Latest news with #Osnabrück
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Porsche discontinues two iconic models and replaces them both with EVs
PORSCHE has confirmed it will axe two of its most iconic sports cars—the petrol-powered 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman—by the end of this year, paving the way for fully electric replacements. The announcement marks a significant shift in the brand's strategy as it leans further into electric mobility. 4 4 The news was first revealed in Germany by Porsche production boss Albrecht Reimold in Automobilwoche and later confirmed by the company to Car and Driver. Production of the mid-engine 718 twins will end in October 2025 at Porsche's facilities in Zuffenhausen and Osnabrück. The move follows the earlier discontinuation of the models in Europe due to new cybersecurity laws. According to Porsche, the decision isn't about poor sales. In fact, 2024 saw a 15 percent increase in deliveries, with 23,670 units sold. However, limited parts availability and the push for electrification have forced Porsche's hand. 'We are now focused on the next chapter,' said a spokesperson. Special editions like the Cayman GT4 RS and Boxster RS Spyder will also bow out, despite previous exemptions from EU regulations. Replacing these fan favourites will be fully electric versions of both the Cayman and Boxster. While details remain scarce, Reimold assured enthusiasts that the electric successors will maintain the fun-to-drive character. 'I've driven it,' he said. 'The driving experience will still be 100 percent 718.' Porsche CEO Oliver Blume added during the brand's recent annual meeting that the new EVs will be 'even more dynamic, even more powerful.' However, fans will have to wait a bit longer for the new generation. The EV 718s won't launch until the 'medium term', with development still ongoing. In the meantime, Porsche is urging customers to snap up the remaining petrol-powered models while they still can. 'This may well be your last chance,' warned Car and Driver, which was among the first to report the change for global markets. The shift has been in motion since the start of 2024, when the 718 was pulled from European markets in response to stricter cybersecurity legislation. The regulations effectively ended sales of the internal-combustion Boxster and Cayman, along with the petrol-powered Macan, across the EU. The U.S. and other regions were granted a temporary reprieve, but that window will now close in October. While the 718's days are numbered, Porsche's broader EV strategy is still in flux. CEO Oliver Blume admitted during this week's shareholder meeting that the company's previous target—having electric cars make up 80 percent of sales by 2030—is now unlikely to be met. Despite this, Porsche says the electric lineup 'will continue to grow as planned,' including a large three-row SUV still in development. Interestingly, Porsche is also keeping its options open when it comes to future powertrains. The company has hinted it may reintroduce combustion engines or hybrids into models originally intended to be electric-only. Last November, then-CFO Lutz Meschke said Porsche was 'looking at the possibility' of combining hybrid or petrol power with upcoming EVs—a sign the brand isn't closing the door on internal combustion just yet. As Porsche moves into this new chapter, the retirement of the 718 range is more than just the end of two cars,it's the end of an era. Since their debut, the Boxster and Cayman have become icons in their own right, offering affordable performance and precise handling. Whether the electric versions can match that legacy remains to be seen. The Sun has approached Porsche for comment.
Motor 1
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Game Over: Porsche Is Ending Gas Boxster and Cayman Production
We knew this day would come, so don't be too sad that Porsche is about to pull the plug on its gas-fueled 718 duo. The current-generation Boxster and Cayman have been on their deathbeds since last year, when the sports cars were retired from Europe due to stricter cybersecurity regulations. Motor1 has now learned that the rest of the world will also lose Zuffenhausen's entry-level performance machines later this year. Porsche Cars North America's head of Product Communications, Frank Wiesmann, told us that the fourth-generation Boxster and Cayman (982 series) have entered their final months of production. The last units are scheduled to be built in October. While the main Zuffenhausen plant has been assembling the cars since 2016, some production was moved in 2022 to Osnabrück, where Volkswagen will continue building the oddball T-Roc Convertible until 2027. 2024 marked the final full year of production for the mid-engine coupe and convertible, with sales rising 15 percent to 23,670 units. In the first quarter of 2025, shipments fell 22 percent to 4,498 vehicles, unsurprising given the 718's discontinuation in the European Union and other markets following EU legislation. It's worth noting that the Boxster RS Spyder and Cayman GT4 RS continued in those regions, as the special editions were exempt from the rules due to their limited production runs. Although discontinued models are almost always replaced quickly by next-generation versions or different vehicles, Porsche is taking time with the 718's (indirect) successor. The fully electric Boxster and Cayman are still being developed, so the EVs won't launch this year. During the Annual General Meeting yesterday, CEO Oliver Blume said that the silent sports cars will arrive in the 'medium term.' He added that both will be 'even more dynamic, even more powerful, with a pure driving experience.' Porsche has admitted its previous goal of having EVs account for 80 percent of annual sales by 2030 is no longer feasible. Even so, that doesn't change the fact that the ICE Boxster and Cayman are being phased out. However, Zuffenhausen is applying a different strategy to the rest of its lineup. The Cayenne will coexist with the upcoming EV variant well into the 2030s. The Panamera will also retain its gas engines into the next decade. The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 is being reengineered to comply with Euro 7 regulations and will continue into the 2030s . The first-generation Macan will be retired in 2026, leaving only the electric second-generation model on sale. It died last year in the EU for the same reason Porsche was forced to pull the plug on the 718s. However, Porsche is exploring a new gas-powered crossover to replace the original Macan, launched 11 years ago. If approved, the unnamed model would arrive near the end of the decade with pure ICE and hybrid powertrains. Additionally, Porsche is even considering adding combustion engines to vehicles initially intended to be fully electric. Last November, the company's former Chief Financial Officer, Lutz Meschke, mentioned that surprising possibility : 'We are currently looking at the possibility of the originally planned all-electric vehicles having a hybrid drive or a combustion engine.' During this week's meeting, Blume also mentioned that the electric lineup 'will continue to grow as planned.' His statement indicates that the large, three-row SUV first announced a few years ago is still in development, despite EV sales falling short of Porsche's earlier projections. Catch Up With Porsche: Porsche Is Still Testing the Electric Cayman and Boxster Porsche Could Quit EVs In China Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
German foreign minister: Ukraine's path to NATO is irreversible
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul considers Ukraine's path to NATO irreversible. Source: Wadephul in an interview with the German newspaper Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, as reported by European Pravda Details: The new German foreign minister made it clear that Ukraine is continuing to consider joining the European Union and NATO. He stressed that in NATO, everyone had jointly agreed that Ukraine was on the path to joining the defence alliance and that this path was irreversible. Wadephul noted that Germany stands by this decision. Background: Axios reported that the Donald Trump administration had handed Ukraine a one-page document in Paris, which was presented as a final proposal for a peaceful settlement. Among other things, the document includes a promise that Ukraine will not become a member of NATO. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed hope that the United States would change its position of opposing Ukraine's accession to NATO. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
