Listen To The Sound Of Porsche's Four-Cylinder Future

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

For the first time since the days of the 912, Porsche will be selling cars with a boxer-four engine. This new engine will power everything from the forthcoming “Baby Boxster” to the next generation of Boxster and Cayman, likely differentiated by different states of turbocharged tune. Here, a mule of the next-gen Cayman (released in Europe next year), which is growing to accommodate the new entry-level model, shows off the sweet sound of its new turbocharged 2.5 liter four-banger, which is rumored to put out 365 HP in “S” trim. And by “sweet sounds” I mean, it sounds a lot nicer than the 2.5 liter boxer in my girlfriend’s Impreza… although some of our more discriminating readers might feel that it’s still not up to Porsche standards. What say you?


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Autojunkie Autojunkie on Aug 04, 2011

    You mean "since the days of the 914", right? Just checking ;) All-in-all, bring it on Porsche! I'm excited about them bringing back a boxer-4 in a sub-Boxster-sized car. I'm also excited to think that a version of this engine will make it's way into future rear-engine VWs (not necessarily sports cars) too.

  • Darkhorse Darkhorse on Aug 04, 2011

    The "Baby Boxster" has got to come in between $30,000 or $35,000 MSRP for this to work. I also wonder if this is a way for Porsche to improve its CAFE numbers so the can sell more V8 Panameras.

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    • Chuckrs Chuckrs on Aug 04, 2011

      TTAC did a take on the vehicle footprint adjustment to required efficiency improvements in the US. Bigger footprint, lowered improvement. Another reason the new 991s will be longer, lower, wider. A classic 911 is, IIRC, 8 inches shorter, 8 inches narrower and a little taller than the new 991 '911'. A 356 won't fit in the fender well, but I have to wonder if you could drop the outer body panels as a unit over a 356 without scratching the paint. No problem here with a flat 4 engine - if its good enough for a 356, its good enough for the new lineup too.

  • Mike_D Mike_D on Aug 04, 2011

    This is not a flat 4. I'm surprised nobody has pointed that out so far.

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    • Hogun Hogun on Aug 04, 2011

      It doesn't sound like a flat four (or any four cylinder engine) to me either. Porsche might be doing something weird, new, or exciting with it though.

  • Advance_92 Advance_92 on Aug 04, 2011

    Fist off a Subaru sounds a lot better than that video, and second the sound's completely determined by the exhaust manifold. There are a few after market headers out there that will make a Subaru sound like any other inline 4.

    • See 1 previous
    • Luggage66 Luggage66 on Aug 09, 2011

      @craiger You've heard a lot of engine noise and not much exhaust noise. It's a completely different and awesome sound with the top down on my Boxster S. With it up, I heard mostly the mechanical noise and no exhaust.

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