past 1,000 horsepower, comfortably outpacing the already formidable 730 hp from the current Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid. Expect the quickest model to sprint from 0 to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) in the low two-second range, though Porsche will likely cap top speed at 155 mph (250 km/h), as it often does with its EVs.

When it comes to driving range, Porsche is reportedly aiming for between 350 and 400 miles on a full charge, depending on the variant. That figure would keep the Cayenne EV competitive with other high-performance electric SUVs, while also offering the kind of long-distance capability buyers expect at this level.

Baldauf