Take five: Porsche's new plan

Porsche's Panamera. Photo / Supplied

Porsche is contemplating an all-new car, almost certainly a four-cylinder variant of the next-generation Cayman/Boxster and not an entry-level model based loosely on the prototype Volkswagen Bluesport roadster that VW has reportedly shelved until the soft global car market picks up.

The German sportscar specialist confirmed at the launch of its Panamera saloon in Germany last week that it will turn its attention to a fifth product product line from October this year.

European analysts say a four-cylinder offering, along with planned hybrid versions of existing models, would potentially boost overall Porsche sales from the current 98,000 annually to upwards of 120,000.

Porsche vice-president of sales and marketing Klaus Berning told reporters: "The first question we have to ask is: 'Do we need another model line?' Once that decision has been taken, we have to be really sure that our business plan could work."

Porsche has a four-model range - the Boxster/Cayman, 911, Cayenne SUV and Panamera, priced between $119,000 and upwards of $300,000.

The boosted four-cylinder coupe would be priced below $100,000, or roughly $20,000-$30,000 under the Boxster and Cayman models.

But it would not be called the Speedster, or a rebadged Porsche version of the open-top VW concept. Said Berning: "Everybody is asking me about the small Speedster. Forget it. There is no business case for a small Speedster."

Berning also dismissed speculation of a Panamera-based 928 replacement, saying history had taught Porsche to move to a new product line only when each existing model had been firmly entrenched.

The next-generation Boxster and Cayman series is known internally as the 981. Speculation about a four-cylinder coupe began last year when it became clear that Porsche would need a smaller engine in its model line-up to bring down the average CO2 output of its cars to meet new European emissions laws.

German car magazine Auto Motor & Sport further fuelled rumours by claiming that the turbocharged 200kW/350Nm 2-litre four-cylinder petrol unit from the Audi TTS was under scrutiny for the next Boxster and Cayman.

Porsche hasn't used a four-cylinder engine since the 968 was discontinued in 1995. The first four-cylinder to be mixed with the 911 six-cylinder line-up was the 914 of the late 1960s/70s.

Asked if another four-cylinder Porsche was likely, Berning said: "Never say never again." He went on: "Clearly there is trend to downsizing. We have to do everything possible within the brand's limits to lower CO2 emissions. And to go two cylinders down brings a lot of efficiency, so I will not exclude that."