Porsche_int 718_2017

The dream of the sports car.

A big dream has to be fought for. And so does a bold vision. The next victory? Rarely will it simply fall into our lap. Often, though, there are innate factors we must also fight against: resistance, conventions, and rigid patterns of thinking. Whatever we fight for or against, nothing is achieved without passion, grit and determination. Ferry Porsche gave everything for the sports car of his dreams. His dream came true. Not because he hesitated, dwelled or got lucky, but because he went that extra mile.

To us, it’s never been about extra horsepower alone, but about more ideas per hp. It’s about engines that are more efficient, not bigger. It’s about a design that follows principles, not trends. It’s about sports cars that can be driven day in, day out. It’s only when all these things come together that we can talk of Intelligent Performance – the core of the Porsche brand, and of its future. This is what we are fighting for. Just as we did on day one. We are fighting for a dream that will forever be in our heart.

Every legend has a beginning. Strictly speaking, the legend of the 718 began back in 1953 with a simple but audacious plan: to take the offensive. Not least on the racetrack. A rousing statement of intent followed by action: with a four-cylinder horizontally opposed engine, with a consistent lightweight construction and with a cornering performance never witnessed before. The 550 Spyder. A sports car that defied the motorsport standards of its time – because our engineers simply cannot be content with the status quo.

So, in 1953, the first ever Porsche designed specifically for motor racing made its debut on starting grids around the world. And, in doing so, it paved the way for a series of pure-bred mid-engined race cars: from 1957, it was followed by the 718 RSK Spyder – a fundamentally revised version of the 550 A Spyder; the 718 RS 60 Spyder; the 718 W-RS Spyder; and, ultimately, the 718 GTR – the coupé gracing the Spyder line-up. By the mid-60s, they would go on to claim over 1,000 racing victories – and convincingly outperform a field that was sometimes far superior on paper. At the Targa Florio, for instance, notorious for its tight and twisty mountain roads. At the 12 Hours of Sebring. At numerous hill-climbing events. And, naturally, at the Mecca of racing: Le Mans. It was a winning streak that elevated Porsche from underdog to giant killer. And to the darling of the fans. Of course, every legend also begs a big question: what comes next? Our answer: we keep going – on the roads beyond the racetracks. And we write a new chapter in the history of the legend. Right here, right now.

The new Boxster and the new Cayman are the sequel that continues the 718 era. At their heart, a four-cylinder turbocharged boxer engine beats with the same fighting spirit that delivered countless podium finishes. In them lives the will to break with standards. And to inspire conviction. So it is entirely appropriate that they, too, should bear these three digits in their name and carry the 718 legend forward. The new 718 models were made for the sport of it. They are mid-engined roadsters that unite the sporting spirit of the legendary Porsche 718 with the sports car of tomorrow – and transfer it to the roads of today’s world. With one goal: to take the everyday out of every day. Compared with the previous models, the result is a new, decidedly more striking design, an even sportier chassis setup and a host of new performance, comfort and assistance systems. And, of course, up to 350 units of turbocharged horsepower (257 kW) – despite a considerable reduction in fuel consumption. Only one question remains unanswered: what are you still waiting for? The new 718 Boxster and the new 718 Cayman. For the sport of it.

This attitude is in every Porsche that we’ve created since 1948. It’s there in the smallest part and in every race we’ve won. It’s also found in every idea. That’s because our engineers are not satisfied with 100 %. It’s because they fight. They fight for that one crucial percentage point more. For the one second that means the difference between triumph and despair. For the ‘Dr. Ing.’ in our company name and for the chance to stir the passion for the sports car, time and time again.