Porsche is developing combustion engines only for the rich – that's just the beginning of exclusive features (3 photos)

Return of the internal combustion engine

The biggest news this week was Porsche’s decision to bring back internal combustion engines for the 718 Boxster and Cayman. The next generation of these cars, due in 2026, was originally designed as a fully electric model, but in response to customer demand and the slowing growth of electric vehicles, the company decided to add top-of-the-line versions with internal combustion engines a few years after production began.

Top-of-the-line versions are a key factor here.

Regular 718 models will still be offered with an electric powertrain only, but the most affluent customers will be able to get a version with a boxer six-cylinder engine. This situation is not much different from how Porsche made six-cylinder engines a premium option for the previous generation 718, when the base models switched to turbocharged boxer fours in 2016. At that time, V6 engines got the GTS models and above, but it is now unknown whether they will be available only for the GT4 and Spyder versions.

Privileges for wealthy car enthusiasts

Porsche is unlikely to be the only manufacturer to keep internal combustion engines in its model range for the most affluent customers. The real sound of the exhaust system instead of a synthesized one is just one of the features that attracts enthusiasts, which may become unavailable to many in the coming years.



Manual transmissions could also be another example of this trend. In fact, it’s already happening: automatic transmissions, once considered a premium option, are now the standard choice, while the simpler manual alternative comes at a premium. For example, you can’t get a basic 911 Carrera with a manual transmission—you have to upgrade to the Carrera T or GT3. The same logic applies to more affordable cars. Acura, for example, only offers a manual transmission on the Integra A-spec.

When the simple becomes special

When the last of the low-tech naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines still available in some entry-level models in the US are gone, naturally aspirated engines will also be seen as the pinnacle of automotive engineering and desirability.

Wealthy car enthusiasts are willing to pay big bucks for such engines because they deliver all the thrills that electric cars or even turbocharged internal combustion engines can’t. We’ve already seen this in the GMA T.50, Aston Martin Valkyrie, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and Bugatti Tourbillon.





The Tourbillon also has another almost retro feature that sets it apart from most other cars. It has one of the best dashboards in the world, not because of the largest digital display, but because it has almost no digital elements at all.

It’s not hard to imagine where this could lead in a few decades. The Mercedes Drive Pilot L3 semi-autonomous driving package is an expensive option in 2025, but who’s to say that the steering wheel and the big button to turn off the driver assistance systems won’t cost a lot of extra money in the future, even if the only place to actually drive is on closed roads?



With all of the above, what feature of modern cars that we take for granted today could become an additional charge tomorrow?

This trend demonstrates how technological progress can paradoxically increase the value of simple, traditional solutions. In the future, automakers may create special series of cars with “analog” features for collectors, where the absence of complex electronic systems will have to pay an additional premium. This approach could create a new market for “cars for true connoisseurs”, where simplicity and mechanical purity will become the main criteria for value.