911 protected, but other Porsches set for Group engines

Porsche has no business case for a cut-price standalone model (more here), but it could still launch cheaper and more frugal four-cylinder Boxster and Cayman variants. That's one of the take-outs from discussions the Carsales Network had with the German sports car icon's worldwide head of sales and marketing, Executive Vice President, Klaus Berning, on the weekend.

Speaking at the global launch of the new Panamera four-door in Southern Germany, Berning told the Carsales Network that downsizing was a trend that was catching up with Porsche. Though he refused to say a four-cylinder Porsche Boxster (for example) was inevitable, he made it clear the carmaker was in the process of considering lower capacity, lower cylinder count models.

"Clearly there is a trend to downsizing. We have to do everything possible within the brand limits to lower CO2 emissions... Of course, for the technician to go two cylinders down brings a lot of efficiencies, so I will not exclude it," Berning told the Carsales Network.

"But if you ask me did we already decide to do one [a four-cylinder Boxster or Cayman] -- no," he qualified.

According to Berning, Porsche believes that it has the option to use 'foreign' [non-Porsche] powerplants in such a car. Indeed he posited that Porsche could widen its use of Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG) powerplants, though with one key qualification -- the 911 is off-limits.

"911 is the core of the brand and follows different rules than the rest," he said.

When quizzed on whether Porsche would consider developing its own signature four-cylinder powerplants, he answered in a roundabout fashion.

"Let me put it this way... 911 we know needs Porsche engines; Cayenne needs Porsche top-end engines, but we have proven with the diesel and V6 that those people who want to have the brand, like the design, like the driving style, but are not so power-oriented they can care less where the engine comes from -- as long as it's high quality, fuel efficient and gives a certain level of pleasure to drive."

"So what is the answer... I could see another [non-Porsche] four cylinder in a non [9]11, yes... But in a 911 I could not see a non-Porsche engine," Berning opined.

The marketing boss' comment would appear to leave the door open for Porsche to build a lower capacity 911 -- perhaps a turbo boxer four. But equally it points to the practicality of building cheaper and more frugal inline four-cylinder Boxster and Cayman variants using VAG engines.

Berning is cautiously optimistic customers of the cheaper Porsche nameplates would be more accommodating of the ring-in powertrains.

"I know that 911 customers would not accept it... I don't know whether Boxster and Cayman customers would not accept it... But from my experience it is more likely," he hedged.

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